I had a small query about my Lloyds TSB credit card, looked up the number on your site and found no  geographic numbers only 0800. I tried one but they told me they were only for acrediting  new cards;they told me that they could not put me through to customer services so looked again and found another 0800 for cancelling cards. I called them and got the same "spiel" I then said that if they did not put me through or alternatively arrange for customer services to call me back within 30  minutes I would indeed cancel my card and guess what, they suddenly could connect me with customer services!

Well done reggie.
And, of course, Nationwide credit and debit cards are accessible via a normal geographic number and the cards do not have a 2.75% surcharge  >:( on foreign use.
I have no brief for them - just a happy customer. :)

Hi there.

I am a Lloyds TSB card holder and I have their geographical number which I have used over a period of time to ring them on without a problem and it still works well.

Please use 01702 278 270

Regards

Alternative (alternative numbers to expensive NGN's of course!)

Thanks Tannlan for thr reminder about nationwide I will look into it. I assume that you can have their credit card even if you don't bank with them.

Am gradually moving stuff from Mudland Bank. Nationwide seems very efficient - and friendly when I phone and email.

Tanllan wrote on Jun 16^th, 2006 at 6:10pm:

Am gradually moving stuff from Mudland Bank. Nationwide seems very efficient - and friendly when I phone and email.

I have had an account with Nationwide for two and a half years as well as NatWest for 24 years.

Basically NatWest (aka Royal Bank of Scotland of which NatWest is now just a cypher brand) angers me in about 20 different ways a year and Nationwide are delightful chappies who seem to be totally customer focused.  NatWest weren't such a bad bank but Royal Bank of Scotland are complete ripoff artists who introduce new scam charges almost every single week.

Especially noteworthy at Nationwide is avoiding the 2.65% foreign exchange rate levy on Credit Card use abroad and the £2 flat rate + 2.65% foreign exchange rate levy on cash withdrawals from credit card machines.  I see that they have finally started to advertise this in a big way, although currently only in relation to the credit card rather than in relation to the blue Visa debit card which is the cheapest way to make foreign cash withdrawals.

The only concern with Nationwide I have is that they do use 0845 numbers for some central call centres like their Internet helpline, even though the branches all have geographic numbers.  However I am hoping that as soon as 03 numbers are available that they will repllace the 0845s with these instead.

wrote on Jun 20^th, 2006 at 11:53am:

The only concern with Nationwide I have is that they do use 0845 numbers for some central call centres like their Internet helpline, even though the branches all have geographic numbers.  However I am hoping that as soon as 03 numbers are available that they will repllace the 0845s with these instead.

I'm also with Nationwide for these reasons.  I honestly believe that they only use 0845 for its advanced call routing, etc and not to rob people unlike TSB, etc.  They were probably missold the 0845, same as many other companies, on the promises that it is cheaper for us to ring them.

With Nationwide you can freely ring their international number for the call centre instead of the 0845 without any hassle about where you are calling from, etc unlike A&L.

We to have a nationwide card and have used it in spain and italy with in the last year no charges no probs and a gero number to the local town branch :)

Hi there NGM.  I have a Geo number for the Nationwide.  Try 01793 456789 or 656837.  They also have a freephone no - 0800 30 20 10.  HQ is in Swindon.  Yes the Nationwide are good - I've been with them for several years now.  Have a flex account.

Alternative wrote on Jun 26^th, 2006 at 11:27am:

Hi there NGM.  I have a Geo number for the Nationwide.  Try 01793 456789 or 656837.  They also have a freephone no - 0800 30 20 10.  HQ is in Swindon.  Yes the Nationwide are good - I've been with them for several years now.  Have a flex account.

I agree there are workarounds to avoid most Nationwide 0845 numbers but that isn't the point.  The point is that being as customer focused as they are Nationwide should only use geographic numbers and should replace the 0845s with Voip routing georaphic numbers on normal 01 or 02 codes.

I have just had the papers to vote at their AGM and will be making this very point to their Chairman and CEO both of whom making a big point of saying they read respond personally to correspondence from investors in their Building Society.

And don't forget that after Spring 2008 0845 will still be a ripoff even thought 0870 won't be.