We’ve all been there: sitting on hold to your bank, listening to the same music on a loop, only to get through to someone who tells you to refer to the website.
When you need to contact your bank, it’s usually for something pretty important, so not getting the service you expect can be infuriating.
But, it turns out there are ways to fight back.
Metro’s money expert, Andy Webb, who runs the financial blog Be Clever With Your Cash, shares his tips for what to do when you’ve finally had enough of poor customer service from your bank.
‘Swapping accounts, cards and policies won’t change anything’
According to research at Be Clever With Your Cash, the lack of access to a human is our biggest bugbear when it comes to financial products and services.
Similarly, an over-reliance on chatbots and offering live chat as alternatives to talking to people are the next main reasons we’re unhappy.
Not far behind is difficulty finding a phone number – if one even exists – followed by endless and repetitive hold (see: elevator) music while we wait.
And if we actually get to talk to a person, we’re often frustrated because they’re untrained, unempathetic or unable to help.
You could argue this is the trade-off that comes with vastly improved apps and online banking. But that’s also led to an ever-decreasing number of bank branches for when problems occur, forcing us to try for help via digital channels.
You can, of course, vote with your feet and take your business elsewhere. But swapping accounts, cards and policies won’t necessarily change anything in the longer term, or get you better customer service. Losing customers won’t be good for their bottom line, but unless they know why, they can’t act on that data.
So, as well as finding better options for our money, we need to say why we’re moving or unhappy.
Here are some key tools at your disposal to potentially change service in the future.
1. Don’t let them ignore you
Going directly to the bank or provider is a good start. Let them know what’s wrong and what you want done about it. At the very least, they might offer you compensation, particularly for any problems that have left you out of pocket.
And if they ignore you, serious issues can be reported to the financial ombudsman, who has the power to force the bank to take action and pay out if they find in your favour.
2. Leave feedback for all to see
Another route you can take is to leave feedback and reviews on the bank’s social media channels, Google or third-party review sites such as Smart Money People.
What you write will be there for everyone to see, so it could be handy for others looking to dodge a bad experience.
There’s a good chance the financial firms will read what you write, too.
3. Tell everyone
And don’t stop here – never underestimate the power of word of mouth. Talk to friends and family. You can learn from their positive and negative experiences, while they can benefit from yours.
If enough people do all these things, the banks and co could be motivated to make changes that benefit us all.
And if only some do? Well, they’re the ones that deserve a chance to gain you as a client or encourage you to stay put rather than move away.
4. Be sure to let people know the positives, too
If your feedback doesn’t change anything, you can use others’ feedback to find positive experiences elsewhere.
Most people are motivated to leave reviews because something has gone wrong, but there are still reviews and comments on those same sites and social channels in which people shout about brands and products they like.
And you can do the same, helping others know who to go for.
Follow award-winning blogger and podcaster Andy on Instagram and YouTube or visit becleverwithyourcash.com.
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