Santander

Nothing special really, does what you need a bank to do.

The person I spoke to was very curteyas and helpful, Santander has the best customer service.

Always pleasant and efficient, no long queues.

Would be good to be able to talk to branch on phone

The only person that’s been helpful there is Lee. I’ve been close to leaving the bank so many times now as these past months I always had issues. I’ve been customer now around 8 years and never had issues until I’ve got given some gift money and the bank has been harassing me for documentation, telling me to do it online which didn’t work, at bank they missed some documentation and on phone they told me that something was missing all the time! When I finally managed to do that after two months of constant paperwork and telling me they will shut my account.. then I tried to set up saving account again got told to do it online. Online they said they will reply in 3 days, they didn’t so I chased it up in the bank, Lee and lady from clacton opened up the account right there and then and then two days later I got email- finally the reply from online application- that they couldn’t do it! Then I wanted to apply for another saving account, again got told to do it online which I tried and again didn’t get any reply! In the bank they just say they don’t have time or anyone to open it up there. I’ve also gone there today and again got told they were too busy and someone would come speak to me. Which they didn’t and I ended up leaving as another around 6 people close to this closing time.meanwhile the saving account interest gone from 2,75 to 2% and it’s still isn’t open. Plus doing night shifts the closing time being 3 is ridiculous especially as the last hour there is two people max working and lot of things they aren’t able to do from the counter. People always leave annoyed, end up arguing with staff and one person just stands there guarding the door! Also it’s noticeable that some staff can do things and others just send you online and don’t bother.

There is only one cash machine externally to the branch and it is constantly out of service for one reason or another. I find myself driving to other branches, all of which are at least 15 miles away just to pay cash in outside of their limited opening hours which all have two fully functioning machines externally but not the Colchester branch for some reason. I now use the local post office which I understand charge Santander to deposit money into customer accounts so I wouldn't want to be a shareholder knowing dividends are given to third parties because their own systems are, well, out of order.

Wow I've dealt with most UK retail banks and a few US ones and these guys are the worst bank I've ever experienced. Central office took my PoA for my mother (a very important legal document) and lost it by posting it back in the normal post. The branch demand to see the original doc even though they can actually see it on their system as registered by Santander's own central office. I can't show them the original because ... wait for it ... their own central office lost it. Sounds like a plot twist from a dystopian novel? Nope, it's just Santander Colchester Branch giving the best customer service they can give. Which is the worst customer service of any UK or US bank that I've ever had to deal with.

Lee updated my name and gender on my card as I am Transgender (male to female), with no issues or questions asked, however they still kept misgendering me (calling me "he", "him" and "mate") when I had just changed my title to "Miss" on my card...