lloyds TSB, don't you just love banks?

Garry Edwards

Garry Edwards

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Garry Edwards
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So, my debit card will expire at the end of the month and I haven't received a replacement. Replacements have always been sent out about a month early in the past...

I eventually managed to find 'contact us' on their website, rang the number and after the usual unacceptably long wait spoke to an 'advisor'. After answering the usual security questions I was told that the card had been sent out and was due to arrive today.

I pointed out that I had rung them only last week and had been told that it was due to arrive on the 21st, so had they really sent it this time?

She then checked that the address is correct. It was, except for the postcode, which has been wrong for the last 11 1/2 years, but pointed out that my postie makes allowance for that and it doesn't stop me getting their statements, also with the wrong postcode.

"Ah, I'm sorry about that Mr. Edwards, what is the correct postcode?"
I gave her the correct postcode (again)
"All that you need to do to change the postcode is to either write to us telling us of the change or call into a branch"
"I haven't changed the postcode, it has never changed, it's simply that someone in your Company got it wrong in the first place. I don't need to write to you or waste an hour of my time going into a branch, you just need to change it on your system"
"I'm sorry Mr. Edwards but the system exists to protect your security and so we can only change it if you follow the correct procedure. Is there anything else that I can help you with today?"
"Well, actually you haven't helped me with anything today, but since you're offering you can change my name, which you've also got wrong. I'm a Welshman not a yank, so Garry is spelt with two R's not one"
"Ah, I'm sorry about that sir, we have a form that allows you to change your name too..."
"I don't want to change it, it would just be nice if you showed it correctly on your records"
"But you are asking us to change it Sir, and we have a procedure that you can follow"
"But if you had followed your own procedure in the first place and input the correct name and correct postcode from the form that I filled in 11 1/2 years ago we wouldn't be having this conversation now, would we? Thank you and goodbye"
"Goodbye sir, and thank you for calling Lloyds TSB"
 
Ah well, hopefully you will be with the Co-op soon :D
 
It's just a typical over the phone issue I have with almost every company.

When I moved, I had to change my address and Lloyds TSB is the only one I couldn't change online or over the phone. Pop into the bank and done in 5 seconds. At least their over counter service is good.
 
All to common with Banks!

My wife spent about 3 months getting her address changed with Santander when she moved in with me, they were useless on the phone and in branch. They faired a little better getting her name changed when we got married.

I have to take my hat off to Natwest though, once she'd sorted out her name/address with Santander, we turned my current account (held for about 18 years) into our joint account.

Popped into the local Natwest branch (appointment booked at 17:00 but we were seen at around 16:45), had Rachael's documents verified and completed a form. Within a couple of weeks her debit card/cheque book arrived. No drama whatsoever :)
 
halfpast5 said:
It's just a typical over the phone issue I have with almost every company.

When I moved, I had to change my address and Lloyds TSB is the only one I couldn't change online or over the phone. Pop into the bank and done in 5 seconds. At least their over counter service is good.
Click to expand...

almost TOO good.... they seem to have trained their staff to be friendly [yes] and very chatty [just no] with customers....if I have stand in one more Lloyds queue listening to a 5 min conversation over 1 minute transaction about Doreens Greek Holiday or Franks trip to the Highlands..... :bang:
 
What annoys me here is that they expect me to waste my time and money to correct their mistakes. It could easily be done by phone, their security questions ensured that it was me who rang them, or they could have rung me back to check, or it could be done online, using their secure login system - but no, they expect me to run around correcting their mistakes, then have the cheek to say that it's me who wants to change my details...
 
Common to all call centres I'd say. I bank with Lloyds and go into the local branch at lunchtime to sort things out, as I can't be doing with telephones.
 
The problem with call centres is usually they just employ script monkies..... they'll be able to deal with your query quickly and effectively provided it conforms with their scripts and training.... anything outside of that forget it!

