On Friday, TSB announced that it had made a £76 million loss for Q3. Its total loss so far this year is £140 million. We expect that rise to £180 million for the full year. And whilst that loss was being explained away by Sabadell’s Chief Executive, tens of thousands of TSB customers were left unable to access the mobile app and internet banking app again. Some of the comments posted by customers on Twitter and Facebook are withering. One customer said:

“How is the TSB banking app never working, I’m at the petrol station and oh wait quick need to trf from my savings so I can pay OH SHIT THE XXXXXXX [TBU deleted swear word] APP ISNT WORKING AGAINNNN”.

Another said:

“This online system has not worked effectively since the break from Lloyd’s to add insult to injury you are also closing our local branch utterly disgraceful service.”

There is no point in forcing customers on to a digital platform if you can’t provide a stable service offering. Lots of those customers complaining today are saying they will be taking their accounts elsewhere. Senior management will say that all banks suffer similar problems – that’s right of course – but at TSB it seems to happen more often, and on a much bigger scale.

The people left to pick up the pieces when the digital platforms fall over are branch and contact centre staff but the way things are going there won’t be many of those staff left in a few years.

End of Year Allowance

Normally, at this time of year staff would be organising their Christmas parties but that’s going to be impossible this year. In fact, the way things are going, Christmas, as we know it, is going to be very different this year for everyone.

TSB should give every member of staff an end of year allowance to allow them to celebrate Christmas. Lots of organisations are doing it and Lloyds is giving its staff £35 each, to spend as they wish. It’s not a king’s ransom – we calculate it will only cost £280,000 – but it would be a gesture of goodwill from TSB to all staff who have worked so hard for customers and for each other this year.

Over to you, Debbie!

Moving Between Branches

We are concerned about the number of staff who are being told to move between branches, especially in areas which are subject to Tier 2 and 3 lockdown measures. If a member of staff is isolating because of a positive test or because they have been in contact with someone who has had a positive test, then it does seem stupid to then transfer another member of staff into that branch. Equally the practice of staff moving between branches regularly, with some staff working in three branches over a typical week, also seems stupid in the current environment. The two in-house HR supported staff bodies are supporting this policy. It’s better to close the branch, for a short period of time, than increase the risk of staff being infected. Members who are asked, or forced to go to another branch, should contact the Union’s Advice Team and we will deal with it. Nobody should be forced to work in an environment which they think is unsafe.

Members with any questions on this should contact the Union’s Advice Team on 01234 716029 (choose Option 1).

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