There are still financial institutions out there who do not use NGNs. Nationwide is one of them and  their customer service is quick efficient and with little queuing. Certainly to us on this board the fact  that they use GNs gives them a big competitive advantage.

I like their 'new customers only' TV adverts. I have suggested to them that they start a similar campaign using the fact that they do not use rip off phone numbers with queuing  for customer services. Not only would this be good for them but it would be free widespread publicity for our cause.

We have used the stick without much effect. If the stick was used by large firms in adverts we might do better. May  I suggest that we should also praise (use the carrot) all those institutions who have resisted this scam otherwise commercial pressures will evantually get to them.

Excellent idea, pelham9, I think this should be developed with a listing of any companies still using Geo numbers (wont be too many 'majors' on it by now!!).
Carrot concept worth a try?

Hi, I agree as well, in fact Nationwide have a Freephone number for their credit card enquires. My Bank Statement with them have their Geographic number printed at the top.

Hm Cranhill,

I am also an extensive customer of Nationwide, and I do not recognise the scenario you mention.

On their mortgage related correspondence sent to me the contact number is always stated as 08457 302010 only. On their credit card services correspondence and statements the contact number is always stated as 0845 799 88 99 (local rate). On their banking related correspondence and documents the central contact number is always stated as 08457 30 20 10. No GNs are ever quoted, (except one for my specific BS branch for branch queries).

The specific reference still to "local rate" and what I would consider to be essentially exclusive statements of NGN contact only makes them in my opinion one of the big offenders with this rip-off. They certainly do need to be encouraged to quote GNs also, but of course like an increasing number of these offenders they may not have GNs any longer which are externally callable?  

Pelham9, actually I think you have the substance of an excellent component in the campaign there. If there could be a new additional listing on this site, in categories of business for those companies which do not use NGNs, or publish both their accessible GNs and NGNs if they have them, we could encourage the support of all of us who hate the scam companies. It could be used as a sort of quasi advertising and might even be used to generate a small amount of revenue for this site, on the basis that campaigners would choose to give their business to them instead of the rip-off companies. This could have some potential and could have the spin off that some other companies might then begin to think it would be a good idea to comply to get more business?

Nationwide do still use real numbers for their branches. But even the branches encourage you to use the 0845 call centre numbers. The alternatives to these 0845 numbers already posted on this site still work, and Nationwide do afaik still put them on their cards (in the "international" form). I got nowhere in an attempt to persuade Nationwide to advertise the real numbers more widely. They said they now have several call centres, and need 0845 to switch calls to the one with the shortest queues etc.
I agree with the idea of bouquets for companies that offer real numbers.

Exactly Nicholas. Glad you seem to agree.

Nationwide seem to be the flavour of the month.....

However, if you have their credit card, you are penalised since they use a third party to process their payments.

The BACS system is such that you make a payment and your account is debited immediately.  However the money still stays with your bank.  Usually, on the third day, the money arrives at the receiving bank.  

Nationwide say that because we are not a bank, you have to allow more time.  Therefore, your own bank gets 3 days free credit on your payment and between them and Nationwide, there are additional days credit to be earned.  Nationwide's comments are c**p since there are many other organisations who are not banks and they do not engineer this delay.

I believe that this year, HSBC and Lloyds TSB are cutting out the 3 days and are debiting one's account on day 3 rather than day one at present.

Furthermore, a cheque payment for a Nationwide credit card debits the paying bank account one day earlier than cheques passing through the clearing system.

What's the cost?

For a payment of £1,000 assuming 4% interest, this equates to 11p per day.

Set this against the cost of an 0870 number and there is an equalisation of costs.

I'm against 0870 numbers but I'm also against hidden Nationwide costs which no one seems to recognise.

The Reason the bacs system is being changed is because the FSA has "given notice" that they are going to demand in 2006 that the system must be quicker.

Afterall you use any banks cashmachine and your debited instantly so why not the other way around?