Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To refuse to raise a complaint against this member of staff?

22 replies

listsandbudgets · 11/02/2022 15:38

I had to go into the bank this morning to deal with some accounts I'd stupidly allowed to go dormant. In the interim I'd changed my address and phone number.

The girl who served me told me that she had never done this before (reactivating dormant accounts) and was only her first week in the job. She looked very young and Id not be surprised if it was her first job.

She did everything right except that she forgot to update the phone number so when I tried to re-register for online banking, I couldn't so had to contact the call centre. They were unable to deal with it and have to send me something in the post but the man I spoke to insisted I raise a complaint and got very pushy when I refused saying i had it make a complaint and he'd put me through to a manager to do it. He was so pushy and insistent I strongly considered raising a complaint about HIM - I put the phone down in the end.

I just kept thinking how awful I'd have felt if I'd made a small mistake like that in my first week in a job and a formal complaint was lodged. She did everything else right and was so helpful and polite - the error is a pain but can be ironed out in time.

OP posts:

IsDaveThere · 11/02/2022 15:40

No, I think you are correct, I wouldn't raise a formal complaint about that either. Not against the girl anyway, the man from the call centre is a different matter

PleasantBirthday · 11/02/2022 15:43

Definitely wouldn't raise a complaint about a simple error, but would raise a complaint about repeated requests to raise one. If you say you don't want to once, that should be sufficient.

Bluebellbike · 11/02/2022 15:43

You are not being unreasonable. I would have refused to make a complaint in those circumstances. It is a pity that society has come to this; complaining about everything and finding somebody to blame for anything that goes wrong, no matter how insignificant.Well done for standing your ground.

yoyo1234 · 11/02/2022 15:43

I think you are correct.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 11/02/2022 15:45

I'd definitely not make a complaint for that. It's a simple mistake, we've all done it.

Most I would do is, if I were in branch and she was working, mention it to her. Not to have a go, or berate her but just so she knows as she might not even have realised she missed a step and do it again.

Wonnle · 11/02/2022 16:00

I would have asked to speak to his manager and had a word about him myself .

Lunariagal · 11/02/2022 16:19

I think you sound lovely.
As you say it'd a simple mistake to make.

CrinklyCraggy · 11/02/2022 16:22

It won't be a complaint against her as such, I doubt anyone would even contact her about it, but it goes into a different workflow if it's a complaint. He was trying to get the issue dealt with more quickly.

Meandthesky · 11/02/2022 16:24

In my many years experience in financial services customer service he probably couldn’t be arsed dealing with it so wanted to dump the “issue” onto someone else. It’s just as infuriating for whoever picks up the complaint as it is for you, trust me!

The other option is if you were saying you’re unhappy and wanting compensation, they should treat it as a complaint. But then if you tell them you’re not complaining they shouldn’t insist it has to be a complaint. In the end it’s up to the customer and nobody should ever be pressured into complaining! But inexperienced staff sometimes do it anyway.

TyrannosaurusRegina · 11/02/2022 16:59

OP I would honestly raise a complaint against him pushing and harassing you to the point where you felt as though you needed to end the call. Jesus, life is hard enough without people like him.

ElleGB · 11/02/2022 17:01

I would ring back and check he has not raised a complaint regardless of what you said, and consider raising one about him instead.

DiddyHeck · 11/02/2022 17:04

@Lunariagal

I think you sound lovely. As you say it'd a simple mistake to make.

I think she sounds pretty normal. I don't really know anyone who would want to raise a complaint under these circumstances.

Meandthesky · 11/02/2022 17:10

Oh there are definitely people who would complain and want compensation for their wasted time!

Some people fly off the handle about any minor thing, some people are calm and understanding even about serious issues and wouldn’t dream of complaining even in situations where they probably should. Most people thankfully fall somewhere in the middle

MedusasBadHairDay · 11/02/2022 17:15

"I think she sounds pretty normal. I don't really know anyone who would want to raise a complaint under these circumstances."

You've never worked in a customer facing role then?

Sparticuscaticus · 11/02/2022 17:24

Sort it out by writing letter to the bank saying you don't want it to be a formal complaint as she was new and did everything else right but this was an oversight. You spoke to someone in customer services who repeatedly pushed for you to raise a complaint which you didn't feel was necessary
Then if he did raise an interns complaint , it will have your letter against it

Nocutenamesleft · 11/02/2022 17:40

You are correct

However I’d check that they haven’t said you’ve raised a complaint

Just double check

Also maybe do raise a complaint about him!!

Fangdango · 11/02/2022 17:45

I had a lovely mortgage advisor who seems to move slipped up putting a house insurance deal through.

Out of the blue I got a phone call saying my complaint had been resolved. What complaint I asked. They explained that the only category for refunding me whatever I was owed was "complaint resolved" so they'd just put it through on my behalf.

Could be something like that? It was Halifax. But he should have made that clear if so ...

Starcrossed2 · 11/02/2022 17:51

I work in a call centre op, we are targeted on the number of complaints we raise. Nothing ever comes of it, it's just a box ticking exercise. He may have been under pressure to increase his number of complaints.

Original poster

listsandbudgets · 11/02/2022 18:01

Thanks everyone, I just couldn't understand his insistence - it's not as if she swiped my life savings or gave my details to the wrong person. She just made a mistake that mildly inconveniences me.

@Starcrossed2 I don't understand why they'd want you to have a target for raising complaints - surely any reasonable organisatijon would be more intent on providing a service to get the call centre team to put things right in the first instance and prevent complaints

OP posts:

llansannan21 · 11/02/2022 18:21

I think you did the correct thing. I wonder if the man who was insistent has some agenda against the woman concerned.

billy1966 · 11/02/2022 18:37

@TyrannosaurusRegina

OP I would honestly raise a complaint against him pushing and harassing you to the point where you felt as though you needed to end the call. Jesus, life is hard enough without people like him.

This.

I would be very unhappy with his conduct.

Starcrossed2 · 12/02/2022 14:17

The corporate line is that we are listening to customers dissatisfaction and responding to it. I think when the data is compiled it also gives them an idea of what the common complaint drivers are, but it's annoying in circumstances like yours where I'd say you're more explaining the situation than complaining- but I'd still be pulled up if I didn't register it as a complaint.

Flip