I got £100 compensation from bungling TSB . So could you
TOBY Walne has just managed to do what all customers affected by TSB’s computer meltdown should try – successfully claim compensation. Here he explains how he went about getting the bank to pay up.
THEY seem a distant memory – the halcyon days five years ago when TSB offered a ‘welcome back to local banking’. It took me a while, but the bank got me in the end. How I wish I had not fallen for the bait.
Lured by its £30million marketing campaign with watercolours of friendly bank staff I signed up for a ‘free’ business account – for the first 18 months.
In retrospect, I should have researched the artist behind the cartoons. He was Steve Small, creator of the Mr Bean animation. It is hard not to draw parallels between the accidentprone nincompoop and TSB boss Paul Pester who has been forced to ‘give up’ a £1.6million ‘integration bonus’ for the bank’s catastrophic computer meltdown. The IT failure started in April and has yet to be sorted, making my blood boil. Like five million other TSB customers, I was told in April we would move to a new IT system.
A self-congratulatory leaflet sent by post told me the bank was preparing ‘for the digital age’.
But once the migration went into meltdown, I was back in the dark ages. Initially, I was unable to access my online account to pay my household bills. When I eventually logged on I was told my password was wrong. I got on the phone, only to be left on permanent hold or to be met with an engaged tone.
Even now ‘access issues’ have not gone away. I got a text last week from TSB – more than a month after the initial meltdown – saying my account was being suspended. I was at the end of my tether and decided it was time to quit.
But before switching to another business account provider I thought it was worth asking for some cash as a result of the chaos wrought. A brass neck was needed as I asked for £100. Give it and I would stay.
Jenny, from customer relations, rang. She tried to soothe me with words of empathy, plus lame excuses. My response was polite and friendly – I was not for budging. Hand over the money or I quit.
Jenny said there was a compensation calculator she had to use. ‘We are willing to pay £12 to your phone bill for the calls you made,’ she said. An insult.
But as I was ready to say goodbye, she added: ‘For distress and inconvenience caused… £100.’
I had hit the jackpot. Being polite yet firm paid off. I suggest other TSB customers follow my lead.