Dear Mr ****

Thank you for your letter of 23 February regarding Direct Line Financial Services.

With regard to your specific concern over the usage of 0845 numbers, it is our understanding that an 0845 number is charged by BT at a local rate, specifically 3p per minute daytime and 1p per minute on evenings and weekends

The inclusion of 0845 numbers in BT discounted tariffs is a matter which is outside our control, however, we consider the 0845 number to be the most cost effective telephony solution available, and one that is common place within the rest of the financial services industry.

Using an 0845 number creates efficiencies with regard to producing and maintaining marketing material and other customer-facing literature with resultant cost savings, which if not available, would almost certainly be passed on to the customer.

Also, as you may be aware from our literature, the customer service team is located in Enfield, Middlesex, so any geographically specific telephone number would be the local 0208 code, which would I presume result in a national rate call for customers, such as yourself, who are not located the London area.

I appreciate your concern that you cannot take advantage of discounted telephone tariffs as a result of British Telecom policy, however given the costs involved in a typical call to the customer service team, I would hope that any cost differential is at best minimal, and that our service is otherwise efficient and to your satisfaction.

May I take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to tell me about your concerns regarding Direct Line.

Yours Sincerely

Anne Callan
Customer Feedback Manager

Dear Mr ****

Thank you for your letter of 4 March. Once again, may I take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to tell me about your concerns regarding Direct Line’s 0845 telephone number.

Firstly, I would like to confirm that Direct Line Financial Services’ 0845 Savings teleprione number does not divert to any other office. As explained in my previous letter, the customer service team is located solely in Enfield, Middlesex.

After investigation, we are unfortunately unable to supply you witrl a geographical telephone number as requested and I can confirm that Direct Line Financial Services do not have any short term plans to introduce these.

However, should you wish to carry out a transaction on your account, an alternative would be for you to call the 0845 number and ask a member of the service team call you back. This will help keep the cost of your call to us to a minimum and we would be happy to bear the cost of the returned call.

Additionally, you may wish to consider calling at weekends or evenings, as BT and other suppliers charge less at these times.


Yours sincerely

Anne Callan
Customer Feedback Manager

I know that Direct Line's logo is a telephone .........