If you set up a standing order to their regular saver, don’t expect to be able to amend and confirm the amount in the app or online. It’ll let you amend and then give an error code.
You have to call FD and get them to amend it for you.
That said, I spoke to a very pleasant young lady who fixed it for me.
Yes perhaps that’s one other thing I would like to see done, the ability to do that yourself or via chat. Each time I’ve used the chat it’s basically just told me to call.
Which is ok, I WFH and they’re always super polite
I tried the chat but it returned a “bad request” page.
I hadn’t even got round to making the request 
That’s just the amount. You can’t amend the date at all, not even if you ring them. The monthly date has to be the same as the first payment and they won’t let you change it.
Opening an instant saver (not regular):
Call first direct main number (5 mins talking)
Get transferred to the savings team (10 mins queue)
Discuss saving options and talk through word for word opening a bonus saver (10 mins or so).
Should’ve just gone cash ISA opened through the app.
Well, money in and off we go!
I must say, setting up the app has been, unsurprisingly slooow. Waiting two weeks to get open, then another five days just to an app code.
Setting up on Apple Pay was interesting. For some reason the card didn’t show in app, so I gave them a ring. After politely explaining I knew full well what Apple Pay was and how to use it, and re-iterating that the problem was the card didn’t show in the app at all I was a little disheartened to be told:
“you’ll need to wait for the card to arrive first, use it with a PIN and it’ll then show in app”
Thankfully, that turned out to not be true. I just logged in and there it now is. So in apple wallet it goes.
Also, I can no longer use dark mode. Because it looks crap black on black whereas in light mode, I think it’s a nice contrast.
EDIT: Oh god, just seen what I think is the TM mark, and now can’t unsee. Why…it totally ruins the card for me 
What a weird article.
To double the 1.5mil customer base fd probably needs to revise the colour scheme, roll out in/out spend notifications and better budgeting abilities within the app.
Totally appreciate why fd want to keep the telephony service, so they should, it’s a proven working credit to the bank, but a lot of the younger crowd are likely to prefer to do things without needing to call up (such as open a basic savings account without 30-40 mins on the phone).
Marketing a product in the right manner can win over many customers but if the product itself falls a little behind the competition, people aren’t likely going to switch.
The branding is somewhat niche though, I like it, minimalistic, but can’t imagine everyone loves that.
I do think they need to do something more with their brand, because for me, it is forgettable. It’s mostly just black and white and “First Direct” is a boring name which for most people, means nothing.
They obviously tried to do something new with their brand with that fingerprint logo, but that wasn’t exactly a success.
Especially so re the fingerprint logo when they don’t even use it in most places. The app icon, loading splash screen and app home page all just have the original logo/text. The only place I can see the fingerprint is on the clothing the little illustrated people are wearing in places. From a branding perspective, I’d have thought they either need to fully make it their brand, or not bother with it at all.
Interesting article, I think the key thing it did is show why FD is where it is. A niche bank that you either like or don’t and no real target market. Yes, it talked about the younger market but that in itself is what I think the problem with FD is. It still thinks things that basically every other bank does (notifications, budget’s, pot’s, offers) are for the “bright young things”
You could be 80 or 18 and it shouldn’t matter cos you may well expect the same thing these days.
It’s very 1989 of them to think otherwise.
However all said, I personally really like FD, looking forward to the future with them
There must be a lot of demand at the moment. It has been well over a week since I applied for an account and I haven’t heard anything at all. Not even any sort of acknowledgement email.
I was in mine same day as completed through app (I think)
For me, I like first direct as it suits me well for the boring money-in-bills-out side of banking, where you just want a reliable and dependable bank, and first direct has always been that for me. Never had an issue I can think of in 8 years, and I know I can phone them at 3am if I need to. For my use case of my bills money essentially being ringfenced in my fd account from the rest of my spending money, I don’t need things like budgeting and spending breakdowns, as it only has enough in there to cover the bills and I already know every transaction that will be made from it. So something like Starling doesn’t appeal to me as, from what I’ve seen, the homepage is the spending breakdown pie chart which I would have no use of as it’d always have the same values (although saying that, if fd ever went off the rails completely, it would probably be Starling I’d switch to just for the service). So you’re right, I think it’s a case of you either like them or you don’t - banking is very personal and it’s interesting seeing how some banks can work perfectly for some people but don’t work at all for others.
Funnily enough, I use it for day to day but otherwise I’d be the same. It would do what I need it to, which is pay things on time and just be a bank basically
That’s odd. Did you have to submit ID documents?
This happened to me. Did you have an account beforehand?
I only ask because that’s what the challenge for me was. I opened the account (via app) but heard nothing for a week, then I was told it was “in progress” and it did open a week after that. I did have to submit ID check’s but this was the last thing, the account opened right after that.
I have had an account with them in the past, yes. I guess that is what the issue is. Just found it very odd that I haven’t received any sort of email to explain what is happening. Just saw on their website that they are dealing with high volumes of applications.
I figured as much. It’s only a guess, but I reckon you’ve fallen foul as I did - you technically already exist so it takes manual checking etc. You’ll get there, but it might take longer than if you were a brand new customer.
BTW - I did eventually get an email and texts to let me know what is happening, but these didn’t arrive for well over a week after I applied. Until that point nothing - I agree this was odd.
