Presumably the op is just referring to retail rather than business banking. Otherwise the answer is, everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark (particularly in a rural area), village fete, charity collection box, video arcade, etc etc.
Can't fail my local branch (Nationwide). Usually you need to book an appointment 2 weeks in advance, but as my case was urgent...they set me up conference call with Area manager and things were sorted within 30 minutes instead of usual corporate 2 weeks.
My wife immideatly switched from RBS after seeing that kind of F2F service.
To get my mum’s Lasting Power of Attorney registered – they need to see the original.
me too.
Presumably the op is just referring to retail rather than business banking. Otherwise the answer is, everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark (particularly in a rural area), village fete, charity collection box, video arcade, etc etc.
From the very outset I've never had to cross the threshold of a physical bank for any of my business banking - not even to open the account 🙂 . However we forget as 'retail' bank customers that we get pretty much all of our banking services for free and its the business customers pay for it all. So when I sat in Santander with my mum sorting out her financial affairs at length and for no cost my business banking fees were paying for it all 🙂
As seldom as I use physical banks when I do I've never been in one that isn't busy.
everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark
They all need to catch up and start going cashless. Processing cash is risky and expensive. I am more likely to spend money in a business if they take contactless. Towns like Aberfeldy are going pretty much cash free with very little issue and plenty of benefits.
When I went to Iceland (the country, not the shop) last year I take out any currency, I have no idea what it looks like. For the week I was there I did not handle a single coin or note and it makes perfect sense. As I said earlier on, the only time I use cash day to day is for the barbers and kids piano teacher. Both of them is a hassle and requires a dash to the cash point.
FrankS - I'm very old skool, in that I remember how expensive it used to be to use your bank card abroad. Is that no longer the case? When I travel I always get local currency, infact I'm off to the bank in about an hour to get some Euro's. I just presumed this was the cheapest way of doing it? I then pay cash for my meals, drinks, etc.
Presumably the op is just referring to retail rather than business banking. Otherwise the answer is, everyone who runs a shop, cafe, restaurant, pub, visitor attraction, fairground, carpark (particularly in a rural area), village fete, charity collection box, video arcade, etc etc.
I pretty much never carry cash (in the UK) and just use contactless for everything. There are a few cash only shops on Mill Road (Cambridge) which I avoid on principle as I assume they're just using cash to avoid tax. Cash usage in shops must be declining massively though with the upsurge in contactless.
If we had kids I assume we'd just pay pocket money / cheques etc in using an App, way quicker than visiting a branch which just seems like something out of the Victorian era to me....
FrankS – I’m very old skool, in that I remember how expensive it used to be to use your bank card abroad. Is that no longer the case? When I travel I always get local currency, infact I’m off to the bank in about an hour to get some Euro’s. I just presumed this was the cheapest way of doing it? I then pay cash for my meals, drinks, etc.
We always use a credit card, either pre paid or pay it off in full when we get back. Safer, better exchange rates and easier. We also have a fancy pants bank account which makes debit card very attractive option with the best available exchange rate (you need to be careful using your debit card though, some penalise you for doing so, some are very advantageous.) Have a quick look at this article
Always pay in Euros/local currency rather than in £'s
Footflaps, agree that paying pocket money / savings in is Victorian era, but for me and my kids its the process of saving real money rather than virtual money if that makes sense.
They get £10 a month savings (in cash from my parents), plus each week they get £6 pocket money, plus £1 for doing jobs (washing my bike, hoovering out my van etc). They then seperate out their spending money from their saving money, their saving money is then taken to the bank. For me while its archaic, its the actual process of physically moving money rather than doing it on an app.
Agreed visiting the branch not necessary though and it would be much easier for me not to.
We always use a credit card.
We were in Portugal last week and most places were cash only....
What was even more surprising was Skiing in Mayrhofen, Austria, 100% cash, not a single place took cards.
