I’m also on the exit route too. My experience with first direct over the last year has just been better from a customer service standpoint.
In terms of app features, I’m currently switching my Monzo to Starling to see if the grass is greener. So far the app is basically identical and the additional shopping card & Euro accounts are a nice touch so I’ll see how those get on.
I’m unlikely to switch back to Monzo unless something super compelling comes along, but I’ll keep an eye on this place in case of any developments. Sorry Monzo!
As a positive note I had no problem leaving and getting the switch set up was seamless.
While customer service has become significantly slower, and more difficult to access, it’s still leagues above other banks. Trying to contact Barclays, HSBC etc takes days using an antiquated internal messaging system only available via a browser (usually not mobile friendly) where the response is copy pasted from a script by someone with almost no understanding of the actual issue raised.
So while I think Monzo needs to improve customer service, I think it’s still leagues above other comparable companies.
I think you would be surprised how much better other banks have got on this front.
In app chat is offered by several (HSBC, Santander, Lloyds, Halifax etc.) and last time I used it (with Halifax), my issue was resolved within minutes (and this was after 10pm when Monzo’s chat would be closed for non urgent issues).
I’m with HSBC, and their in app chat has always been live for me (i.e. not Monzo-style send a message and wait x number of hours for a reply), with practically no wait time to be connected (ymmv of course).
And as @gt94sss2 says, most traditional banks have really improved in this area recently. When I’ve had to chat with NatWest online, an agent normally connects in under 30 seconds! And they’ve always been able to sort out everything there and then in the space of a couple of minutes - no passing from department to department over the course of multiple days! That’s why I find it funny sometimes when someone on here complains about Monzo’s customer service and likens them to ‘the high street banks’, when in reality most high street banks have considerably more rapid customer service than Monzo already!
When Monzo reduced their chat hours, they stated it would still be open for urgent issues but they didn’t ask if I had an urgent issue so they could triage the request, I just got that message saying go away and come back later.
Which do you think looks more helpful and informative? I know which does to me.
If what @Peter_G suggests is true, the whole premise seems convoluted, hard to describe and guaranteed to attract negative feedback. Think again, Monzo team, please think again…
As your can tell from my chat history, I’m not one of those who usually uses the chat functionality (hence why I have only come across this) but I am literally not offered the opportunity to leave any urgent message should it prove necessary or a ‘normal’ one that that can be picked up during working hours.
Until tonight I had assumed Monzo had some sort of triage system which would leave non-urgent messages to be picked up the next day.
This new system is even worse than i thought
Perhaps someone from Monzo can comment? Certainly, just because someone doesn’t meet their criteria, it doesn’t mean they will never have an urgent issue…
There is always the telephone line - which I have never used - and tbh given Monzo cuts you off after 5 minutes, I wouldn’t want to rely on that anyway
I wonder if it depends on the help topic you go via? If you’ve searched for ‘contact us’ then it’s not been able to triage you via any of the help topics? Beyond that, I don’t know, as I still have the original help button 24/7.
Perhaps this is them testing the next step in ushering us towards self help, so perhaps only specific flows will lead you to out of hours support now? Does feel a little obtuse to prevent you leaving a message at all though. Not sure what this change is meant to achieve.
I’d love to be able to test this myself, but I’m one of the lucky ones that still has the chat button on the help page.
Have to say that’s a bit annoying. There’s plenty of times I know I need to contact CS of a company for a specific reason because I couldn’t resolve myself.
This kind of thing where I have to first pretend I’m looking for a solution to my problem which I know the answer is to contact CS is a bit annoying.
I think Monzo need to be careful when walking the line of pushing customers to self-help and poor, unavailable CS
Beyond that, I don’t know, as I still have the original help button 24/7.