Balances in life

When I set out to do this blog I was uncertain what I was going to put in it. I was determined not to make it a 'ranting' piece or a platform to berate those who had no opportunity of comeback. However there are those in life who deserve to be ranted at.... Let's try .......HBOS..

This company must rank amongst the most inept I have ever dealt with. The Branch staff are brilliant and must be equally fed up of the system that they battle every day.

I have three accounts and a credit card, which I manage online, with no problems until some 'system proceedure' decides to stop the direct debit payment from one account another... result ?? Chaos, and charges. My access to my online account is denied leaving me unable to see what if anything has gone wrong and Worse, a phone call to imply that I may have 'debt collection proceedures' initiated. Now I don't know about other people but my laconic easy going nature deserts my somewhat when threatened and I become a very sarcastic hard arse!! The fact this is all administered by a bank who posted a multi billion loss and is asking for my taxes to prop it up... the suggestion that I may have 'missmanaged' my direct debit got the bloke on the other side of the phone a 30 second precise of my thoughts about bankers... So I did what I should have done in the first place...went to the branch who sighed, smiled and apologised [unlike the prat on the phone].... 20 minutes later '..it should be fine now Mr Roberts..' and fine it was... now to get the charges back from the credit card ....yeah right !!

On the other hand, proving that the chinese notion of 'Yin/Yang balance' is perfectly true. The Cental heating borked last week, and initial estimates was for lots of disruption and big bill. No my mate sent round his workers and the guy went 'Hmm I wonder if this will work??' and it did. No fuss, no bother, no threats and voila, downstairs bathroom is now warming nicely for herself to use again..

I think this microcosm of service life encapsulates the wider feeling around now that big is definately not better. The personal touch and local knowledge [allied with a modicum of pleasantness] will furnish firms with much more repeat service than the giant conglomerates impersonal approaches. This lesson will be learned I believe at great cost to our economy.

I may well move my accounts to another bank, but my mates plumbing firm remain on my speed dial list.