Banking

[Old_Geezer]

Thought I'd pass this information on. Maybe everyone else already knows, maybe they don't care, but :

Over the Xmas break I had a need to visit a bank to both pay a bill, and pay in a few cheques too. I had one of the staff assume I was an idiot and insisted she showed me the way to pay in cheques at the ATM. As if I couldn't do such a thing for myself were I foolish enough to want to. She said she was sure I would be pleased with it even though I insisted it can not stamp my cheque (or paying in book) so there was no chance I'd be pleased with it. But I allow myself to get pushed around too much so let her do her thing.

After a few goes (the cheques were too pristine to be recognised until crumpled apparently) the cheques were finally accepted, and she presented me with this damned till receipt which I now have to ensure I don't lose, when doing the job the proper way would have ensured a counterfoil in my cheque book which was very unlikely to be lost. Clearly an inferior method, much less convenient. Another drop in service it seems, which is all too common, day after day after day, these days.

But the one incident aside, after all I had just been proved right, the staff had proved she had no idea, and I could ensure I don't let them show me that an inferior lack of service is not something to be pleased with on any future occasion. But for one thing she said.

She said that all banks were doing away with paying in slips in the future and words to the effect of so I'd just have to lump it because clearly as customers, the public are just dregs to be pushed around as the almighty banks see fit. I'm sure she put a better spin on it, but that was the gist. Blow you unimportant lot, you'll just have to put up with it because we all connive to act as a group to do what suits us, not you.

It took a huge fuss to stop them doing away with cheque books. Is there no campaign to stop this secondary attack on the public's banking services also ?

[Mosaic]

It's troubling to think though how these 'regulations' seem to be altered more or less at whim, without telling (valued?) customers. After all, could an email hurt? I use our local post office quite a lot. Evry time I go it seems something is different. Few days ago I wasn't given a receipt for some first-class mail....when I asked for it, was told oh we only give them out if you ask...
Like OG pointed out to begin with, if anything goes wrong the first thing these organisations will say is where's your receipt?

[woofgang]

That’s odd about not getting a receipt at Lloyd’s Cloverjo. I pay in cash about three times a year and cheques about the same number of times and have always been given a printed receipt. The last time was just before christmas and I got a receipt.

[woofgang]

same with posting stuff Mosaic, not letters or christmas cards, those never have been receipted, but I am always given a proof of posting for parcels whether I ask for one or not.

[grasscarp]

The pay in machines can have advantages. I recently had a cheque which was issued to my nephew but it said on back it could be put in a different bank account if he signed it, which he did.
At the counter the staff said they could not accept it to pay into my account. I said ok. Went to the machine which did accept it and it was credited to my account without a problem.

[clairson59]

Self service tills in supermarkets make me vent steam! You get asked if you are using your own bags but then when you put your bag in the bagging area you get the "unexpected item" spiel because your bag is too heavy etc. and don't get me started on buying restricted items like alcohol. As a person in my 50s I feel I'm entitled to buy the odd bottle of wine/spirits without having to wait for a shop assistant half my age to give me permission.