Starling Bank Chat (Part 2)

When I asked that wasn’t given as an option

1 Like

Oh that’s a pity.

IMO, they’re not complying with the Equality Act. Disappointing…

1 Like

May I clarify @N26throwaway what the adjustment is that your you’re looking for? I note customers still need to submit a video with Monzo (and N26 required one), however they allow some flexibility on the spoken element, so what was it that made that process feel more bearable for you?

It’s worth keeping in mind that different companies will of course have different security processes. Starling for example allows multiple device access, which Monzo doesn’t.

I find more often than not, the 1st line support at Starling respond with standard text and in many cases incorrect information.

I am pretty sure if you pressed for an escalation you’d get a response that is a little more helpful. You might not get what you want but you’d have to assume they can’t just ignore the law because it doesn’t fit your process

3 Likes

I experienced this today.

Q. In v1.56 on android, I had the option within App Settings to try the new nav bar. New phone and now v1.57 on android and this option has disappeared despite a friend having it on their phone (same brand/model) and same version. Glitch?

A. “We’ve brought in these changes to bring our app versions in line with each other, and make navigating around the app easier for all!”

Only they clearly have not, if the same version on a similar phone offers differing options!

Sent a message back suggesting they read my question again and give a non-standard reply :man_shrugging:

1 Like

I read those news articles again and saw that Anne is mulling an IPO.

With Lloyds basically absorbing the tech it’s not a good move for Starling (other than financially) but with JP Morgan it’s a chance for their entry into the UK market and without their own system the system would basically just be Starling, or perhaps a Chase or JPM rebrand of the Starling app.

I think Anne would be wrong, personally, to reject a bid from JPM solely because it’s already a large bank. Lloyds and JPM are very different beasts in terms of what they’re likely to do with Starling should they acquire it.

Several years’ effort creating a bank from nothing, just starting to turn a profit. I think it would be poor timing to sell now and would be surprised if it happened.

2 Likes

For lots of companies, that makes it the perfect time to sell.

1 Like

Lloyds may well be put off by this, possibly even blocked if they did make a bid and it was accepted by Startling. Of course everything is just pure speculation until something happens

1 Like

Starling is so tiny that I doubt it would have any competition issues.

Wondered how long it might take, I couldn’t be bothered pressing the edit button :joy:

2 Likes

Just a thought in the other direction.
Instead of one of the bigger banks buying Starling, how about Starling buying TSB?
:thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

3 Likes

Their fate was sealed in 1986.

Maybe the Tories will renationalise it along with the railways!

One of the problems with TSB in my view is that it’s clearly trying to move towards a branchless bank with possibly one of the worst Internet Banking platforms out there. Everything is just so broken.

3 Likes

With that in mind, wouldn’t it be ideal for the likes of Starling?
Already branchless, and their tech seems to work pretty well.
The only problems I could possibly see are how many TSB customers would jump ship if they had no branches, and could Starling afford to buy TSB?

Some might jump ship because they still have (a few) branches. Their nearest one to us is a 35-mile round trip, so when my parents finally got married a few years back, TSB made submitting a marriage certificate incredibly difficult.

My point here is that when banks end up in this limbo state, their service offering seems to struggle considerably because it doesn’t cater to either scenario very well. So they really need to make up their mind as to whether they’ll actually embrace being branchless (for which Starling would be a good opportunity), or whether they’ll hobble along with this bizarre offering currently.

1 Like

RBS was forced to setup that fund not because of them buying other businesses - it was because they grew too big and then almost went bust.

So, they got a Government bailout (the Government eventually owned over 80+% of RBS) - which the EU then said to compensate for that they had to then increase competition in the Banking Industries - by splitting off some of their brands (they tried to ‘sale’ William and Glyn which was the part of RBS that ‘owned’ RBS branches in England and Natwest branches in Scotland).

That same situation with Lloyds is what led to TSB being spun-off again as an independent bank from Lloyds TSB (after the Co-op bank tried to buy the TSB branches from Lloyds and then got themselves into a complete mess which led to them needing to be bailed out - although from private investors and not the Government this time).

After the TSB to Co-op sale flopped and TSB then had it’s own problems, RBS came up with an alternative to increase competition without having to try and split itself in two - and came up with the big lump sum to a fund to develop alternative business banking services.

So, I doubt Lloyds would have an issues with the CMA on buying Starling. Personally, as a Starling customer though, I’d rather they didn’t.

2 Likes

Agreed, i banked with Lloyds years ago and had nothing but hassle. With Starling (and Monzo) I’ve had no issues at all. It just works.

1 Like

Me too, although I wish they would add system-level support for 3D Touch / Haptic Touch there as well.

2 Likes