Solitary chicken - need advice

[dancing cloud]

Can anyone recommend a bank that deals positively with deaf people? After an exceptionally frustrating 20 mins on the phone to Santander yesterday, they are unlikely to be keeping my dad's custom for much longer! I'll apologise up front for the rant, but when someone you care about is upset unnecessarily, it really gets your goat

 

He tried paying for fuel and had his card refused as soon as he put it in the machine - didn't get as far as a pin number. Fortunately he had a different card and was able to get home.

 

When we rang them to find out what was going on, they refused to speak to me, despite my deaf dad explaining his disability and giving authority over the phone for me to relay the security questions to him, so he could hear them and could answer them, and to then conduct the conversation on his behalf. I asked twice to be put through to the supervisor and never was. Only because I was very persistent (not to say downright obnoxious by the end of it all ) and would not go away, did I eventually get them to talk to me. Still did not get an explanation that made sense (they said he had put a wrong pin in too many times, he said he never got to put a pin in at all - and he's deaf, not daft) but they are going to send him a new card - could take up to two weeks.

 

When asked a pointed question about how exactly a deaf person was meant to access their banking services, the best Santander could offer was to go through the branch (who don't deal with credit cards and just point you towards their phone ) or to get a lasting power of attourney. LPS'a cost money (£110 I think) and would not only give me the ability to talk to my dad's bank, but would also let me empty his accounts and nick off to the Caribbean with the proceeds ! Neither of them appropriate solutions then, and I considered Santander to be discriminating against the deaf and failing in their duty to make reasonable adjustments. Yes, I did tell them so.

 

My own bank is telephone and email only, so no use transferring him there, and I need to find one that my dad can actually go in and talk to if he has any problems.

 

Any and all recommendations very welcome

[Lavenders_Blue]

Goodness me that's appalling customer service. Having worked. In a bank myself (quite a number of years ago now) I do understand why they would have been reluctant to speak to you on the phone, after all it is technically minutely possible that you might have been holding him at knife-point and asking him to reveal his security details to you, HOWEVER, that does not excuse the fact that if your dad has a local branch they should be dealing with the problem there, not directing him to a phone he cannot use. When I was a bank employee, in a situation like this I would have phoned the credit card department myself with your dad present and dealt with the problem in the branch. To not do that is inexcusable in my opinion. I know that banks are trying to keep customers out of high street branches as much as possible, but as you say that is simply discrimination. I think a strongly worded letter is in order. In the meantime, would your Dad consider using a textphone/minicom to phone the bank, so that he can call them independently?

[Alis girls]

Not sure - but I am appalled at his treatment.I am not sure if internet banking would be any answer. Personally I am glad my dad doesnt have access to the internet as with his memory probs I dread to think what he would get up too. As someone whose hearing is getting worse - I am fully aware you are treated as an idiot. Doesnt help being blond - i' m a blond deaf idiot. Write a letter to bank ombudsman. I posted about telephone manners recently - frankly some of the people they employ are dreadful. if i spoke to patients like that I'd be out on my bleep. Good luck

[kinsk]

So sorry your Dad got so upset, with two ailing parents who are day by day losing their confidence mainly die to having to confront situations like this I can completely sympathise.

 

The idea of 'personal' banking is now a complete joke.

 

Could the British deaf association or another similar body advise you?

 

I would also keep a close eye, or advise him to on his statements. Petrol stations are where the majority of card fraud occurs, and if they saw him as a vulnerable person they might have seen him as an easy target.

 

The other way round it, and I know it's not right, is just to pretend to be that person. I had to do it for a friend who had a stroke and couldn't speak clearly enough for a phone conversation.

[dancing cloud]

I would happily have pretended to be him but, unless I could persuade them he was "Deidre" at weekends, I'd have struggled . Thankfully, the girls in the petrol station know him (he's been going there since it opened) and were happy to ring me to come and pay if his other card hadn't worked.