For kids savings, paying for chores, pocket money etc I recommend GoHenry. Its a great way to manage these things and gets the kids used to basic principles of saving and electronic banking, both of which is a helpful skill for them into the future.
Doing everything online is all fine and dandy, but as has been shown on many occasions, if there’s a big network outage, the likes of fasthaggis are going to be royally screwed!
CountZ me ol sausage ,you failed to interpret my tongue in cheek post.
This can happen sometimes when things aren't face to face,a bit like some digital mediums 😉
We've needed a branch in the last two years for:
Opening a child's bank acc and making payments in to it for cheques etc. from relatives (it's quite restrictive)
Getting a mortgage
Only time in last five years was to close account.
Not using apps though, desktop and very occasionally phone.
I had a quick look at my chequebook stub last night, last cheque I wrote was about two years ago. I used to write regular cheques for trips and things at School and Cubs but both now have online/cashless system. Who still uses cheques?
My Mum,MIL and FIL.
They even put them in the post with hand written letters and cards ,idiots.
Haven't had a branch for almost 20 years since I switched to Cahoot which is online only. If anyone who still thinks it is 1972 sends me a cheque I just post them into Cahoot and then get paid into my account. They are dying out because the people who use them are dying out. Expect Post Offices to dwindle further away for same reason.
Opening a child’s bank acc and making payments in to it for cheques etc. from relatives (it’s quite restrictive)
Just done this. Well, I haven't yet.
I went into the bank to pay in a cheque for me and to ask about the cheque for my son. They say needs his own account. They can book me in for an appointment to do it in branch, or I can do it online - it's pretty quick and straightforward, they say.
So I apply online (relatively quick and straightforward), get an email saying "thanks, we're on it!" or something similarly upbeat. I go into the branch 3 days later as I've heard nothing. They don't have access to the online applications, I'll have to wait. 2 days later I get a letter through the post saying I have to go into a branch to show them his ID.
I've just done that, they said it could be 7-10 days before it's confirmed and I can pay a cheque in. I've already had it 3 weeks and feeling bad enough for the person who gave it to me.
If I'd booked the appt to apply in the branch, it'd have been done there and then.
tsk, Roll-y eyes emoticon etc.
HSBC are completely in the dark ages, can’t pay cash in at all via their ATM
HSBC's security is awesome. So good in fact that nobody, not even me, could get access to my money. Leaving me without access to cash whilst abroad. Twice. So I had to go into the branch to get my card reset. Also to tell them the non-contactless card I'd asked for was in fact contactless, contrary to my instruction. And to pick up a pair of gloves I'd left there after spending 1 hour trying to get through to the branch.
I did a year's worth of user research for a big (traditional) UK bank and I can tell you that this:
To answer your question, “old folk”.
is probably flawed.
"Old" folk are more digitally savvy than they get credit for. And when does 'old' begin, anyway? I'm over 50, and I design these apps, so find it increasingly hard to get my around the 'old person' as a design persona. It really makes no sense and doesn't hold up. Younger people seemed far more challenged, cognitively, than the older folk I spoke to, all of whom were highly engaged with their devices and knew far more about the capabilities (and drawbacks) of the apps they use.
Just saying 🙂
I recently opened accounts for my kids too.
Went into the Halifax who said it has to be done online.
Did my eldest's online she took her stuff a couple of days later to the branch for proof was out in a few minutes and able to use the account immediately.
Youngest could be started online then I had to go to the branch with her, stood for 30 minutes while the grannies spent ages asking dozens of questions about their accounts. Eventually get to the counter to be told I need an appointment, earliest over a week away. Arrive for the appointment answer dozens of questions already asked, sign some paperwork as does my daughter. Then the sales pitch starts on me, they didn't get far.
