Barclays again

I had to contact the dreaded Barclays again and they informed me, as if they had read my last post, that as I had banked with them for 17 years (which makes me only 34!) I was eligible for a special savings account! Lucky me. I wonder if I would also be eligible if I had only banked with them for a year, or is that being too cynical?

Barclays again

Need to urgently transfer back some money to my cousin, so went to barclays.co.uk

So I don't have the pin to go with the card sentry thing that the online banking system wants, so I click on "No got your card sentry?" link and it asks for my date of birth and connect card details. So I go out to the car and get my wallet and the card and fill in the details and it says "If you want access to accounts then please call us on 0845 600 2323*"!!!!! So what exactly was the point of entering that data?  

I am writing this as I am on hold for the number above.  Apparently all the advisors are busy as demand for this service is extremely high at the moment.   What a surprise.
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Still holding.
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It's 21:02 on a sunday.  I wonder if the long wait is due to a lots of frustrated people trying to use online banking or that barclays call centre staff are sensibly at home on a sunday.
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Can Barclays get away with this because
a) most people are too lazy/busy to change their bank.
b) other banks provide a similar service
c) customers have run  up huge loans/overdrafts with barclays that no other bank would take on
d) Barclays are actually better than other banks
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So if I hang up now will I have a longer and more expensive call tomorrow morning?
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"We are sorry for keeping me waiting."
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Just worked out how to use Leopard spaces.  Cool.  I going to have one space just or mail.
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21:15 I give up.  Not going to have my Sunday ruined by another Barclays frustration.
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To be continued (unfortunately)....

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Rant on Barclays

I dread having to deal with Barclays Bank. It always turns into a protracted nightmare of calls until finally I find someone very helpful who is able to resolve the problem, or not. It's not the people, who are almost without exception friendly and as helpful as they are able to be, it's the systems.

I have been banking with Barclays for more than 25 years now and do I get any special treatment? I went overdrawn last year just before Christmas and as I am in Ireland I knew there was no way I was going to be able to post a cheque into them before Christmas hit so I asked if they could give me a £500 overdraft until the new year. No my recent transactions didn't qualify me!

Today I spent half an hour on the phone, trying to find out if I did indeed have an overdaft as the online system said I had. 4 transfers later and it turns out that I don't but whereas the online system appeared happy to give me a £1975 overdraft if I filled out just one page (until it said I already had an overdraft), the telephone adviser wanted my life history before giving me £500 overdraft. I gave up half way though the life history. Just not worth the hassle. And that's not to mention the calculator thing that I will need to use in future every time I use online banking. Yet another thing to lose.

Despite all this frustration have I changed banks? No. Not yet. And it would be so easy to keep my happy and banking with Barclays for the rest of my life. I think Barcays should have a policy of giving all account holders over 15 years a free premium service. Make us feel valued. If you treat us the same as the person who has only had an account with you for a year, then why stay?

I shall be moving to an internet only bank who want to provide me with a good service and welcome any recommendations.

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