In her most recent announcement Debbie Crosbie stated that TSB is performing badly when it comes to satisfying customers. She said:
“… we are nudging up our customer satisfaction and brand scores only slightly. In some areas we’re not making any improvement at all and on most key comparisons we remain below industry averages. The number of complaints has fallen slightly, but they’re still higher than we want. Personally, I feel frustrated that we’re not making more progress on customer experience measures …”
She then admitted that:
“Unless we improve the experience of banking with TSB amongst our existing customers, we’ll struggle to attract new ones”.
It must be bad if Mrs. Crosbie feels the need to vent her frustration in a such an open forum. I can’t imagine Antonio Horta-Osorio, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group, or any Chief Executive, doing that. Some will say such honesty is refreshing, but others will wonder whether it’s a good idea.
Perhaps for Mrs. Crosbie the answer to the customer experience and brand problems lies closer to home. Does getting rid of Local Banker A roles in the middle of an ongoing pandemic and telling customers they can’t access their bank accounts at a time and in a manner convenient to them improve the customer experience? We don’t think it does and nor do front line staff who have to deal with the problems created by out of touch executives. Carol Anderson, Director of Branch Banking, spent all of last week trying to back track on what she said when launching the pilot. Members in the pilot branches have told us that those customers who refuse to accept such a cack-handed approach to customer service and complain loudly are allowed to transact normally. Those who are sent away and told to come back at a more convenient time, or to visit a branch not involved in the pilot, leave feeling angry and upset. Either a branch is open or it is closed. It can’t be open to some customers and closed to others. And where is Robin Bulloch? Does he still work for TSB?
Not a week goes by without TSB being in the newspapers for something it’s done or is about to do. Andrew Davis, the Customer Director Commercial Director (is that a real job title?) saying a few weeks ago the savings rate is not important to TSB customers is a case in point. The Mail On Sunday said his comments: “are likely to anger millions of savers starved of returns on their nest eggs”. 60% of the bank’s total funds are from savers who have £17.9 billion deposited with the bank. Was that not the most amazing remark ever made by an executive of a bank? TSB customers, whether they visit branches or not, read the newspapers and will wonder what’s going on.
Debbie Crosbie is paid a lot of money and needs to get a grip now before it’s too late.
Members with any questions on this should contact the Union’s Advice Team on 01234 716029 (choose Option 1).