 

I am still far from satisfied with Santander's approach to reasonable adjustments - make him buy a textphone to speak to them (£300-plus for one he can cope with and is ok as a normal phone for me) or enter into an LPA, which would give me total control of his financial affairs . Why oh why can't dad and I toddle along to the local branch with suitable photo id, and fill in a written authorisation in front of a sufficiently senior member of staff so that I could speak on his behalf. Not undertaken any transactions, just speak. Seemples!

 

Apparently questions have been asked in Parliament about the accessibility of telephone-only contact, but nothing has been resolved.

 

We're going to have a look at what banks have branches in the town, then research their contactability (can you actually go in and speak to a proper human bean) and what accounts they offer.

[bluekarin]

It used to be the case you could go and speak to anyone in your local branch, but with outsourcing that seems to be long gone. Some banks seem to be more people friendly, and when looking up banks that catered to people with hearing problems, Barclays seemed to be the name to come up again and again. In a good way. Might be worth a look. Or just visit your local banks and building societies and speak to them about your problem and see who is most amenable.

[Charlottechicken]

I have nothing good to say about Santander, unfortunately

 

They were not great (or was that just obstructive and useless ) when my dad died and we tried to get everything transferred into mum's name. Nine years later and she has only just closed the account as she couldn't bear to deal with them. They lost important paperwork and insisted on conducting private banking conversations in the middle of the bank. Whilst in conversation, mum was tapped on the shoulder by someone she knew socially who obviously didn't realise she was sorting her money out with an employee

[dancing cloud]

Thanks for your support on this one. I've never had any problems with my own Santander account, but then I am a very ordinary customer that doesn't want anything in particular from them.

 

A scout round t'internet brought up Barclays accessibility policy, under which you can nominate a third party to deal with matters on your behalf to the extent you specify. Also found Santander's accessibility policy, that says if you want something they don't offer, just ask. Think we may be asking (again) ...

 

There's something like 12% of the population with varying degrees of hearing impairment - a lot of customers to be gained/lost by making them feel welcome or not

[Purplemaniacs]

I have nothing good to say about Santander, unfortunately

The club treasurer would agree with you, the club used to bank with them and they were hopeless , so difficult to communicate with.

 

Chrissie

[Guest]

I have recently changed to M&S bank, not sure if they have any special facilities for the deaf but so far I have been hugely impressed with the customer service... real people on the phone, helpful and not just reading from a list like many of the robot people.

 

Hubby has always been impressed with First Direct but again I can't say what facilities they are offer the deaf.

 

Maybe worth contacting one of the deaf societies for advice?

[PixieDust]

I honestly do not think any of the banks have good customer service. Sorry to hear of such terrible treatment.

[chickencam]

We have both personal and business accounts with our local Barclays and we find them very helpful. There are always plenty of people around in the branch and business wise they are great on the phone.

 

My severely deaf grandad banked with Lloyds and they helped him when necessary and my children all bank with Lloyds and they have had nothing but positive experiences too.

[CatieB]

I am an ex Santander customer after truely shocking customer service where they lost a considerable amount of my money for an extended period of time. I now bank with Nationwide and it's been a much more pleasant experience. I have a helpful local branch and their internet banking is brill I would recommend them.

 

In relation to pretending to be him - the fact that you sound female, in this day and age, isn't necessarily enough to refuse to deal with you. I have a friend who routinely pretends to be her husband to sort stuff out. She knows the answers to all the security questions and is persistent that she is him. She says many organisations then accept it as to suggest he sounds like is a she is just not on. I couldn't do it but I can see what she means.

[chickencam]

That doesn't surprise me, maybe I should try this, I deal with all of our home finances and paperwork and it drives me crazy when people won't speak to my about anything in my husbands name even though I am the only one who can remember security details, he is hopeless and has given authority many times for me to deal with things on his behalf. If I know his details I can do what I like online. I know why they do it and I am glad that my money is secure, but it can be overridden in so many different ways.