Nationwide online banking has a large database of companies covering everything from utilities, insurance, charity, services and many more - all of which can be selected from a dropdown list when initiating a payment. It’s something I use very infrequently, but it’s a good time saver and takes away another opportunity for miskeyed account numbers.
Are there any features from your legacy bank, whether it be its app, online banking or branch service that you’d like to keep?
Dare I say lack of community?
Otherwise, Barclays has Pots (saving accounts), that can be filled and emptied with standing orders or manually. Small interest paid on it too.
Branches - there are some things that are just easier when you have somewhere to physically go. I very rarely use them, but on the occasions that I do, they’re very, very useful.
Name recognition - there’s never any doubts or shenanigans when using my NatWest account for direct debits. Similarly, I recently had to give the details of my bank for a reference check for tenancy - NatWest was the only bank that I had the they would accept. Maybe if I’d pushed harder they would have accepted Starling, but given my other dealings with them, it’s doubtful.
Emergency Cash from NatWest. Honestly it is the best thing they’ve ever done- has made my life infinitely easier on many occasions. Don’t know why it’s not a standard feature of all banks!
Community: They did (do?) have a forum based system for the credit card including surveys. The survey actually helped design the new paper/pdf bill format in a meaningful way. The forum just got flooded with voices.
I don’t mind giving opinion/feedback/suggestions, and hearing back is even better but having the ability to voice disagreement with strangers and try and change their mind is another thing again.
Pots: I have 1 too many, really. But classic bank means it’s a pain to close (easier to ignore). It’s very good saving for yearly bills, expenses and a little off the top. My current account is a pot for bills. I do think pots will genuinely help a lot of people with budgeting, if they can get it to work right.
Finally found someone who thinks this is useful and not scraping the barrel for something to advertise! How many times has this helped you and how easy was it to conduct?
I was a NatWest user for a couple of decades and still have a ghost account with them which I use for cash in/out. I can’t imagine ever having to do this. Not because I am terribly responsible with my cards, but because like most people there’s noooooo way I would ever trust NatWest to be my only bank card and therefore if I misplace their card I just use a different one.
Santander’s Cash-back offering on their 123 accounts is a pretty great feature, it’s great to get a little something back every month on my monthly bills.
Best feature/s of Santander has to be the perks on their 123 account, and the way you can use their web portal or app to send money between your different account types or other people.
I generally only carry one card with me at any given time and frequently misplace it (perhaps I need to revise this strategy)- it’s always in my other coat, or other trousers, or on my desk, or just plain lost. I would say I use it at least twice a month- when a perfect storm of circumstances come together and conspire to ruin your day. Very quick and easy to use. A lot of people I know find it really useful- it’s one of those features that lies dormant for a long time but when you need it, you really need it.
No, seriously now… it’s that warm squidgy feeling that I’m part of a bigger social movement. My legacy Bank is Co-op and those values have sadly become somewhat eroded in recent years.
Love the emergency cash feature - only used it a couple of times, but its rescued a number of nights out! Would be great if Monzo could do something similar!
The fact I got a current account straight away
I can get a replacement card within 5-10 minutes
They have a coin changing machine that is free to use
I could open a savings account for my little one in 10 mins and it show on my app by the time I left (could have been faster if I entered the details)
If you use their money changer once a month for 5 months they add £5 to my littles ones account (£10pa) and even if i just put 1p they still do it)
They are open 8 till 8 7 days a week
I used to bank with Natwest (19 years!) and their App was great, the emergency cash feature in particular genuinely got me out of a few spots - e.g. forgetting purse and filling the car up!!
I’m now a FirstDirect customer - and it’s undoubtedly their service as already mentioned here. Simply outstanding.
Also use Santander as our mortgage is with them, their 123 account is great - in 2 years we’ve earned £600+ from cashback and interest, balance is usually around £4k but we use it for all household bills.
Both have good linked regular savers (5%) which in todays market isn’t to be sniffed at either. You just have to handle moving money all over the place - roll on 2018 and PSD2!
