HSBC have the same voice recognition technology. If you go through the IVR without completing security or don’t enter any of your account details into phone system, then it’ll just do the voice matching as you’re talking with the advisor. You can often notice because they start asking you some mundane questions before they get started.
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That’s been there for a while (at least for me)!
Ah possibly, not noticed it before though it’s limited use for me at the moment
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Yes, they don’t yet have tags (which they have said are coming) or custom categories. The spending analytics they were going to add also haven’t yet been made available, so the insight from different categories is currently very limited anyway.
Finally have my FD account open! Do I now have to wait for the mounds of paperwork before I can log into the app?
Does anyone know what happens to the switch I requested? Will I need to call/chat to get it kicked off again?
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As I did mine through app I got access right away. Did you not set up any username password stuff?
I recall my partner had to wait for mounds of paperwork in the post
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You should be able to sign up straight away! Be cautious though, as mine was instantly locked again & they now have to send me out a ?card reader?
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No, if you have your account details just call them and that way you don’t have to wait for anything in the post.
They will activate your account while you are on the phone and sort out setting up security. You can then register the app as your Digital Secure Key.
Once everything is working to your satisfaction, call them back up to enquire about the switch. You probably have to confirm a switch date with them before they will start it, but hopefully they have saved all your details from before.
That all worked for me when I had my application referred and subsequently accepted, so it’s what I’d recommend doing.
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I just got a text so don’t have anything yet. Will see what comes through the post this week and if I at least get account number and sort code I will call
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That’s what happened to me - following the text, my card arrived first, with the account details and sort code printed on it, and I got some letters and the PIN a few days later.
So just wait for the card which will probably turn up by the end of the week, I’d say.
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Posted in wrong topic, removed myself
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Got both my card and password on the same day so set up my online banking. Boy, do First Direct love security theatre! There must be more codes and passwords to keep in mind than for accessing top secret government documents or even launch trident!
Also, they seem to have just rescheduled my switch themselves, on the same day some Direct Debits are due to leave the account. What happens then? Does it risk screwing it all up?
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It should be OK - it’s regarded as the new bank’s fault if it isn’t, and they have to put everything right under the CASS guarantee at no loss or inconvenience to you.
If something does go wrong, just complain to them and leave them to sort it out.
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Thanks! I’ll keep it as it is. I’ll pop the £1k in once the switch completes and use it to pay off my Amex, then the account shall lay dormant bar £300 in each month for the regular saver. I assume FD don’t have an issue with such use? I know some banks can get twitchy with certain transactions if the account isn’t used “properly”, and this is HSBC after all
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My first transaction was frozen but since had no issues.
App doesn’t work in iOS 16 beta though 
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Was it a transfer or a card payment?
I know, had to set it up on my iPad
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I do occasionally do a minor transaction or pay some funds in and out again, just to keep them happy by making it look active.
You don’t have to do that though - it isn’t a requirement of the account, and plenty of people on MSE report having only used their accounts for the Regular Saver for years at a time.
There shouldn’t be any issues!
(Other than them always blocking iOS betas, of course!)
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Bank transfer it was, not had any since 
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I’ve opened a new current account with first direct and am quite surprised at the amount of paperwork they are still sending out. (I was a customer previously). They don’t seem to like sending anything by email!
Hoping the customer service is as good as it used to be. I’ve just opened the Regular Saver with them as well, so I’ll look out for another tree arriving through the post!
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