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Thread: OT: Rant about customer service at banks

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Oldham, England
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    Default OT: Rant about customer service at banks

    I have a brother in Australia. I needed to transfer him some money. So I got all the necessary details from him, wrote them down and included the amount to transfer on a sheet of paper. I handed it to the clerk and the conversation went like this:

    Me: I'd like to transfer some money to my brother in Australia
    Clerk: OK. Is that the IBAN number?
    Me: No, its the SWIFT number. Australia uses SWIFT. IBAN is Europe only
    Clerk: Is the money going to Australia?
    Me: Yes, its going to Australia
    Clerk: OK, I've input everything except the BSB number
    Me: That needs to go on. It stands for Bank, State, Branch. Its like our 'Sort' code.
    Clerk: I'm looking at my IBAN instruction screen and it doesnt mention it
    Me: It isnt an IBAN transaction. Its going to Australia. They use SWIFT. It wont get there without the BSB code..
    Dont you have a box on the screen that says 'receiving bank code'? If not you better ring your international department.
    Clerk spins screen so I can see it
    Me: Can we put it in the box that says 'receiving bank code' please?
    Clerk: Will just ask my colleague... yes we can put it in there.
    Clerk: It wont let me key in letters
    Me: How do you mean? Its all numbers?
    Clerk: It wont let me key in the letters BSB
    Me: Would it let you key in the letters 'SORT' if it were a UK bank?
    Clerk: No
    Me: Thats probably it then. Try it without the letters BSB
    Clerk: Oh thats worked fine. Is the amount written here the amount you wish to transfer
    Me: Yes thats the amount I would like to transfer
    Clerk: Its gone through now!
    Me: Oh good
    Clerk: Can I help you with anything else today?
    Me: Er.. no thanks
    My bank wont let me transfer money outside the UK. Maybe they think I dont know what I am doing?
    Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    East Brunswick, New Jersey
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    Default

    I haven't seen a teller for ages. Everything is done online or through the ATM.

    What I can tell you is transfer money out of the country is a PITA. The bank charges you a hefty fee, gives you an unfavroable exchange rate, and you thought the wire transfer takes a day or two where inreality it is immediate but the bank hold the fund for more than two weeks before releasing it to the recipient.
    '01 540it, 6/01
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Montreal
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    Default

    it's because everyone in australlia already has all the money they need.

    wiring money between countries doesn't always have to be bad. I do it from time to time between Canada and the US when I buy cars, and it's instantaneous (funds available within the hour) and there is no exchange rate if you are transferring like currencies. No holds at all.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Oldham, England
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    Default

    You cannot do international banking online with my bank. And I imagine the other UK banks are the same. They make a charge for the transfer and although its supposed to be electronic, it can take over a week to hit the receiving bank.
    Meanwhile the banks sit on the money.
    My brother has seen the exchange and christened it 'Fawlty Bank'. If you imagine Basil in my place you will have a fair idea of how it went at the bank
    Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    Default

    Just use Paypal!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    Oldham, England
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    Default

    I did think of using Paypal. I also considered Tranzfers which only costs about £7. For reasons I dont need to get into, I needed to show traceability on this and some other transactions. Going into my bank seemed to be the simplest solution. Shows how wrong you can be
    Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)

  7. #7
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    East Brunswick, New Jersey
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    How wide spread is Paypal over international boundaries?
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  8. #8
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    Very widespread... check out the list in droplist.

    https://www.paypal.com/international-money-transfer

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    East Brunswick, New Jersey
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    That's good to know. Do you know the fees sending money overseas?
    '01 540it, 6/01
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    '10 535ix. 9/09
    '10 mini 6 speed
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
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    Same link... just pick a country and put the amount you want to send. It is like $500US for $5 to Australia. Transfer is instant.

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