The demise of an excellent friendly bank?? (smile.co.uk)

Member Name: technick52

Product:	smile.co.uk
Date:	30/08/08 (164 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Few now

Disadvantages: Awful customer relations. Primitive website offering no download of account info, not even text

I have been a Smile customer for 5 years, having a Current Account and Visa Credit card. Until the last year or so I was very impressed with them - any questions were dealt with on the secure message service promptly and efficiently. The phone service was also good, extremely friendly and courteous. However, recently I have noticed an increase in the response time on the message service [up to 5 days] and waiting time on their money-making 0870 contact number tediously long. In April I made a simple request via message service to change my Visa card payment date to one early in the month to help my cashflow as I am paid at the end of the month. To cut a long story short, they appear to not know how to intervene and make changes to their system. I complied with their request to make an early payment in order to get the cycle in sync. I borrowed money in order to do this. They did not pick this up and made no changes. I meanwhile was prompted by their system to pay by my old date. I told them this, they failed to respond, my account was suspended with demands for outrageous payments by the wrong date. Finally had a letter a month ago claiming that they had finished their enquiries and had rectified the problem. They had not and my Visa page is still covered in 'red ink'. My replies to their letter have thus far been ignored. What have I done to deserve this? I had been loyal customer with a 'clean history'. Its sad that such a good friendly organisation has degenerated into this.

Summary: Back to the High Street