“After banking with Barclays for 30 years, I have just experienced the worst possible scenario which has me thinking of seriously changing my bank.
On the first day of my holiday in Florence Italy I had my wallet stolen by a pickpocket (there was no safe in my hotel room for me to leave my wallet there!) All my credit cards, bank card and 300 Euros gone. I was left with 4 euros cash!
After reporting the loss to the police, I cancelled the Credit Cards.
Halifax – excellent, Person with slight Scottish accent who I could understand completely and cancelled my card.
Barclaycard – 30 minute wait to get through and then to a call center. Spoke to person with Asian accent whom I had difficulty understanding. He cancelled my card, but I could not understand from him if money had been taken from my card or not. I told him I needed to cancel my Debit card also, so he transferred me.
For my Debit Card it was also a call centre and a person with a very strong Asian accent. I had great difficulty understanding him and he spoke very quickly on the phone. I told him I had a hearing difficulty and could he speak slower, which he did for a while. After going through security with him he cancelled my card. I asked if any money had been taken and he said he was not allowed to tell me. This I could not believe and argued with him for some time on the phone. He said he’d seek advice, and came back to me about 5 minutes later to say that no money had been taken from my card. I asked if money could be transferred to a bank here in Florence which I could collect using my passport and answering any security questions, and he said no. After a lengthy discussion, which I felt he was anything but sympathetic to my situation, I asked for his name, and to speak to his Supervisor. After a 15 minute wait he came back on the phone and told me I could phone a number, and a Visa card would be delivered to me in three or four hours. I checked the number would get me the Visa here in Florence Italy, and he said I was in France! He had not listened to me earlier! He gave me another number for Italy. I hung up and tried this number several times, using international codes as well. The number was unobtainable! It was now 1am in the morning and I was getting pretty stressed.
I phoned Barclays again, and this time, quite quickly got through to a lady with no accent, whom I could understand. I explained to her my recent experience with the last call and she was sympathetic. She told me there was no way I could get a visa in 3 or 4 hours, that it would take 3 or4 days! I had been given the wrong information. I asked if money could be transferred for me to a Bank in Florence, and she said no. I could go to a bank here and phone a Barclays global processing number and they could arrange a transfer, but it would take a while. She advised getting someone in the UK to transfer money to me using Western Express. This I did and got cash the following day.
I have complained in my local Barclays Bank about my experience and they were suitably horrified. I do not blame the person in the Call Center for the problem I experienced with him but I blame Barclays. He was not sufficiently trained to help me. Call centre staff in my experience are in Asia, have strong accents making them difficult to understand on the phone, and work to a prepared script they are given. Also, Barclays need to consider the needs of their customers in difficulties such as I experienced, and be in a position to help rather than give advice to use a different company, Western Union.”
“The PATRONISING bank - I've banked with Barclays for over 25 years. The quality of staff and management they currently employ especially in their call centres is of the lowest quality in all of that time.
Their robot asks various details about your account and when you eventually get put through to a human being - they ask you EXACTLY the same questions - it's degrading and shows that senior management have total contempt for their customers time and lack the ability to just stand in their customers shoes for a few moments. I have just spent the last 10 days purchasing one of their travel packs - I wished I had gone elsewhere - I've had to speak to around 15 different people and still it's not up and running properly. They blame their contractor Aviva and Aviva tell you to ring Barclays Customer Services - NO ONE wants to take ownership of a legitimate complaint - you get a kid who has no understanding of basic law that your contract is with Barclays and not their contractor Aviva. You try and share your experience with them but they in a patronising way try and tell you that it's your option ion when I very well know it's my EXPERIENCE that I'm getting second rate 3rd world patronising customer services - they say that they will pass your views back but clearly it never reaches the decision makers or it's just a case that the decision makers don't have the ability to look at issues from the customers experience.”
“Avoid Barclays bank as much as possible!
Have been waiting for a business account for over three weeks while having to deal with rude and incompetent staff. They do not care about their customers and have no concept of the term "customer service". Save yourself the stress of having to deal with them.”
“discusting customer service..very disapointed . branch staff vas very rude and unhelpful. but lady over the phone (03309957686) dont know how to talk at all (seems she was drunk) if there no star i beter go for it! be ready for it!!!!”
“I was unable to get help re:online banking log in, customer representatives seem to lack the will, knowledge or skill to resolve issues. I also put into question their ability to understand issues.
