Incompetence & lack of customer service

It is so difficult to get anything done these days on the banking side of things. In the last two days, I have encountered breathtaking incompetence.

I opened a new account with one institution and received an "account opening pack" which set out exactly what I needed to send back. On the address verification side, the standard "utility bill dated within the last 6 months" was an option. As was a Tax Credit Certificate dated this year. My wife went into a branch to complete the process and the document was refused because it was more than 6 months old.

So I got another document and got it certified by an accountant as per the bank's letter and the bank's website. I received a call to say that the document could only be certified by the bank. I pushed back and it looks like (fingers crossed) the process may be complete.

Then I had the saga of repaying a loan (this is with another institution). I repaid it online and I need a closing statement urgently. I was told to get it online, but I can't as the account has completely disappeared from my online profile. So I called them to request a statement and was told that it would take 2-3 weeks which is crazy. I said that I need it urgently and was advised to go to my branch (where the loan was issued) as they could give me a statement. They looked at me like I had four heads and told me that they had no such facility. I was advised to download it from their online banking (not possible) and told that it would be closer to 5 days before a statement arrived in the post. Eventually they were able to do some form of document search and find me a duplicate of the document I needed.

I haven't had the need to go into a branch or call a bank for a while. Is this what it's come to? Misinformation, frustration, and incompetence?!

Wasn't it always that way?

They're even worse if you're trying to finalise a deceased person's estate, as executors doing the work ourselves.
There seems to be no staff training at all around handling these issues, from start to finish.
We were told there was no need to make an appointment, wrong information given about list of documents required, a total waste of
an afternoon, time off work arranged and organising an elderly relative to attend. You would assume at the very least, that these situations
would be dealt with in an office with some privacy and discretion, no such thing. To say we were fuming at the time is an understatement.

They must be only used to dealing with solicitors in this regard, customer service was non existant, totally unprofessional.

Snowyb

On the address verification side, the standard "utility bill dated within the last 6 months" was an option. As was a Tax Credit Certificate dated this year. My wife went into a branch to complete the process and the document was refused because it was more than 6 months old.

Pick that battle and log a formal complaint. I suspect you are not the first or last person to fall foul of that kind of mis-information.

Gordon Gekko said:

I haven't had the need to go into a branch or call a bank for a while. Is this what it's come to? Misinformation, frustration, and incompetence?!

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Well if it is any consolation it is exactly the same over here (Switzerland), with one added dimension you need to get the documents in a language you understand! My son turned 18 this year and having setup up his accounts at his chosen bank, he keeps getting everything in Italian! He told the advisor he did not care if the documents were sent in English, French or German - given three choices the advisor picked a fourth! He has now decided to go with a different bank because despite several calls to them they seem to be incapable of changing the correspondence language, despite the country having four national languages.

Please , please folks.

Why oh why are any of you surprised by Banks.
What other businesses would you even allow a scintilla of what you post happen.
Get it into your heads Banks are @ best to be tolerated.
.........
re. address verification,
Doc was refused correctly because it was outside the six months. No complaint grounds there.
.................
Snowy.
Common courtesy would suggest privacy .
...............

Maybe its because their ability to steal with a smile is gone ,that you see their real faces.
And I mean steal as per umpteen issues.

Tax credit forms are normally accepted if dated within the present year as they are only issued once a year, same with insurance policy for id purposes. Utility bills that issue more frequently need to be within 6 months or 3 in some institutions. But banks make their own rules on this, only grounds for complaint is if supplied info online differs to what is in branch.

Gerry Canning said:

re. address verification,
Doc was refused correctly because it was outside the six months. No complaint grounds there

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Why? The bank wrote to me and stated clearly that a utility bill must be dated within the last 6 months, whereas a Tax Credit Certificate must be dated in the current year.

In the not too distant future all banking will be online, there will be no branches to visit. Everything is going online. The record keeping aspect will force us all to take screenshots of our accounts and keep our own records.

UB are almost there, BOI probably still a relic of the past. Remember at one stage an account opened in Swords had to be closed in Swords as they could not do the termination at a branch where the account was not opened.

