Most of us have gripes about our bank – queues, bad customer service, rubbish rates to name a few. But what if you could create the perfect bank with anything you wanted? What would your bank utopia look like?
When was the last time you visited your bank? How helpful did you find the staff – did they quickly fulfil your needs or try and sell you a product you didn’t want?
How useful was the information you were given? Clear, in plain English or complicated with reams of small print? And what about the environment – spacious and un-crowded or stuffy and packed with long queues?
The problem with banks…
People have told us time and again that they aren’t satisfied with their banks. Reasons range from poor customer service and low interest rates on savings and unfair charges to expensive contact telephone rates and poor quality call centres. Despite this, many people choose not to switch banks because there’s a general sense that they’re all as bad as each other.
In a few weeks’ time the Independent Commission on Banking will release its final report, setting out its recommendations to Government on the reform of the banking industry. We hope this report will mark the beginning of groundbreaking changes to the banking system, and this got me daydreaming about what a perfect bank would look like…
My perfect bank
I don’t know about you, but when I go to my bank and there are more than three people in line I think they should open another desk. And if I do have to queue I don’t want bank staff to try and sell me products that I don’t want or need.
I work full-time, and would like more staff available in branch at times that suit me and for call centre staff to be able to deal with all of my queries without having to be passed from pillar to post.
I would also like my bank to contact me if a new savings account is introduced with better rates of interest and all new products to be available to me as a loyal customer rather than just to entice new ones. Plus, my bank should text me when I’m nearing my overdraft limit so I have a chance to act before I’m charged.
If it turns out my bank has mis-sold a product then I want to know that the senior management will be held properly to account. More generally, when I have a problem, I want to deal with someone who can help there and then rather than being told to make an appointment or being asked to call an anonymous phone line. And more than anything, I want the staff to prioritise service over sales.
Clearly I could go on, but that’s enough of me – we want to hear from you. What’s wrong with your bank – and what would you expect out of a perfect bank?
On Thursday 8 September we’ll be holding an event to listen to your views on how the perfect bank would look. Find out more and register here.
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