On one occasion when a customer service representative found out they cannot to help they asked my to call again someone else, did not offer to transfer or escalate! On another occasion when they fond they can not help I was told that i did not pass security, despite giving all info correctly and passing through it at the beginning of the call, only to find out that i did pass it after i've requested to raise a formal complaint - totally random!”
“Appauling. I've been in an overdraft for the best part of a year now. I now have a full time job, and get paid weekly. They looked at me like I was scum. I went into the Hanley Branch today and asked them if I could have some breathing space with my charges, as in 12 weeks I can clear my overdraft. The only advice I got was a phone number. They didn't even think about putting my charges on hold. It's disgusting. I then went into Natwest, explained my situation and within 40 minutes they opened up a savings account for me, an account that lets me withdraw money . All of my wages are going into this new savings account now, and I'll pay my overdraft as and when. Once my overdraft is paid for - I want nothing to do with Barclays again”
“In Barclays Hammersmith. Tall bearded asian guy called Jon? He was so unhelpful, arrogant and just bloody rude. Complained about his sore feet and came over like he didn't want to be there and was doing Barclays a favour. Obviously Barclays will employ anyone these days. Not impressed.”
“I took a 20 mile trip and an hour in the branch to open two help to buy ISA accounts, we deposited money in cash.. a week later, I get a letter stating my account has been closed for no reason whatsoever. I called Barclays to complain and the complaint department called me back and stated the reason was they did a review and that the bank decided they didn't want us as a customer. That was the only reason given. This is discrimination and appalling for any bank to do!! They can close your account without any reason whatsoever!!”
“My father dies in December 2017 - had a Barclaycard debt of some £2500, but £1250 left in his Barclays bank account. Was given to understand that credit card debt died with my Father and funds remaining in his bank account would be released to pay for the old buggers funeral... oh no, not Barclays - 'it is our policy to retain the bank account funds to clear his credit card'. Not enough that they robbed him of £40 per month for some spurious insurance policy that was - after reading the small print - completely worthless, so that's 8 years at £40 per month = £3840... Hope the f*ckers choke on the £1250. Banks/Bankers - first they f*ck us in 2008, keep their bonuses then keep on f*cking us and get away with it. I told my Father not to bank with them, but he knew best.... looking at the 79.28% 1 star rating it seems many other folk are not too happy with Barclays either. hope their chief exec chokes on his Latte one morning. ... also had the unfortunate task of visiting a branch (Frodsham)- whilst sorting my fathers affairs - queued for 45 minutes to be met by a completely disinterested young chap who seemed to have not one clue. What a shower they are.”
“For the past two months. I am disgusted with the service I received. I received an international payment and by default the senders bank made an error and transferred the funds twice. I received a confirmation from Barclays stating I received two payments which I accepted and spent.
Without informing myself Barclays removed funds from my savings account. As a premiere customer I made a complaint as I believe in this situation I should of been informed. The person dealing with my complaint had the audacity to search me on LinkedIn rather than dealing with my complaint. Which I believe is below the belt and breaches my data protection rights.
I made a complaint twice to Barclays and once I was told that I should chase up the bank who made an error. The person searching me up on social media I would be compensated for £100.00 if I remain silent.
I escalated this complaint once again and it was referred to Clarie Pennington who said due to the work load Barclays has we cannot notify all customers if we withdraw money. Secondly the person can look me up on LinkedIn as it is a public domain and we have a mutual connection.
This is just beyond dishonesty, I sent a screenshot to the Barclays team showing how the person has looked me up and I received a notification. Not sure where my data has been used and why I was looked up on LinkedIn. Barclays needs to review their process in place as this is in Breach of my privacy.”
“Absolutely disgusting Customer Services, I needed to transfer Money to a new payee to purchase my daughters main Christmas present from a store miles away but the app wouldn't allow me to. Customer Services passed me pillar to post and not a single agent was slightly interested to help or even offer advise.
I will be changing banks right after Christmas, angry and shocked at the rude, blunt agent I received.”
“Been with barclays for 8 years. Time to join another bank. The consumer service with years is getting really bad. Advisors find it difficult to give advice. Very unhappy but am going to natwest”
“Dodgy they will block your account and make you wait months for a respons and nothing you will get . They do it often now and for no reason ! Bastards”