My own view is that if we fast forward a few years, someone else (e.g. Apple) will be providing the banking services in a better and more consumer friendly way.

Calling a spade a spade, banks are rubbish. They really are. Ridiculous policies and procedures, bad customer service, and an unwillingness to help customers.

I have moved accounts twice in the last four years due to bad customer service. Im with BOI now and of course they are killing me on charges but at least stuff gets done.

Have lived abroad recently too and the banking experience was so much easier. I dont know why they cant get it right here.

Ihana said:

Have lived abroad recently too and the banking experience was so much easier.

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Which country out of interest?

Nordic

It gets better. One of the documents I sent in was certified by a Chartered Accountant (as per the banks own guidelines). I hadn't heard anything for quite a while so I called the bank. Eventually I was told that my new account hasn't been opened yet because the bank have been repeatedly trying to get in touch with the Chartered Accountant who certified the document!

This AML stuff is out of control. Does it actually prevent money laundering at all? I doubt it. All it does is annoy the public.

Gordon,
Im not a fan of the banks, and have successfully received 2 apologies from 2 different banks and a small compensation payment from one of them over poor service this year alone, but, Im Confused here regarding your utility bill refusal,

Was it out of date or not? . If it was, then they can refuse it, and I cant see that argument going anywhere. Maybe Im reading it wrong, but you dont dispute it was out of date.

I always finish up a call to the banks by scratching my head wondering if their left hand knows what the right hand is doing. You will get a different answer to the same question from each individual you speak to.

I hear your frustration Gordon. All but 1 of the banks persistently frustrate and anger me with their incompetence, stubborness and shambolic customer service. I do most of my banking now with 1 bank simply because of their excellent customer service (in my experience) and their apparent competence and that bank is KBC.

LS400 said:

Gordon,
Im not a fan of the banks, and have successfully received 2 apologies from 2 different banks and a small compensation payment from one of them over poor service this year alone, but, Im Confused here regarding your utility bill refusal,

Was it out of date or not? . If it was, then they can refuse it, and I cant see that argument going anywhere. Maybe Im reading it wrong, but you dont dispute it was out of date.

Click to expand...

My reading was that the bank's correspondence said to use a utility bill dated within last 6 months, or a tax credit document dated this year. OP used a tax document dated this year that was more than 6 months old, which should have been acceptable based on what was communicated to the OP. The bank were either (a) wrong in their correspondence or (b) wrong in their refusal to accept the document. Either (a) or (b) is a CPC breach.

It seems the customer is expected to second guess the legal requirements so they know better than the banks what is actually required!

Exactly. Their letter stated a utility bill dated within the last 6 months or a tax credit certificate for the current year (no 6 month stipulation). I compiled the stuff and my wife's tax credit certificate (dated January 2016) was refused on the basis of being more than 6 months old.

Their letter and their website also state that a document can be certified by a Bank employee, a Garda, a solicitor, or a chartered accountant. I happened to be meeting one, so got him to certify the replacement document and sent it off. I hadn't heard anything for 10 days so I called the Bank and was told that they'd been trying to contact the accountant to verify his certification but had been unsuccessful. Seriously???

If you think your online bank is antiquated, try EBS. Tried to set up a payment from my EBS a/c online earlier this week. Involves setting up a "new benficiary" and phone call to EBS. Told it would go through either later that day or at latest 11am the following morning. 2 days later, no transfer. Sent email, but it takes them 2 days to reply so phoned. Hadn't been told that the transfer I thought I'd done, hadn't been done because I should have done it AFTER the initial phone call confirming the new beneficiary. If I do it now, (Thurs) it might not go through till Monday!!

I pointed out it would have been a lot faster if I'd gone down to the branch, withdrawn the cash, and walked down the road to the other bank to deposit it.

Why aren't EFTs instant?? (Serious question)

A stockbroker who is updating my Anti-money details is requesting a copy of my passport or driving licence. They also want a copy of my bank statement and also a utility bill.

Does anyone know why they want a copy of my bank statement AND utility bill? No other choice of documentation seems to be acceptable.

I thought that this AML was about photo and address ID.

Why do they want my bank statement?