I worked in a credit card (multiple banks) call centre in the late 90s, it wasn't that bad to be honest but shortly after I moved away from that area the Draconian rules/regs came in where you were given targets i.e. average call/wrap up time which is all well and good until you get complex queries to deal with and have to start referring to team leaders/managers.

Not a pleasant environment to work in and I can only imagine it's got worse...........
 
A couple of weekends ago I wanted to move some money from my RBS Company Current account into my personal current account (Barclays) via online banking and a card reader, except I need a PIN for the card reader I got 4 years ago and have never used. So I called expecting them to send me one in the post and they wanted me to tell them part of my online password (having answered the security questions) so they could verify it was me, this was an Indian call centre and we all know how "secure" they are, so I refused, asked to speak to someone higher up and they refused that request also. They wouldnt help at all, said there was nothing they would do without my security code, so I have an amount of money (retained profit) in my Company deposit account I cant move other than into the Business current account but I cant move it out of there without a PIN. So I rang Barclays Business last Monday, still havent heard from them, however I also rang a UK RBS Call centre and they have sorted it (I think) I still need to transfer the money over, teh card reader is now validated but the online system still doesnt seem to want to move the money into my personal account.
Hope to God I dont croak before I sort this or I think my wife may have a job getting anything out of anywhere as she isnt me and the Branch may not be able to help at all.

Matt
 
procedurealisation (is that even a word?!) gone over the top...

"ISO 9000 - you don't have to do the job right, but as long as each bit of it is documented, it doesn't matter who many cockups you make"...
 
last time I moved house I couldn't get Lloyds to send letters to the new address, like Garry I had to go to the branch to do it and I sent them a letter.

After filling in a form at the branch 3 times I finally managed to speak to someone who was able to look into my account properly (she was actually my mortgage adviser from my old branch, luckily I still had her office number) and she discovered that I was listed as deceased!!!!

So they never wondered in all that time how a dead person could be paid a wage and pay bills and make withdrawals etc. And why send statements to a dead person?

I blame the computer systems which are too inflexible, not to mention the operaters who can't read or type properly. :whistling:

Funnily enough I'm still with Lloyds after 25 years, despite the many mistakes they've made. My loyalty to them sometimes gives me leverage.
 
sturisoma said:
I blame the computer systems which are too inflexible, not to mention the operaters who can't read or type properly. :whistling:
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too often mistakes are blamed on IT issues.

more often than not its the monkey operating it, the computer system will only do what its told 9 times out of 10 (the other 1 being genuine system bug).

i expect in your case someone has marked the wrong Mr sturisoma as having died. or it was the work experience kid (you'd be surprised).
 
gramps said:
Ah well, hopefully you will be with the Co-op soon :D
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Dont buck up your hopes
I and the missus are still recieving statements for closed accounts 12 months ago

If you find a bank that works for rather than against you please post
 
I had to go into my local branch of TSB twice early this year, this was after I did not get my replacement card. They loaded £15 debit on my card as a goodwill gesture for inconvenience.

Tell them you have been inconvenienced by it if you have, you just may well also get a goodwill gesture for your trouble.
 
Presumably, Gary, you don't have a business account with Lloyds because traditionally I've found my 'Business Adviser' and the Business Centre back office staff to be very helpful in sorting out that sort of silly thing on my personal accounts!

Having said that, Gary, Lloyds have become noticeably worse in the past year or two, they don't provide the sensible help and results they used to and I no longer sing their praises!
 
I had exactly the same issue with Lloydstsb when I moved house. They couldn't get the address right. Every other single organisation I dealt with managed this simple task, including the DVLA. Utter morons. Must have been 3 or 4 visits to a branch and nearly a year before they managed to sort it out. I gave up for a while as it was just too much effort to go into the branch. Tell them all the correct information then not get a statement or have the online system still showing the wrong address weeks later. Then have to repeat the process yet again.

Lloyds have probably got worse as the person in charge of it all is the gimp from Santander. Santander are about the worst bank on the planet so to even consider employing the boss of the worst bank proves Lloyds don't give an arse about customer service.
 
