Business Banking

[Aranell]

I'm looking for a bit of business banking advice.

I'm currently with Barclays who have been worse than useless in the 18 months I have been with them. Now that the free banking period is up, I would like to swich to another bank.

On a list of most important to least important, this is what I'm after:
- Good online banking service (Barclays is rubbish)
- Good savings rates (is this actually possible for a business account?!)
- Preferably free banking (even if it's just for 12-18 months)
- Preferably a UK based call centre

I don't need any form of loan or overdraft, nor do I need physical bank branches near me (although it would be nice!). I'm not even bothered over whether I get a business manager or not. The only thing I require from the account are two debit cards and a decent linked savings account.

I know there is a business banking thread at the top of this forum, but I was hoping for some more specific advice! I've had a look at A&L who appear to do a really good deal at the moment - free banking (is there a catch?) with decent savings rates (around 4.5 - 5.5% gross).

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[JustinP1]

I am with NatWest, and chose to have my account dealt with not at a branch but the direct business banking centre. I am allocated a business manager who I have a line to at the call centre which I think is in Essex somewhere.

As the service has been fine, I have had no reason to ring them. However their internet banking is great and works seamlessly with my personal internet banking with them all on the same screen and transfer of funds is immediate.

I changed to them a couple of years ago, and since also changed my personal banking there too as I was so impressed. I pay for a premium service for my personal banking and get all the extras, but the main benefit is I have a personal account manager with a direct line and mobile number who can basically do anything I want with my banking needs.

Her assistant is great too, and I have have his email address, and sorting out the usual things that would be queueing in the branch for or going to the call centre abroad to do is done with a 2 minute email to him.

It really has changed my view of banking after having bad relationships with both Barclays and HSBC for business and personal banking.

Edited by JustinP1 on Friday 5th October 14:36

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Natwest are terrible IMHO, I could tell you stories that would make your hair curl, like cheques paid out wrongly, and as for a call back within 4 business hours, rarely. Online banking isn't fantastic either, it's okay, but not great - Unlike HSBC who have fantastic online banking, can do all the usuals as well as make International and same day payments online and cheaper than in branch.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

I find the Barclays on line service very good (now it's settled down)..what is it that it can't do for you?

[Malh001]

I'm currently looking into this deal, my mate has joined and reckons its excellent.

http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=2&lo...

[khushy]

We are with BoS - as long as there is over £5k in teh account - everything is free and internet bacnking is a doddle!

No complaints - we even have a BoS Business Credit Card that helps us spend all our money!!!

khushy

[ginettag27]

HSBC - they offer 18-24 months free and also a securid type widget for logging in online So quite secure

[groomi]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I find the Barclays on line service very good (now it's settled down)..what is it that it can't do for you?

Agreed.

[Glassman]

groomi said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I find the Barclays on line service very good (now it's settled down)..what is it that it can't do for you?

Agreed.

Me too

Pinsentry is a bit of bother, but if it secures the activity... cool.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Malh001 said:

I'm currently looking into this deal, my mate has joined and reckons its excellent.

http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=2&lo...

Agreed - very useful money spent and the free banking is that...completely free and (for me so far) is painless.

[tinman0]

Glassman said:

groomi said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

I find the Barclays on line service very good (now it's settled down)..what is it that it can't do for you?

Agreed.

Me too

Pinsentry is a bit of bother, but if it secures the activity... cool.

out of all the online banking systems i've used, barclays is the best. just need to avoid it at busy times.

[Aranell]

tinman0 said:

out of all the online banking systems i've used, barclays is the best. just need to avoid it at busy times.

I hate it with a vengeance. It's rare it will ever log me on first time, and then if it's slow, you sometimes forget whether you've clicked on not, and if you accidentally click twice, it logs you out. Plus you can't see a long enough transaction history - this is doubly bad because they couldn't sort out sending me official statements for the first 11 months I was with them and I had to keep ringing their awful customer service centre to get scrappy bits of paper sent out to me.

If I hadn't had so many problems with their service, I might be tempted to stay as I can probably cope with their online banking, but I've had so many issues there's no way they are keeping my custom.

Anyway, thank you for all your suggestions I think at the moment it's a toss-up between Abbey and A&L mainly due to their interest rates

[TDIPLC]

I have had some very bad experiences with Barlays and will never use them again.

Bank of Scotland have been good, and free.

[CIS121]

I'm with A&L for main and Standard Life for savings

Standard Life demonstrated the highest level of incompetence in openign the account one could imagine. They were disastrous! Now it's running, nothing has gone wrong, but I'd avoid them. A&L are average. They lost my original application internally despite having logged it as received.

All banks have their problems. It's 6 of 1 and half a dozen of the other.

[Glassman]

Malh001 said:

I'm currently looking into this deal, my mate has joined and reckons its excellent.

http://www.fsb.org.uk/data/default.asp?id=2&lo...

I am a member of the FSB., this offer is good, but no better than what any other bank will offer you; "FREE BANKING" is as long as you're banking less than £4k~ in cash p/m (and a limited amount in cheque and electronic).

Barclays do the same.

They have a branch our village (it's the only bank in the village you know!)

Takes me a few minutes to get to the bank. With all that extra time I can either go to the Prince of Wales, or Cafe Al Fresco...