Her account was able to be used straight away but for what was minutes for my eldest took an age for the youngest
“Old” folk are more digitally savvy than they get credit for. And when does ‘old’ begin, anyway? I’m over 50, and I design these apps, so find it increasingly hard to get my around the ‘old person’ as a design persona. It really makes no sense and doesn’t hold up. Younger people seemed far more challenged, cognitively, than the older folk I spoke to, all of whom were highly engaged with their devices and knew far more about the capabilities (and drawbacks) of the apps they use.
I worked on social media for one of the big high-street banks for a couple of years, during which time they were closing many branches - and generating quite a backlash obvs.
It's small business owners and people aged 75+ who were the main "victims", from my observations.
Yes, middle-aged people and younger OAPs can be quite switched on about tech - but I'd also see a fair few moans from people in those demographics. Hardly any from the under-40s unless on behalf of parents/grandparents.
Didn’t know banks had those
@footflaps, pop into the Regent street HSBC, they have one. Pretty much the only thing I have used a branch for in the last few years. My wife did arrange to go see someone in Santander to change ISA, could have been done online though.
Starling do Know Your Customer checks via the app
@footflaps, pop into the Regent street HSBC, they have one. Pretty much the only thing I have used a branch for in the last few years.
How does it pay you, in cash?
How does it pay you, in cash?
Caveat being you need an hsbc account, but yes, credits direct to your account. There used to be one in the innovation park branch which was easy to drive to, helpful when you have a big bunch of coins, but it closed 🙁
How will you pay for your skinny latte when the contactless terminal won’t read your card or phone?
Services. Personal services.
Caveat being you need an hsbc account, but yes, credits direct to your account.
Ah, I'm with Barclays....
No idea if they have one, 20 years since I last visited a branch...
People on low incomes use bank branches more than those with higher personal wealth. Banks want to save money so expect them to transact via the phone services but this is just making more problems because f2f has better outcomes for the customer (and ultimately the bank) when trying to manage their account when it's permanently running on empty
Can’t fail my local branch (Nationwide). Usually you need to book an appointment 2 weeks in advance, but as my case was urgent…they set me up conference call with Area manager and things were sorted within 30 minutes instead of usual corporate 2 weeks.
My wife imminently switched from RBS after seeing that kind of F2F service.
I banked with Nationwide for about 15 years, the branches are good, but they're usually really busy lunchtimes and you queue for 20-30 mins.
The problem for me is there aren't many of them, there's 1 in the whole of Cardiff, which still closes half-day Saturday and 3 within a 30 min drive of where I live.
I got a bit fed up of being told "you'll have to pop into Branch" by their call centre. It's not a "pop" if your choice is a 30 min drive to another county or a hellish trip into Cardiff at the weekend.
They do a lot of things very well, but they seem to have found their niche with customers with a lot more patience than me.
Who is still using bank branches and why?
Not motorcyclists.
Was there a problem with your helmet perchy ?
How will you pay for your skinny latte when the contactless terminal won’t read your card or phone?
Services. Personal services.
The extra froth would make it a cappuccino though
problem with your helmet perchy ?
It's apparently very common in men my age.
Me because I like cash and I’m not even a terrorist or drug dealer.
Stood behind a women in France who paid for her groceries with a cheque 😩 A lot of places in France, Italy and Spain are amazed when you pay by contactless phone!
Stood behind a women in France who paid for her groceries with a cheque 😩 A lot of places in France, Italy and Spain are amazed when you pay by contactless phone!
Cheques are on the declines by 6% a year but lotsa people feel naked when out and about without a cheque book. Still used to pay for 3 oranges and 5 apples on the market "chukkle" by quite some.
Even contactless cards are quite recent, Phones indeed a novelty I was in the promotional video off this revolution about two years ago. French banking is lagging a bit IMHO
French banking is lagging a bit IMHO
I'm generally of the impression that British retail is about as good as it gets in terms of competitiveness and payment options etc. Poss Scandinavia is a bit ahead on contactless. Certainly most of continental Europe feels like going back in time whenever I shop there.
