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Santander Customer Service

Does Santander deserve a second chance? Simon Read from the Independent believes so, as his article this week reasons the Spanish-owned company has good reasons why it’s failed and will turn things around in the coming months. A response too late for many customers who have overwhelmingly rated the Spanish giant bottom in a customer service poll on Martin Lewis’ money saving site.

Santander announced this week it was moving from Bangalore to Glasgow creating 500 jobs. Is this a response to the negative press Santander has received, being voted the 3rd worst customer service last year?  Some say this move is to avoid rising costs in India as the average wage there is experiencing a 12 per cent rise.

Santander Customer Service

Santander Customer Service - Not Great

Personally,  I bank with Santander,  actually Abbey, or go back further Abbey National. I have found though, the last few years have been appalling. Just getting my account on-line took the customer service and local branch several months due to the age of my business account and lack of knowledge in the branch. Then the queues always seem longer than any other branch in my local high street, overall if they put a slice of the marketing budget towards service, things would improve.

In the past, I hadn’t take out an Abbey / Santander mortgage, even though it was most appealing . I admire the clever marketing from Santander, especially as a huge F1 fan, but I also understand a mortgage should be judged ons what payments come out my pocket over the term, not how big the cash-back is for taking a mortgage with them. No doubt about it you cant ignore the marketing power and influence Santander has on the high street.

Simon Read brings out all high street lenders need to improve there customer service due to the amount of negativity since the credit crunch. A main part of the reason is the problems arising from merging Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley. So it was good to hear new UK boss Ana Botin say this week that “Improving the service we offer is my top priority.”

Will Santander get customer service right? It will need to, if it wants to survive on the high street. Peoples perception is changing, television programmes like Mary Portas Secret Shopper, her web site claims, “I have been challenged by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to undertake an independent review on the Future of the High Street – to help ‘bring back the bustle’ to our town centres”. Customer service is always top on her agenda and it is becoming large on banks too, if they want customers support in the coming months.

posted by Zane in Lending,Mortgage,Recession and have No Comments

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