NatWest

I have banked with NatWest for fifty years. In recent years I have witnesses a steadily deteriorating level of service within the branches. The Drapery branch is no exception. The most recent refurbishment, in which the traditional tills were removed, is a customer service disaster. The new arrangement allows for absolutely no privacy and the fact that staff are often oblivious to this fact exacerbates the problem. There appears to be no consistent management of the ever longer queues, with people being taken out of the queue and given service ahead of those who were there before them. I recently observed a cashier handing a large sum of money to a customer with absolutely no exercise of discretion. It is hardly surprising that we hear news reports of people being mugged as they leave bank branches after withdrawing cash. Under the traditional till arrangement, the transaction would have taken place within the teller's domain on the other side of the screen, witnessed only by the customer. The cash would have been delivered to the customer in an envelope.

Most people now understand that banks do not want customers using branches. Branches are expensive and they want to close as many as possible in order to maximise their profits. However, whilst the majority of transactions can be carried out online, there will always be a need for branches. The fact that technology has changed the face of banking is no reason for banks to assume that they can now provide the public with the dregs of a service provision at their branches.

inexperienced agent
I am an international student in Northampton University and I had tried to open an account with Nat West. However, in my process the agent forced me to provide my Tax reference number (in my country). I explained for her that I didn't have that number because I didn't have job in my country. Therefore I had no idea about that number and she stopped my process. I have to emphasise that my friend studying in London can open a Nat West without providing Tax reference number and he is same like me - an international student coming from a same country. I can say that agents in Nat West Northampton aren't qualified to deal with international students. I will never recommend for my friends to open a Nat west account if they stay in Northampton.

Would have given zero stars. Waited 20 minutes AGAIN in the queue yesterday since you got rid of the tellers. One female teller who serving was the slowest person ever, then when she finally finished serving ONE person she tidied up and left! Despite there being a large queue of customers waiting. When I finally got to be served, the teller offered no apology for my wait and was extremely rude. I asked for the branch managers email address so I could make a complaint about the treatment I received and was told he did not know it! If I had not already had over half an hour of my time wasted by this point I would have waited to see the manager. Disgusting attitude from the tellers, and shoddy disrespectful service. Terrible.

I opened a bank account with them , I received pin and card very quickly. When I went to them to activate my card one of their employees told me look something went wrong your bank account was closed...... And I still didn’t received any information/ letter with explanation why they closed it In few days after opening it ! Really ??
I will not recommend this bank to any of my family friends etc. etc.

I rarely go into the bank, as I normally do online banking, but my card reader had broken and I needed to sort out my rent urgently. Since the pandemic is still ongoing and Northampton is a high risk area, I was feeling quite nervous about going into the bank. From the outset, one of the women working in the branch (sadly didn't get her name) could tell I was a bit stressed and immediately went to get me a new card reader. Rather than leaving me to do the bank transfers myself at home using the new reader, she did them all for me and talked me through the whole process. She was so helpful and patient with me, in spite of how flustered I was!
She even helped me to cash a cheque using the new machines, which were hugely convenient. I cannot commend the service I received today highly enough. I went in feeling nervous and frustrated, but came out feeling calm and relieved, all because that woman went above and beyond the call of duty to help me.

Went in to sort out app banking as wife in hospital and I needed access. The person I saw could not have been more helpful in helping. Absolutely 100% thank you.

Wanted to pay in some money using ATM.
Got error message, went to the counter.
They got the cash out.
I asked multiple times if the amount they have is everything that was put in the machine. Because I was £20 short.
And they said that they don't have it, asking me for my phone number to investigate and re-count whatever was inside the ATM.
Later on we found out that £20 note got stuck in the machine.

Why didn't they tell me that the first 2 times when I asked to double check the machine.....

Always long queues with only a few tills. Good coin change machine which is a what saved this review from being lower. Staff are friendly but just more tills are needed. They had more and got rid.