BOI - Complete Insanity

Eogclouder

Dearest Bank of Ireland,

I've finally reached my breaking point with your bank. I can't deal with it anymore.

Every single interaction with your organisation is unpleasant, tedious and unnecessarily difficult, the emotional equivalent of pulling teeth or getting blood from a stone.

For context, I have been a customer with your bank for 10+ years. I got my first account in secondary school, and continued to use products and services throughout college, to a graduate and now a full normal account. I'm a full time employed and my salary is paid directly into my current account each month. 

Here are some examples from the top of my head, experiences I've had in the last year alone, there are many more, too.

Example #1 :

I'm short cash for the month. "Apply for a small personal loan, 300." says me. I fill out the online application and think, great, I'll get those forms in the post in a few days, sign them, send them back and the money in my account then quick. 

Instead I get a missed call from a number that doesn't allow me to call back. They don't leave a voicemail, I get no e-mail, no text...nothing. I have to Google the number myself, which brings me here and a Customer Service Rep says call 365 banking regarding the issue. I roll my eyes but call anyways and I'm presented with the following options.

1. Account services 

2. Debit cards & card security
3. Credit Cards
4. Mortgages
5. Technical help
6. Verified by visa.

What the hell? Nothing for loans? YOU'RE A BANK. What am I supposed to do now? Take a day off and go into a branch?

So now I'm in limbo, I have no idea if my application has been received, if there's a problem, what it is etc. and I haven't received anything by post and it's a week later. Never-mind BOI, didn't need that loan anyways. 

Example #2:

I call 365 banking and miraculously (against your organisations best efforts) manage to talk to a human being about a consolidation loan for my remaining student loan amount and a credit card, so I can make one payment at one interest rate and life would be simpler. I'm informed that for debt consolidation, I have to go into a branch and make an appointment. (you know those things you have that are only open between 10 and 4 <snip>)

I'm given the numbers of two separate advisers in my local branch. I call both and neither answer. I leave both voice mails asking for an appointment and explaining what I'm applying for. Neither call me back. I leave a 2nd voicemail for both, re-iterating the first. Neither call me back.

To be clear here, I'm applying for a loan which a product your organisational SELLS. You profit from me borrowing money. This is the equivalent of me walking into Tesco and trying to buy something and then having the staff hide behind the counter or ignore me.

The thing is, I have no issues with automated services, if they actually WORK. I don't know what kind of <snip> is in charge of planning and design within BOI but it's what I do know is that his only goal is to bring misery and destruction into the world.

Example #3:

I'm travelling to the US and want to inform the bank of my travel plans. I call 365 banking and she tells me I have to go into a local branch. I do this on my lunch break, wait in a queue for 15 mins and then have a girl with a clipboard point me to the phone and tells me to call 365 banking. I sigh, and leave the bank deflated and hungry, having another crap day because of your incompetence. Thanks BOI.


I can't deal with this anymore. I'm moving to Permanent TSB as soon as possible, <snip>

Kind Regards,

Eamonn

Bank of Ireland: Sarah

Eogclouder wrote: »

Dearest Bank of Ireland,

I've finally reached my breaking point with your bank. I can't deal with it anymore.

Every single interaction with your organisation is unpleasant, tedious and unnecessarily difficult, the emotional equivalent of pulling teeth or getting blood from a stone.

For context, I have been a customer with your bank for 10+ years. I got my first account in secondary school, and continued to use products and services throughout college, to a graduate and now a full normal account. I'm a full time employed and my salary is paid directly into my current account each month. 

Here are some examples from the top of my head, experiences I've had in the last year alone, there are many more, too.

Example #1 :

I'm short cash for the month. "Apply for a small personal loan, 300." says me. I fill out the online application and think, great, I'll get those forms in the post in a few days, sign them, send them back and the money in my account then quick. 

Instead I get a missed call from a number that doesn't allow me to call back. They don't leave a voicemail, I get no e-mail, no text...nothing. I have to Google the number myself, which brings me here and a Customer Service Rep says call 365 banking regarding the issue. I roll my eyes but call anyways and I'm presented with the following options.

1. Account services 

2. Debit cards & card security
3. Credit Cards
4. Mortgages
5. Technical help
6. Verified by visa.

What the hell? Nothing for loans? YOU'RE A BANK. What am I supposed to do now? Take a day off and go into a branch?

So now I'm in limbo, I have no idea if my application has been received, if there's a problem, what it is etc. and I haven't received anything by post and it's a week later. Never-mind BOI, didn't need that loan anyways. 

Example #2:

I call 365 banking and miraculously (against your organisations best efforts) manage to talk to a human being about a consolidation loan for my remaining student loan amount and a credit card, so I can make one payment at one interest rate and life would be simpler. I'm informed that for debt consolidation, I have to go into a branch and make an appointment. (you know those things you have that are only open between 10 and 4 <snip>)

I'm given the numbers of two separate advisers in my local branch. I call both and neither answer. I leave both voice mails asking for an appointment and explaining what I'm applying for. Neither call me back. I leave a 2nd voicemail for both, re-iterating the first. Neither call me back.

To be clear here, I'm applying for a loan which a product your organisational SELLS. You profit from me borrowing money. This is the equivalent of me walking into Tesco and trying to buy something and then having the staff hide behind the counter or ignore me.

The thing is, I have no issues with automated services, if they actually WORK. I don't know what kind of <snip> is in charge of planning and design within BOI but it's what I do know is that his only goal is to bring misery and destruction into the world.

Example #3:

I'm travelling to the US and want to inform the bank of my travel plans. I call 365 banking and she tells me I have to go into a local branch. I do this on my lunch break, wait in a queue for 15 mins and then have a girl with a clipboard point me to the phone and tells me to call 365 banking. I sigh, and leave the bank deflated and hungry, having another crap day because of your incompetence. Thanks BOI.


I can't deal with this anymore. I'm moving to Permanent TSB as soon as possible, <snip>

Kind Regards,

Eamonn

Hi Eamonn, 

Thanks for contacting us on Boards. 

We're really sorry to hear of your recent experiences with us and that you now wish to close your account as a result. This is certainly not the service we aim to provide to our customers. 

In relation to contacting our Lending team, we're sorry that it wasn't clear what number to call to check the status of your application. You can call our Lending team on 0818 200334 and a representative will be happy to help you. 

When you wish to make an appointment in branch, it's possible to book an appointment through our website here and an advisor will call you back to arrange a time that suits you. 

We're sorry to hear that you were advised to call into a branch in order to give travel notice, this is certainly not the case. This can either be done over the phone on BOI Direct or when logged into 365 Online through the Service Desk option. 

Should you wish to make a formal complaint regarding your experiences you mention above, please see our Customer Complaints procedure here. 

We hope that you change your mind on closing your account with us and please let us know if we can help with anything else. 

Thanks,
Sarah