General Chat

After many many problems in dealing with my bank's overseas call centres I have had enough! I would like to find a bank with a call centre in the UK, which offers a good personal service and which does not add a charge for every service. I don't know whether we can name names on this site, but I would be very grateful for recommendations! Perhaps members could email me with suggestions? Many many thanks, Sal

Hi, I bank with Nationwide - I believe their central number goes to a UK centre - have never got the impression it doesn't on the occassions that I have rung them - always very helpful too.

Bank of China and Bank of India probaly got their call centres here lol! Davex

LOL Dave, Ironic but probably true lol.............

Yeh I know completely where you are coming from - do they actual train the people cause they don't seem to know about status enquiries. Anna

Ive just changed to Nationwide. Lovely personal service, 3% interest on your current account and 5% on e-savings accounts(from just £1). Very low interest rate on loans. If you want to switch from another bank, they set it all up for you including transfers of direct debits and stuff. The credit card gives you cash back on purchases (not stupid points that you cant use) and if you buy electrical goods with it and record it with them you get an extra years guarantee on the goods for nowt, plus you can withdraw cash or use the card abroad with no charges on top.

I'm sure NatWest is based in the UK.

Hi Sand Dancer Try the Halifax, When I ring them I usually ring first thing in a morning and bingo its ENGLAND! I work in a call centre but its for deaf people so ive learned a lot about other call centres, so heres a tip for you or so my friends tell me. When you hit India ask them to put you back to England, some will and some wont. but try calling the call centre about 8am in a morning when they open. Let me know how you get on. Regards Yvonne

Try Nat West or Co-op. Despite the slating that they always get I've been with Nat West for 16 ish years and have never had a problem. (Apart from once which was sorted immediately and was my own fault)

Thanks a lot everyone - and thanks to those who've emailed me, too. Nationwide sounds good - I'll give them a call. I changed my home insurance for the exact same reason. HSBC sent me a long letter explaining why they moved their call centre abroad and that I could still get a 'personal service' at my local branch - however, when I asked my local centre for their phone number, they gave me the number of the call centre - in India! I object to discussing my personal finances to someone in another country! However courteous they are, I often find their English is so bad that I cannot explain what i want, or my requests aren't carried out. Enough is enough! It will be a hassle to move all my direct debits over to another bank - but definitely a lot less stressful in the long wrong. Sal

Sand Dancer, you can look at their website - just google Nationwide Banking. Re Insurance, I found my dads with Llloyds TSB was£350 per annum (for a two up, two down) - as much as my 4 bed detached. I have now cut that down to £160 for him.

I've always been very happy with the service I've had from NatWest. We had our home insurance with Lloyds TSB until last week when we changed over to Tesco - same cover for just over 1/3rd of the price! Mandy :)

Have you had a look at: http://www.moneysavingexpert*com/ yet? It's a really good site with lots of useful info. I've just switched my business account from HSBC to Alliance and Leicester. It's much better.

A bit off topic really, but I need to vent my increasing fury at picking up the phone to hear a heavily accented voice saying 'Hi, this is Joan(or Tom or Clive) here'. The one who said her name was Joan couldnt pronounce the 'J'!!!! Whose brainwave was it to make these people adopt English-sounding names? Do they think we will be fooled into not knowing we are speaking to a call-centre in India? If so, why do they wish to hide this fact? I think this must be extremely humiliating for the people who work in these Call centres and I find it most offensive. Old Crone

Hiya M8 Yes Old Crone Holden from one old Holden to another must agree with you, it must be most offensive, still they are getting a wage every week or month I suppose they don't mind what folks call them, its a mean World ain't it? Pat x

Old crone (I feel so rude calling you that!), I've not had that - yet! Very patronising - to the workers and to us customers! John, I'll try that site, thanks. Popped into my local banks today. I was most impressed with Nat West, who actually gave me the number of the branch - something HSBC won't do! They also weren't as hard-sell as the Halifax, so I'm going to open an account as soon as I'm back from my hols. Many thanks to all for your advice - this site is great for polling opinions! Sal