First Direct - All banks should follow their lead (firstdirect.co.uk)

Name: pjayem1964

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Product:	firstdirect.co.uk
Date:	28/11/03 (533 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good range of financial services, Open when YOU want them, Friendly and courteous

Disadvantages: No real disadvantages, No option for business accounts

I joined First Direct towards the end of 1999. Their origins were as a telephone bank, but they have graduated to online internet banking, the telephone service however is still going strong. First Direct is part of the HSBC group, and their banks allow First Direct depositing and withdrawals of cash or cheques.

I have a cheque account with FD, and have a fee free £250 overdraft, which was given automatically, I am not charged for occasionally dipping into the red. Newer customers get a £500 overdraft. It comes with a cheque book and multifunction cashpoint card, cheque guarantee card and Switch/Maestro debit card.


They were the first bank to realise that there is no such thing as a 9 to 5 society, and they offer all the facilities of a conventional High Street bank. eg Current accounts, Savings Accounts, Tax free Savings Accounts, Credit and Debit Cards, Loans, Mortgages, Foreign Exchange etc. You can pay bills, set up a standing order or direct debit, transfer money to a nominated account, 24 hours a day, and you speak to a human being, you don't get a press one for this service, press two for that service. You are taken through a security check to see whether you are the person operating the account, however if you use internet banking the password can not be the same as the telephone banking password. I have always found First Direct staff helpful, courteous and friendly, despite reading some negative feedback from some dooyoo reviewers

In my opinion FD was the trendsetter for 21st century banking, It is interesting to see how the conventional High Street banks have progressed since the arrival of FD. One bank tried to boost their campaign saying that one customer's bank had been converted into a wine bar, and that this was so called progress. I want a bank open when I want it, not when someone else tells me to. The bank in question was very stingy regarding cashpoint withdrawals, as I was an ex-customer.

The down
side is that First Direct only do personal accounts, not business accounts.


All in all, I'm very happy with them.

Summary: