Banks

[IceMaiden]

I keep it the old fashioned way, I don't trust online banking.

That reminds me of the days when people stopped being paid in cash. Many then said, "I don't trust the banks," preferring to keep their money in a biscuit tin or under the mattress.

Incidentally, this isn't a criticism aimed at you, it just triggered a memory!

That's exactly what I meant! At least you know where it is that way .

[Boatbuilder]

Moonraker, your comment about the mattress reminded me of the late Ken Dodd.

Ice Maiden, they are also the places where anybody breaking into your home is likely to look.

[Katharine]

I was in my local building society yesterday and while waiting, I couldn't help overhearing a lady discussing opening an account. She told the assistant what kind of account she was hoping to open, and then said, that before they went any further, could they assure her that she could open it in branch, as she was unable to access anything on-line. She was obviously very relieved when she was told that she wouldn't need to do anything on-line.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who still prefers to deal with human beings.

[Chris_jr]

We really could do with banking hubs where basic transactions and queries can be dealt with regardless of your choice of bank.

The last time I tried to resolve a problem with Santander it took three quarters of an hour and some of people I needed to speak to seemed to be permanently unavailable.

[Katharine]

Grrrr - BANKS!

I recently tried to make an on-line transaction. I don't know if my bank has just upped its level of security generally, or whether it was being extra cautious as I rarely do anything financial on-line. Either way, I'd got to the check-out page and then it said I needed to enter a verification code. Fair enough, except it didn't come through, so I hit the 're-try' option, but again, it didn't come through and the screen told me to phone the bank instead. I did so, and amazingly got straight through to a human being. Not that they were any use, they just told me I might just need to refresh the page (I did try to explain that I'd already done that, but it seemed beyond their comprehension to understand)!

After another couple of attempts of getting the 'call your bank' page. I then tried ringing the number on the back of my card - the automated voice I got through to couldn't recognise my date of birth (maybe I'm too old to be making on-line payments? ), so I got through to an adviser. Great I thought - nope- they said they'd have to transfer me, and I was then in a 20 minute queue! So I gave up and phoned up the place that I was trying to pay. Unfortunately, by doing it that way, I had to pay a £3 handling fee, and add that to the phone calls I'd had to make, it's probably cost me an extra fiver or more to book direct, but at least I know it's done.

This is why I pay cash and shop in person as much as possible - technology is fine when it works, but if it doesn't, it's so hard to get help.

I've recently seen parts of the programme about the Post Office scandal, and it's heart breaking to think of all those people being treated so appallingly, because no one would believe that the 'perfect' computer system was flawless. I'm always worried when doing anything on-line that an error will occur and my meagre savings will disappear and no one will be there to believe/help me.

[IceMaiden]

I've recently seen parts of the programme about the Post Office scandal, and it's heart breaking to think of all those people being treated so appallingly, because no one would believe that the 'perfect' computer system was flawless. I'm always worried when doing anything on-line that an error will occur and my meagre savings will disappear and no one will be there to believe/help me.

And that in a nutshell is why I don't trust online banking point blank. A company will always believe their computer over what you say. My dad once got sent a bill from a supplier for 2p because his customer account was showing that he owed that much on his monthly invoice. He didn't, he had been in and paid it all up the day before but they refused to believe him. He'd been a customer with them for years, spent hundreds in there for work supplies and paid every penny each month without fail but they wouldn't believe him because their computer was always right. My mum had the opposite problem, she and a group of locals used to run a dance hall and they had a bank account for the club takings. Only small amounts for tea, biscuits, the odd meal out between them. A large amount of money was accidentally paid into this account and they had a terrible job getting the bank to believe it was not theirs. Despite being a vastly abnormal amount to what was usually put in, because it was on the computer it had to be right as computers don't make mistakes. Well maybe they don't but the human using it does!

[pete9012S]

I really sympathise Katharine and also IceMaiden.

That was a horrendous experience.

My Mum asked me to take her card and draw some cash from a hole in the wall cash machine some time ago.
The machine promptly swallowed her card. The telephone helpline was non existent and the noisy road next to the machine made hearing anyone on the phone impossible.

In frustration and rage, I thumped the card cash machine and after some strange metallic noises, the machine unexpectantly spat out Mum's card!!

[Wolfgang]

It was lately in the papers that many British Post office owners were prosecuted because of an error in some software years ago. Many had to go to prison because of that.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Yes, that was the Post Office scandal Katharine mentioned. It's shocking that the Post Office continued to insist the computer system must be right, even when it was obvious that something was seriously wrong with it.

[IceMaiden]

That's what I mean, companies will blindly insist the computer is right and never consider the possibility that the very real human working it can and does make very real human mistakes.

I use card cash machines as little as possible, I'm always afraid it will swallow my card and not give it back! Our local grocery shop has one outside but it's not actually the shop's and not their responsibility. Therefore if it eats your card and you can't get it back the shop can't help you, you have to wait for the company whose machine it is to come out and see to it an hour or more later. It's also frequently got a note on it saying out of order. I would never trust my card in it!

[Hannah]

I certainly prefer cash machines at banks during the opening hours.
In Germany it's possible to get up to 200€ cash when paying for purchases in most supermarkets. That's something I use occasionally - probably more often than the cash machines though I pay most things by card anyway.

[Barnard]

I do no on-line banking but happily pay for things with a debit card.
If I withdraw money I go into a bank branch rather than use an outside machine.

[Katharine]

I never use a stand alone cash machine either. If I want cash, I usually go to a Post Office. I gave up using my main bank as their customer service is rubbish. Not the actual staff if I'm lucky enough to speak to one, but the bank's service policy.

For a start they usually only have about 2 cashiers available - years ago there probably had about at a time. So there's a massive queue inside the building. A member of staff wanders along the line asking what service people need and tries to redirect them to the machines along the wall. A suppose the company ploy is that is people start using the machines, they can then get rid of more staff by saying people are using self-service, but in reality they are only using the machines because there aren't enough staff to serve them!

When I finally reach the counter, they no long issue receipts for withdrawals of less than a certain amount - £200 I think. I rare withdraw an amount that big, but even if I'm only withdrawing £50, I still want a record of the fact. Also, the cashier no longer counts out money, it comes out via a machine. Once, as I stepped to one side and counted it I discovered it had given me £10 too much, which I handed back, but suppose it had been £10 too short - would they have believed me?

I know someone who used a different back for a transaction - I can't remember the details, but I know they didn't receive the correct amount of coins they'd requested. When they queried it, I think the machine had run out of coins, and had to be refilled, but again, if the person hadn't been alert enough to count what came out, they'd have gone home short changed.