Dear all,

I had a problem with the Halifax, and a complaint to make/question to resolve so..

I telephone the Halifax on a geographical (landline) number which I got via this website, it appears halifax can tell that I am ringing via a geographical number, as they ask me to redial an 0845 number - these numbers are not included in my phone package which I pay BT to have ( a certain amount of geographical calls are free each month )

They refuse to answer my questions. I ring another number and they tell me theres a problem on the line, and to redial. I tell them im not stupid and they can forward me to the correct number, which they then do. I get absolutely nowhere, they tell me to write a complaint (which from previous experience gets ignored) or go into my local branch (why cant they answer my simple question?)

They are simply profiteering off these 0845 and 0870 numbers, other banks have landlines, I did eventually get the landline for my local branch some months ago, but of course the number does not work now as they must of changed it.

Another person at the halifax said that they do not use geographical numbers because if they did, the phone line would not stop ringing all day! So it seems they use these numbers to block customers from speaking to someone and to profit even more from the customer.

Very angry  >:(

chaoticjelly wrote on Jan 26^th, 2006 at 12:07pm:

Another person at the halifax said that they do not use geographical numbers because if they did, the phone line would not stop ringing all day! So it seems they use these numbers to block customers from speaking to someone and to profit even more from the customer. Very angry  >:(

If Halifax are watching this, why would more people ring up if you had a geographic number?  It sounds like they want to stop their customers from phoning by making it not worthwhile to call.  If I had paid money into a Halifax account, and it never appeared on my statement, then I would call.  I wouldn't look and see the cost of the call, and be put off.  I would of course search for the geo number and try and call that, but perhaps Halifax would like to give an example of the type of call they would start taking more of, if people were able to call geographic numbers!!

Whether a company has a geographic number or not, if I need to speak to customer services to resolve an issue, or make an enquiry as a new customer, then I call up.  However I might be put off if 0845/0870 is the only route for a new enquiry, so perhaps Halifax is talking about these types of people!!

Shiggaddi wrote on Jan 26^th, 2006 at 12:49pm:

Whether a company has a geographic number or not, if I need to speak to customer services to resolve an issue, or make an enquiry as a new customer, then I call up.  However I might be put off if 0845/0870 is the only route for a new enquiry, so perhaps Halifax is talking about these types of people!!

But one might consider taking one's business elsewhere if a company takes that attitude.

I'm currently in the process of closing my HBoS account anyway - not primarily because of 0845/0870 numbers - but because they are so useless and unhelpful and continually passing you from one to the other, when you do call them.  BoS used to be good - but when they changed to H, it all got several hundred per cent worse.

When two companies merge, why do they always take of the features of the worse of the two?  Also happened when Norwich Union & Commercial Union merged - NU were fairly good, CU were useless, so the new comapny was useless!

If you go  here,   http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/wellcallyou.shtml  and pick the account you need, then you can get them to call you back.

It's about time this issue was taken up by Watchdog or a simailar org!!  It's scandalous that companies are have jumped on this bandwagon and robbing us all blind!

I will consider emailing Watchdog but wonder if it is within their remit.

I also angry! >:(   >:(

Betty

Don't hold your breath for Watchdog, it is only very recently that they stopped using an 0870 number for contacting them!
BBC are serial offenders in this matter.
Shiggadi's remedy is the only one that will do any good - bin HBOS!
ps Nationwide still provide local Branch numbers in geographical form.

chaoticjelly wrote on Jan 26^th, 2006 at 12:07pm:

I telephone the Halifax on a geographical (landline) number which I got via this website, it appears halifax can tell that I am ringing via a geographical number, as they ask me to redial an 0845 number

Please tell me that you witheld your number when you rang them !! :-/

DaveM wrote on Jan 30^th, 2006 at 1:02am:

Please tell me that you witheld your number when you rang them !! :-/

Isn't it more a case of the geographical number not being the line the 0845 number leads to? It's probably nothing to do with them seeing where you called from.

I rang them on a freefone number and got a similar message (although it went through all the same) for the 'next time'!
Cannot see the relevance of 'witholding your number' - can you explain more, DaveM?

jrawle wrote on Jan 30^th, 2006 at 10:54am:

Isn't it more a case of the geographical number not being the line the 0845 number leads to? It's probably nothing to do with them seeing where you called from.

I agree Jon but in all liklehood, even if it was, with the phone systems available now & with caller display being FREE (on BT based systems), they would know immediately if the caller was in UK with the number NOT witheld. chaoticjelly doesn't say WHICH Halifax number he rang so I can't look into that any further yet - if he comes back with the info we can dig deeper.

That is why I started the Put 141 before the alternative number you call thread as I'm getting numerous additions to the database that are just putting 141 in front of an existing number. Then they go on to explain the problem they've had calling which has been resolved by prefixing 141 !! See the Carrier code + 141 thread which also highlights other problems.

I hope the above info also answers the query from firestop.

It might be nothing to do with caller display. I sympathise very slightly with their statements about not being able to transfer some calls - some of their internal call routing does make some transfers actually impossible, or they get over-ridden by the system deciding it is more clever than its users, connecting people to places they didn't ask for.