Have done, thanks. 
1 Like
I’ve asked this previous and was told it could be in the next 18 months but was advised scales do change, I for one think Tandem should do current accounts! 
It was Tandem that originally seemed to have the most viable fintech current account. Starling had gone into deep hibernation, Monzo was a concept but Tandem seemed well ahead in its planning and execution.
Funny, isn’t it?
1 Like
Yeah but I went to some of those Co–founder breakfasts. Yes there were a lot of croissants being served and Post–Its flying about, but when a limp, buggy account aggregator that I didn’t want arrived, followed up by a credit card I hadn’t been promised at the sessions, it all fell rather flat.
And don’t get me started on the awful tone of the early communications. Seemingly run by a girl whose sole qualification was that she liked fucking about on a Facebook all day, it never gave the impression of even trying to be a serious player.
But, yeah, early on Tandem was leading the pack. What a fall from grace.
2 Likes
I never went to the co-founder stuff, even though I think I technically am one. Glad I dodged that bullet!
I think I read somewhere that it was a funding issue that caused the heavy pivot to aggregation (and a layoff of loads of staff) but I could be wrong.
Hi @DanTandem, as a “co-founder” nearly 4 years ago I’m still waiting for my 1 Tandem share. Will I ever receive it?
Thanks
2 Likes
I’m a co-founder too, but I’m still waiting for tandem customer services to get back to me on allowing me to log back into the app after they messed up changing my phone number… after about 7 weeks.
The card is no longer in my wallet.
1 Like
Hi Rarther - Yes you will. Sorry about the delay. I’ve passed your message on to get the latest news on this for you.
Yes the original vision was to use your data to save you money on bills by making proactive suggestions on services in–app.
Tandem lost a large cash injection when the Chinese government changed the rules on foreign investment and the Chinese owner of House of Fraser pulled out of funding. However in hindsight this was definitely a bullet dodged, because HoF went on to go bust spectacularly, which might have meant the end for Tandem had it been closer integrated.
But the company had to reshape and the offering became very watered down. Personally, I don’t see how Tandem can claim to be a challenger bank whilst it just offers a credit card and savings account, as we’re used to getting those services on top of the vice–like grip the high street banks have on banking – both those services are high–churn already and don’t challenge the legacy banks’ position. In my view the current account market (personal and small business) needs challenging to wrest any sort of control away from the High Street.
2 Likes
also interested in this
I’m still using it, and looking forward to ApplePay!
Hi again. If anyone would like to read a bit more in depth about the company culture at Tandem and what it is like to work with us, you can read a medium article I wrote here:
PS I’m still planning to upload a roadmap here to answer some of the questions above. Just getting it into a shareable format.
2 Likes
Hi @DanTandem,
I have received the credit card now and I started using it. It seems good so far.
I do miss Apple Pay and seeing more information for individual transactions, but I guess these will come later.
I only have one comment to make for now.
The letter I received with the card stated ‘Activate it - By calling us[…]’ but the card itself had a sticker suggesting to activate using the app. These are a bit contradicting. The letter should probably suggest to activate using the app which is easier, straightforward and will align with the sticker on the card.
All the best,
LegendaryAced
1 Like
Hi @LegendaryAced - thanks for the feedback. Apple pay is on the list for this year, though not sure when yet - we’re just in the middle of making the big plans for 2019.
Yes- agree this needs to be fixed. However, you would not believe how expensive it is to make a small adjustment to that letter. We work with a supplier to do it and will be updating a number of elements to it in a couple of months. That will definitely be one of them.
Thanks for sharing & welcome on board!
This sounds like exactly what is wrong at Tandem and why Monzo do better by doing it all in-house…
1 Like
…and not on paper.
4 Likes
Anyone using the auto-saver?
We are bringing it in-house. Just takes time and money! It’s a constant balancing act to get our priorities right, which is why it’s always important to get people’s genuine feedback.
It’s still just available on Android to 50% of users (the Android store let’s us roll it out slowly to fix anything that crops up as we go before the full 100% release).
We’d be very interested to hear detailed feedback and suggestions from any Android users who are using it or who thought about it and then didn’t for some reason.
Do get in touch if you’d be willing to come into the office in Kings Cross and do a user testing session.
Personally, I’d love to be able to hide my own savings balance so I can only look at it once a month. I think this would let me build it up without being tempted to take it out again too soon. And it would be a nice surprise when it had gone up a fair bit, rather than watching it going up bit by bit.
I’d also like to be able to set my intention for my savings at the beginning of the process. (Festival tickets! / Summer Holiday / Deposit). And put how much I want to save and by when. Just from a psychology point of view we know that stating your intention ‘out loud’ helps you to stick to it. Also, that would allow the algorithms to be more helpful, by being focused on helping the customer get to their specified goal - which are massively different from one user to the next.
But that’s just me - any ideas for what features would help you save? And what you think you’d actually be using Autosavings for?
Just had a bizare convesation with Tandem customer service.
I had a letter asking for my documents despite the fact I sent pictures as soon as I had set it up.
Aparently they send this letter automatically even if you have submitted documents?
Surely there is a way to save the paper (AND COST) by sending an email first then a letter if no response in 5 working days for example
Thanks for pointing this out. I’ve asked the card team about it and they’re aware it’s an issue, (it’s to do with tracking a particular moment in the application process) but it’s something that will be resolved over the next 6 weeks as we bring the application process in-house.
1 Like