High street bankers

[delphinne]

Is it just me or is anybody else having trouble with using their bank? As yet I’ve resisted online banking, mostly from a safety issue and the fact that I like using a bank and feel that people should have a choice. Three of my banks branches are now temporarily closed due to the pandemic and staffing issues which means I have to drive miles in order to find one that’s open. The staff are obstructive and don’t want you in there consequently you are made to feel awkward for even daring to gain access to your money. I understand about staff sickness but this is also just a way of stopping you from using the bank. Many older people don’t want to do online banking or cannot afford the equipment to do so. Or maybe it’s just me ???😤😤😤

Having read all the comments on my post I thank you all for the range of answers. My points on this topic were that we as customers should have a choice of how to bank. The banks have made a concerted effort to discourage people from using their branches so the argument that people no longer want to use a branch bank is more than a little thin. My bank the NatWest is a taxpayer supported bank and yet they treat those taxpayers like an inconvenience. I’ve been in a que with very elderly ladies are nearly keeling over, no seats are available for anyone frail or disabled. Yes I will have to start using online but I get paid a lot in cash, you can’t pay that in online, running a pub or restaurant isn’t all card payments, you have to go in for that. I would say that my local branch when it’s open is staffed by lovely helpful people and I would never ever be rude to any staff in any branch as they’re just doing their job. It’s still not right to be treating customers or human beings in that way.

The point you make about taxpayer support for some banks is a valid one. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling should have made some basic customer service requirements a feature of the bank bailouts.

Who needs online banking? Easy enough to bank without it.

Cards enable me to draw cash at ATMs , pay online, over the phone, or on a machine. I can get cash back at the smkt.

I have a chequebook (rarely used these days but sometimes convenient) .

My bank sends paper statements but I can also check the balance at an ATM.

I’m genuinely asking, I’m not being goady - I don’t work for Nat West so what has your bank done to actively discourage people from using branches?

And with regards to paying in cash - I would imagine there is a Post Office closer to you if going to branch isn’t convenient. Nat West customers can pay in cash and cheques there.

Most banks let you pay in money at the post office

I was always scared of online banking but I am scared of anything new really
But staff at my local NatWest have always been so kind to me whenever I went in for anything. When they suggested online banking last summer (cos it was really hard getting to bank!) I was very unsure (and I do not have a mobile phone that has internet)
But they said to me to bring my iPad down next time and they would get me set up
I did that and it is actually ok. It means I can do money transfers etc a lot easier, so all those £1 contribution to work collections are easy now everyone is remote working
But the staff at my bank are VERY patient with me because I have issues learning new things but it does work for me now 🙂
Maybe staff at your bank are nice as well and could help you if you wanted to try it?

I went to my local Barclays in the pissing rain recently to pay a cheque in. After queuing for 25 minutes and getting sodden the cashier cheerfully asked me 'did you know you could have done this online?' My less cheery reply was 'clearly not otherwise I wouldn't have stood in the freezing rain for the best part of half an hour'.

@MrsRockAndRoll

Most banks let you pay in money at the post office

A lot of post offices have shut as well unfortunately. We're lucky, we have one around the corner but so many have closed.