AMA with our Chief Product Officer, Fernando 🎉

[caribo]

@fernandofanton

Would love to know what you’d find valuable?

Free Gregg’s sausage rolls, obviously!

[fernandofanton (Fernando)]

Yep that’s correct. I said earlier we’re starting to try some things in the US first that will later come to the UK, including the ones you mentioned. It’s working well and it’s the same codebase. It’s cool because we can be a bit bolder trying things out in the USA.

[fernandofanton (Fernando)]

noted!

[fernandofanton (Fernando)]

Hey everyone, I think these are all the questions I’m going to be able to get to for now!

Thanks so much for all your questions and feedback, it’s been super fun and insightful. I really appreciate you taking so much time to chat with me.

I’m still learning/thinking about the best ways to engage with the community in what we’re working on and what’s coming up. I want us to share more of the new things we’re working on, the way we’ve been doing with the app evolution work and the new home tab, for example.

I’ve also been thinking about how we bring back a kind of transparent roadmap and what that looks like. It could be the standard upcoming products and features we’re working on. Or maybe we share the biggest problems and user needs we’re thinking about solving? Let me know your thoughts.

Finally, thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to vote in the British Bank Awards. Voting closes tonight just before midnight – so I’ll make one last request for you to vote by leaving us a review if you haven’t already

If you haven’t voted because you don’t think we’re the best in these categories yet – I’ve got plenty of feedback from this conversation so we can change that ASAP

Speak soon!

[gt94sss2]

@fernandofanton

We’re actively working on cheque imaging specifically as well as adding more options for cash deposits.

Thank you. That will be welcome news to many!

@fernandofanton

I’ll ask the Payments team to come on here soon to share more. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d be interested to hear about from them.

On payments,I personally would also be interested in Post Office support (for paying in/withdrawing) as well as any news on streamlining the process for making larger electronic transfers.

Separately, would also welcome your thoughts on how Monzo can improve your customer service levels

For instance chat has been removed as an option from most customers and is no longer 24/7 apart from emergencies. One cannot even leave a chat message in off hours to be picked up during the day…

[Ralph76 (Ralph)]

Big up yourself Fernando!

Thank you

[o99]

@fernandofanton

In some cases it’s because we’re trying to maximise around the platforms, others we just need to do a better job at feature parity. But all teams are staffed against both platforms. Any particular area you’d like us to focus on?

Thanks for response!

Having recently switched from iOS to Android, the one that stands out for me is the lack of search filters on Android.

Lack of bank transfer reference field on Android transaction screens (for domestic bank transfers) is also notable. However I think this issue is probably larger than platform disparity; even though the iOS app has a reference field it interacts with notes in an inappropriate way so how the app displays domestic bank transfer references is something that needs fixing in a more general sense. It does however seem to work well for incoming international transfers.

[Carlo1460]

Post Office

Not fussed on cheques

Probably take a little more from the competition with these though, Post Office is most certainly more often available than a bank.

I live on the outskirts of town (we still have branches for all main banks) but two Post Office points within 5 mins of me.

[dinosm]

@fernandofanton

Would love to know what you’d find valuable?

I am not sure; I feel tired chasing (badum ch) all the rewards offers and constantly calculating which card to use for a given purchase… is it Tesco or not? Do I get double points on this, and 3x that is it better than Chase 1% cashback?
I’ve actually reduced my usage of Chase etc because I can’t be bothered transferring money to it so often.

What would I want from rewards?
Maybe some sort of sustainable cashback. Simple and easy, can be used anywhere. If this was earned both with debit and Flex cards, that would make me use Monzo for payments a lot more than I do now, even though Monzo is my main account.

[projectfortytwo (Chris)]

@fernandofanton

We’re actively working on cheque imaging specifically

I really hope this is on the way. This has been so long coming that I’m old and grey Fernando…

[fernandofanton (Fernando)]

Point taken. We’ll bring the team to share more soon Chris, since it looks like neither of us is getting any younger

[Peter_G]

Well that was an experience. I’m still not quite sure what to make of it. Whatever it was, it was certainly sponsored by the British Bank Awards .

But the positives:

• Monzo knows “what the issues are” and is “working on them” for joint accounts.
• Cheque imaging and Post Office coming
• More helper-pots in the style of the the safety net (UK) / emergency fund (US) coming

Some other things we’ve heard before, like evaluating rewards (although to be fair cheque imaging is also in this camp, but I’m assuming that it’s more of a thing this time).

Anything else major I’ve missed?

[richycran (Rich)]

@Peter_G

Anything else major I’ve missed?

Senior leadership engagement with the Community, which is always a positive?

[JIMMWX (Village Idiot)]

What did you expect to see? This has to be one of the best engagements we’ve had for a while, which I think you also agree with?

I can’t see anyone coming on here from Monzo and sharing trade secrets in detail, as much as we might want them

[Peter_G]

@JIMMWX

I can’t see anyone coming on here from Monzo and sharing trade secrets in detail

I don’t think anyone has asked for this?

[N26throwaway (Sir Tom MacMonier)]

I don’t think they were criticising!

More just summarising so those of us (like me) who haven’t kept up with everything in the thread can get the TL;DR and not miss out.

[projectfortytwo (Chris)]

@fernandofanton

neither of us is getting any younger

I could probably shoehorn in another ABBA reference here, but the last one went largely unappreciated so I won’t

Edit. Oh, what the heck.

In our lives, we have walked some strange and lonely treks.
Slightly worn, but dignified, and not too old for… cheques.

[N26throwaway (Sir Tom MacMonier)]

I thought it was lady gaga, so maybe I’m the young one of the thread for once!

[JIMMWX (Village Idiot)]

That’s fair - and I didn’t think they were as such

@Peter_G

I’m still not quite sure what to make of it. Whatever it was, it was certainly sponsored by the British Bank Awards .

I was referring to that line really. I probably misread it to be fair. Sorry @Peter_G !

It was a good summary and the thread is great to read

[kolok]

I hope the post office deposit fees are competitive, paypoints are often open until midnight or 24 hours if you get a friendly petrol station so I hope that doesn’t go away.

Not that I’ve deposited cash in 5+ years to be honest.

Would monzo need to replace cards for post office like starling needed to?