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sturisoma said:
Funnily enough I'm still with Lloyds after 25 years, despite the many mistakes they've made. My loyalty to them sometimes gives me leverage.
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...........:thumbs:
 
Should still have my 36 year old Trustee Saving Bank book somewhere :thumbs: The only thing I've changed is my ISA (which I move virtually every year to whom ever gives the best rate)
 
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Russ77 said:
The problem with call centres is usually they just employ script monkies..... they'll be able to deal with your query quickly and effectively provided it conforms with their scripts and training.... anything outside of that forget it!

I worked in a credit card (multiple banks) call centre in the late 90s, it wasn't that bad to be honest but shortly after I moved away from that area the Draconian rules/regs came in where you were given targets i.e. average call/wrap up time which is all well and good until you get complex queries to deal with and have to start referring to team leaders/managers.

Not a pleasant environment to work in and I can only imagine it's got worse...........
Click to expand...

Sorry Russ, have to disagree with your script monkeys comment. I work in a call centre and we don't have scripts. I need to have technical knowledge of my subject as well as legal and financial knowledge.

I have to be numerate and literate and be able to speak to people from a wide variety of backgrounds and give technical answers to people with little or no technical experience.
 
malo50 said:
Sorry Russ, have to disagree with your script monkeys comment. I work in a call centre and we don't have scripts. I need to have technical knowledge of my subject as well as legal and financial knowledge.

I have to be numerate and literate and be able to speak to people from a wide variety of backgrounds and give technical answers to people with little or no technical experience.
Click to expand...

You can disagree if you like :)

Your experience is obviously different to mine (i.e. credit card/bank call centres as opposed to a technical helpline..... which I thought was pretty clear in my post) and whilst each agent may possess numeracy & literacy skills, the "management" tend to stiffle any attempts made to use common sense, hence my phrase "script monkey"
 
Russ77 said:
You can disagree if you like :)

Your experience is obviously different to mine (i.e. credit card/bank call centres as opposed to a technical helpline..... which I thought was pretty clear in my post) and whilst each agent may possess numeracy & literacy skills, the "management" tend to stiffle any attempts made to use common sense, hence my phrase "script monkey"
Click to expand...

Definitely agree about management stifling of common sense, sorry if I came across as narky, I can see the differences between credit card and technical. ;) ;)
 
Yves Geza said:
Presumably, Gary, you don't have a business account with Lloyds because traditionally I've found my 'Business Adviser' and the Business Centre back office staff to be very helpful in sorting out that sort of silly thing on my personal accounts!

Having said that, Gary, Lloyds have become noticeably worse in the past year or two, they don't provide the sensible help and results they used to and I no longer sing their praises!
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Nope, it's a business account.
I'm probably not a good business customer though, I don't have credit cards, loans, overdraft facilities or Lloyds insurance, so I probably don't merit decent treatment in their book.
 
malo50 said:
Definitely agree about management stifling of common sense, sorry if I came across as narky, I can see the differences between credit card and technical. ;) ;)
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That's OK :)

I used to hate having to tell customers that I couldn't do something when in fact I could do it very easily and it would also be quicker and easier to do so than keep saying "I can't do that" :lol:

Hence why I didn't stay in the call centre very long ;)

However I think there are a large number of "drones" that are quite happy with the "computer says no" attitude that are also more than happy just to turn up, do their shift and go home :lol:
 
Russ77 said:
That's OK :)

I used to hate having to tell customers that I couldn't do something when in fact I could do it very easily and it would also be quicker and easier to do so than keep saying "I can't do that" :lol:

Hence why I didn't stay in the call centre very long ;)

However I think there are a large number of "drones" that are quite happy with the "computer says no" attitude that are also more than happy just to turn up, do their shift and go home :lol:
Click to expand...

