If your Customer Support is as bad as your spelling heaven help us

In defence of NatWest their 0845 numbered callcentres have geographic alternatives given in the form of numbers to be called from abroad.

For example in London instead of 0845 0011 2233 one can dial 020 8804 4892. This is listed in the database together with numerous other geographic equivalents most of which are being provided by the bank itself.

The branches have 0845 phone numbers but geographic fax numbers. The branch hardly ever answers the phone so one might as well ring the callcentre who, if possible and if they cannot sort out the problem, will transfer the call to the branch anyway or arrange a callback.

This of course does not negate what Dave wrote about the use of 0845 numbers generally.

charging customers for any reason is not acceptable, i agree with dave , the reason is rubbish
i'm with another bank who have an overseas call centre but they are more helpful than those sitting in the branches and often i have to argue with them if i need anything.
so i dont believe that NGN are for genuine reason

I don't mind having a heated discussion Heinz, however your moving slightly away from the point to this forum. If you can provide me with photographic evidence of any U.K. bank with 12 cashiers at their station at 12 noon (Lunch Time, the busiest time,) i will in person send you £100 of my own money.

Those who believe Natwest shouldn't charge people should book an appointment to see their GP tommorrow. How do you expect a business to be successful if they do not charge people every time they go overdrawn? Are you aware the banks get penalised also by the Bank of England as a result of customers not managing their accounts accordingly?

Finally Natwest doesn't charge you to send a statement to your front door or to replace your Service/Cashcard when it expires. All charges can be justified as everyone of us has signed a terms and agreement with a bank at some stage in our lives. Within the terms and conditions it clearly highlights all penalties.

Paul

Anonymous wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2007 at 9:50pm:


Are you sure you are suggesting we should go into banks with our cameras and start taking pictures of the tellers????  Would your bosses agree?
Expressions like "Feet not touching the ground,  Getting yer collar felt, etc" spring to mind!

You may be hoping to improve your promotion chances by openly attempting to justify your beloved NatWest's use of covert premium phone numbers - but you are defending the indefensible.  Honest charges are always shown openly, these phone costs are not.

They can defend them, its as simple as a copy of your signature on a dotted line. They simply won't because its bad for publicity, not because they can't.

Loggsie

Your sticking to the company line is loyal but, I'm afraid, lacking in full thought. And that's exactly how Natwest will want you to behave.

Natwest and the other banks always settle these before getting to court because they can't afford to lose even a single case - the legal precedent  thus set would mean every other example of a similar charge would be settled AGAINST the bank at the very earliest stage in the legal process.

The reason they don't let

even the biggest claims

reach a court hearing is that they are guaranteed to lose. Regardless of the terms and conditions signed, CHARGING A PENALTY in a consumer contract, rather than RECOVERING THE COST INCURRED is illegal in the UK!

Actual cost incurred is circa 35p for most of these overdraft letters, so charging a £35 Fee makes it a penalty, and thus illegal and unenforceable.

Naturally Natwest do everything possible to put the claimant off along the way, hoping they will give up. (King Canute and the incoming tide springs to mind...)

Whether or not Natwest Customer service is "very helpful," if they are prepared to cheat customers out of cash just to speak to them, I'm not that keen to talk to them. Natwest as an organisation are just snakes in the grass - one of the worst abusers of the whole 0870/0845 scam in general, not just for branch numbers.

The "Another way" advertising is pure spin - their idea of "another way" is to give with one hand but take more away with the other - eg "direct line to your branch" - TRUE... but the call costs MORE than dialling Inverness from Penzance most of the time, and at best the same!