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Louise Sharland

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Review of the Barclays, Current account:

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My and 'I's' Barclay's experience

It was autumn and Bristol City Centre was resplendent with the vibrant energy of undergraduates and a soft golden light that only hints at the possibility of winter. Daughter ‘I’ as we call her (as in me, myself and I), had attempted a student account at a banking institution named after a Spanish city, but poor customer service and a failed to deliver promise of a student railcard had left the sour taste of disappointment in her mouth. What was required was an emergency visit from mater. Alongside sound advice, a significant financial contribution to ‘I’s’ existing wardrobe and a meal out, what I remember most was my sense of anger and frustration at said Spanish’s bank refusal to close the inactive account unless we complied with what felt like a series of Cirque de Soliel type manoeuvres. No, ‘we’ll see what we can do,’ or ‘I understand your frustration,’ etc, just, ‘we can’t, we won’t, we don’t.’ ‘Fine!’ followed by a firm (yet polite) exit seemed so ineffective. ‘It’s straight to Barclays,’ was my immediate response. As a customer of over twenty-two years (after first landing on these green and pleasant shores from my native Canada), Barclays has always been reliable, consistent and yes, creative. I felt confident that ‘I’ (daughter not myself), would be treated with consideration and care. I was not wrong. After a short wait we were taken to a comfortable pod on the second floor of a city centre branch. The banking rep was genuinely friendly, kind and helpful. She engaged with both myself as concerned mum, and ‘I’ (daughter not myself), in what can only be described as an efficient and sensitive manner, shifting back and forth to address my concerns (what additional extras do you offer), alongside ‘I’s’ (what’s my max overdraft!). I remember gazing out of the second floor window of the bank and watching as a street performer created giant bubbles which bulged and glistened in the afternoon light. It was the first time in hours I had actually relaxed. I remember too a happy and confident daughter who was having a genuinely positive experience of engaging in the adult world. For me this was more than just banking, this was exemplary customer care. This is what will most likely make ‘I’ (my daughter not myself), a Barclay's customer for life. Reviewed on: 18th February 2016

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