No argument there, Russ..xx
 
Garry Edwards said:
Nope, it's a business account.
I'm probably not a good business customer though, I don't have credit cards, loans, overdraft facilities or Lloyds insurance, so I probably don't merit decent treatment in their book.
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Just get a £500 loan over a year, pay every month and they will get to liking you more and more..........:)
 
neil_g said:
too often mistakes are blamed on IT issues.

more often than not its the monkey operating it, the computer system will only do what its told 9 times out of 10 (the other 1 being genuine system bug).

i expect in your case someone has marked the wrong Mr sturisoma as having died. or it was the work experience kid (you'd be surprised).
Click to expand...


QED :lol:

I am a Mrs - my name is Summer :p - can't get the staff :lol:
 
An update - or not...

Card still hadn't arrived yesterday (or today come to that) so I rang them once again, was in a pretty foul mood by the time someone actually answered...

Went through the whole thing again. A man this time, he actually listened to what I said. And he actually understood that it is their fault that they have both miss-spelled my name and put the wrong postcode on their system, and he understood too that having the wrong postcode there may not help when they post things like debit cards to me - but he still couldn't make the changes, he actually went as far as asking his manager, but he would have none of it, he expects me to waste an hour of my time, plus diesel, going into one of their branches to put their mistakes right.

Anyway, they now claim to be sending me out another card. But it's a different card, not a duplicate, and it will only be valid for one month, they claim that they will replace it within the month. Let's see.

If it doesn't arrive by the end of the month I will lose my access to PayPal, Ebay, and various other things
 
I'd open up another business account and link them to the new account and tell lloyds to go jump!
 
So you have persuaded them to send yet another card to an address which you know to be incorrect. Maybe your faith in your local postman is misplaced? I know I wouldn't be having important documents sent to me until the correct address was used.
 
2blue4u said:
So you have persuaded them to send yet another card to an address which you know to be incorrect. Maybe your faith in your local postman is misplaced? I know I wouldn't be having important documents sent to me until the correct address was used.
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Well, they have the right address, it's just that part of the postcode is wrong and, as already explained, they flatly refuse to change their records and correct their error, they say that I need to either write to them or to visit one of their branches,

I have no confidence that even if I waste time and a stamp writing to them that they will take any action - and even if they do it will probably take weeks - and I'm not going to waste time and diesel visiting their branch.

And the local postman does know me - sort of, that's really down to luck as they have now 'improved' their service by having the deliveries done by a 'team' instead of by a regular guy.
 
We moved into our house in 2003 and disliked the name it had, so I took the plate down. My better half, in the course of speaking to the gas board mentioned that it would be good if they could delete the house name from their records. She was told that there was no way to dissociate the name from the address. Thinking that she'd got someone who didn't quite understand what was being requested she made a mental note to mention it again when talking to them. Nope. Same story. Can't be done.

It's now become a bit of a game, asking whenever in contact with them...

And still the bills come to the a house name, not number.

:bang:
 
Popped into a local shop to day and spent £20 or that was my intention, didn't have much cash so used my debit card, checked the amount on the machine, put in my pin and nothingseemed to happen, hit cancel and tried again thought all had worked this time but payment was declined WTF.
Checked the amount and it seems somehow the damn thing was trying to take £20,0*** damn things had added the first 3 numbers of my pin.
So we tried again, yep declined, shop phoned the card people who said the card was not valid, great, and I needed to phone the number on the back, that didn't open on saturday.
Luckily there is a sub branch in the town that was open so popped in as they know me, seems that the original transaction hit alarm bells and the card was blocked.
Just as well I didn't do as planned and pop to a cash machine
Hopefully all sorted now
 
It's not just Lloyds-TSB... ALL banks are *******s! (yes I do expect the swear filter to kick in :) )

The thing I find the most obnoxious is that on all their adverts they try to come across as your friend. A caring compassionate company who are really trying their best to look out for you. Not the devious dishonest spivs and shysters that they have so often been proved to be by recent events.
 
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