I thought Halifax adverts couldn't get worse......

[Cranky]

Truly one of the worst adverts I think I've ever seen.

I also had awful experiences with Halifax when I opened an account for my elderly mother with power of attorney. Their computer system kept losing the record of my POA so, after waiting for up to 20 mins on their helpline, I'd be told that they couldn't discuss my mother's account with me. Then they mixed up some cheques for an ISA which messed up the annual allowance calculations and this took weeks, several phone calls, visits to the branch and a stiff letter to head office to resolve. Eventually an apology was sent and the matter resolved about a week before my mother died.

And then there were the patronising, incompetent staff at the branch....

 

[Ashtrayhead]

Long gone are the days when I used to go into my bank to 'have a chat' with the manager about my 'excessive spending'! It used to be a rap on the knuckles and an increase in my overdraft facility, none of these bloody charges and then more charges to tell you that you've been charged!

 

[Wigsie]

I have held my silence for too long! I have a confession!

About 10 years ago I was working for a digital marketing agency and was project manager on something called "Howards Homepage" a microsite promoting the bank, with some unknown yet incredibly annoying speccy eyed weasel singing an irritating song and we created an animated version of him too.

It was NOT our idea! but we may have started the ball rolling!

I am truly sorry, he does haunt my dreams though still to this day, from listening to his voice at least 150 times a day during production and testing stages!

 

[hackbike 666]

Most of the time Halifax are ok.Ok I ignore the adverts...they are on par with those car adverts which are crap as well.

Only thing is they keep locking me out of my account or when I want to get my savings out I am treated like a criminal.I couldn't access my account online for a week until I managed to get it unlocked.Obviously nobody has heard of shiftwork at the Halifax as I was locked out of my account at 3am after getting in from work and doing a few things online.I suppose I have to be thankful they take security seriosly though.

Recently after yet more trouble I was transferred over because they wanted to give me a credit card of which I said I didn't want after getting into debt over twenty years ago and finding it very hard to pay off.They are so quick to offer loans or credit cards which is a bit of a concern.Needless to say I didnt turn up at the bank or sign the agreement they sent me.

 

[chap]

Recently after yet more trouble I was transferred over because they wanted to give me a credit card of which I said I didn't want after getting into debt over twenty years ago and finding it very hard to pay off.They are so quick to offer loans or credit cards which is a bit of a concern.Needless to say I didnt turn up at the bank or sign the agreement they sent me.

Sounds just like those fraudsters. So to put a positive bent on this discussion, we are unanimous that the Halifax have as much integrity as Mr Maddof, and that the best alternative option is The Co-operative.

I will be joining them next month. The only thing I despair is the whole nationalistic 'Call centres in Britain thing' for 2 reasons:

• It's spurious: the reason most Indian call centres are ineffective is because they have scripts and little power, if any. Notice one always has to come back to the disinterested Brit just off their 3rd coffee break when it's only 9am.
• Accents: I find it more difficult to work out what the Geordie, Scouse, or Mancunian call-centre assistant is saying, the foreigners are generally taught to speak correctly. I don't know why Received Pronunciation fell out of favour since we now have a scourge of indecipherables who reckon obfuscation through riddles and incoherency is a virtue.

On a side note, I wonder how Co-op have faired during the recession, I'd imagine that they, like The Economist and The FT, would have picked up a fair few customers. Who knows they may have to expand the call-centres to a place where they speak English...properly.

 

[Bandini]

£1 per day even if you are only 1p overdrawn and it is an arranged overdraft!

£2 if over £2000. They are arses. When I rang to say I was not happy about the charges they crowed on about the fact they give me £5 at the end of the month! My OD charges had just increased by 3x that, and they will not reduce until I go below £2000. I hate them, but need to pay off my OD before I can sack them off.

 

[Bandini]

I am truly sorry, he does haunt my dreams though still to this day, from listening to his voice at least 150 times a day during production and testing stages!

Don't be sorry: you deserve our pity not our wrath.

 

[dellzeqq]

I have held my silence for too long! I have a confession!

About 10 years ago I was working for a digital marketing agency and was project manager on something called "Howards Homepage" a microsite promoting the bank, with some unknown yet incredibly annoying speccy eyed weasel singing an irritating song and we created an animated version of him too.

It was NOT our idea! but we may have started the ball rolling!

I am truly sorry, he does haunt my dreams though still to this day, from listening to his voice at least 150 times a day during production and testing stages!

Wigsie, Wigsie, Wigsie. Take it from one who has worked on the occasional sh*t building....confession, however good for the soul, is never good enough to staunch the pain. Best make this a one-off.