Tesco Banking

[Colwyn]

Those of you who bank with Tesco online will probably have received a letter telling you that following 20th June you need to re-register for your new improved online service. I wish I hadn't bothered. Today, four days after the new service "went live", I tried to register. After filling in all the irksome details I clicked "Submit" to be told I had failed to register with the message "Sorry, it's not your fault it is ours". I was advised to try again or to phone a special number. So I tried again; and again; and again; and for a final time. Same message. So I phoned the special number and was informed there was an unusually large volume of traffic so I was in a queue. Where I stayed for 15 minutes until I gave up. During this time I was entertained by, amongst other guff, a message telling me that if I wanted to register for my new improved online account I should visit the Tesco website. After 15 minutes I gave up.

How does this happen? Could it be that Tesco Bank decided to re-register everybody at the same time instead of phasing the changeover by region of the country, account number or alphabetically? And then not checking their website to make sure it was robust enough to take the traffic? And then not putting on extra lines and staff at its call centres to cope with the increased inquiries?

The reason I decided to put funds in Tesco in the first place was that it had a a reasonable interest rate for an Instant Access account that I could use to buffer my three months notice accounts (that offer better interest) - just in case of sudden emergency where I couldn't wait to access my money for a major spend (e.g. another car when my present one finally expires). Now I discover that far from "instant access" I cannot access my account at all. So, I'll be closing the account and withdrawing the fairly substantial sum that it is in it - whenever, that is, Tesco decides I am allowed to get get at my own money.

[corbindallas]

Tesco's finance website is the most irksome site I have ever used,and I use a few banking sites,  the security and process is just too much that even with the correct info you feel like you are breaking into the site. However when using their customer phone lines I have always found the f2f response faultless. In the end I gave up on them, like you say they seem to be off line or have technical process errors to often for comfort, which after spending a long time inputting all the info is really annoying..

[stoop]

They have come out and apologised in the paper today - blaming the switchover. Not used them lately as they are not my main bank but I can understand your annoyance.

[Colwyn]

Well TescoBank have emailed me to say everything is now sorted and I can simply ring a customer service number to be allowed access to my account. So I rang the munber provided and was told to expect a waiting time of 50 minutes before my call would be answered. How's that for service?

In my experience, Tesco's wines are poor, the vegetables are rubbish, their "fresh baked" bread is stale before it is put on the shelves, their meat isn't up to much and obviously their internet banking isn't fit for purpose. Only the pharmacy department at our local vast supermarket offers decent service. How the hell does it become the most successful supermarket in the world?

[Scunner]

If my bank (First Direct) haven't answered after 3 rings, I start to wonder if I've dialled the wrong number...

[tony jenkins]

quote:Originally posted by Colwyn


In my experience, Tesco's wines are poor, the vegetables are rubbish, their "fresh baked" bread is stale before it is put on the shelves, their meat isn't up to much and obviously their internet banking isn't fit for purpose. Only the pharmacy department at our local vast supermarket offers decent service. How the hell does it become the most successful supermarket in the world?

Yes, but apart from that.......

[stoop]

I take it you go for your Victor Meldrew tablets Colwyn  

[Colwyn]

No tablets required Stoop; just trying to bank with Tesco is enough.

Today, finally, I have been allowed to log on. Unfortunately, TescoBank is still not letting me withdraw my money by transfer to another bank. The system now says it does not recognize me as the holder of my account with the other bank and I have to send a copy of one of its bank statements to prove it is mine. Of course, I could phone them to see if they can sort it out - waiting time down to a mere 40 minutes now. So it will probably be at least another couple of weeks before I can get at my money. Instant banking - Tesco style! Pah!

[Colwyn]

Ha Ha. I fooled the Tesco website! I filled in the form that applies to third party bill payments but I filled it with my own account details. So it didn't require any confirmation of ownership of the account. The stupid system was happy to pay this stranger (who curiously carries the same name as me) when it had several times refused to pay me (to the identical account). Perhaps some whizz who is expert in banking website software can explain what the logic of this is - if any.