Halifax Telebanking (Banks! Aarrrggghhhh!)

Member Name: kimm

Product:	Banks! Aarrrggghhhh!
Date:	01/09/01 (297 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Convenient

Disadvantages: Can't trust them

A few years a go, I decided to set up a facility with Halifax telebanking. It seemed a good idea at the time because I could never get to the bank as I was working during the day.

Setting up the facility was reasonably hassle free.

I began using the facility and found that it was very good. It was quick and easy to access and you weren't placed on hold for that long. In most cases, I got straight through to a customer adviser who dealt with my requests efficiently.

The facilities include: checking your balance, transferring funds from your current account to another account, setting up direct debits etc. You can also talk to a customer adviser who can deal with other banking transactions for you. The service is free.

However, one day I phoned up and checked my bank balance. I was planning to buy something quite expensive, so I requested to transfer some money over to cover this. As far as I was concerned, the transaction had gone through.

I then went shopping the next day and tried to make my purchase using my Switchcard. The sales assistant put my card through and...it woulnd't take it. She tried again and again. I was stood there feeling very embarassed with a queue of people behind me. I just couldn't understand it, I had transferred more than enough money into my account the day before. In the end, I was unable to make my purchase and had to leave the store feeling very annoyed and embarassed. I had wasted a journey to the shops.

I then went to a cash machine and checked my balance. I found that the transfer of funds hadn't gone through. So, I phoned up Halifax and complained. They had no trace of my requesting a transfer of funds. How absolutely USELESS they were, or rather the donkey who should have completed the transaction for me. I was furious.

Although the service is handy when you can't get to a bank. I would advise people to always ring up and double
check that a transaction has been put through. You cannot trust these people 100% to get things right and it could leave you overdrawn or looking stupid in a shop.

Summary: