The future of "in branch" banking.

[PeterC]

Taking the fees and walking away?

The clue is in the name. Internal auditors are employees.

When I worked in a clearing bank in the 70s they were called "inspectors" and would descend just as the bank was closing, order the cashiers to stand back, and check the tills. The nasty stuff would come in the next few days when they went through procedures and paperwork. It was a good posting for a junior manager who was destined for bigger things than running a small High Street branch.

There was a story going round at the time of a NatWest team that went into a Midland Bank branch by mistake and actually had their IDs accepted and were let into the secure area.

 

[Typhoon]

The clue is in the name. Internal auditors are employees.

Sorry. missed the 'internal'. In that case, presumably, they have taken the redundancy and walked away. I would have thought that comparing till receipts with the record submitted to H.O. was a basic check.

 

[Hadders]

They prefer you to pay by card but they still allow you to pay in cash. On the continent you can see a lot of unmanned petrol stations that only accept cards. They've existed for years. But I've never seen a petrol station in the UK that only accepts cards.

My local Asda has an unmanned petrol station which is card only. The large Asda in Milton Keynes has had one for over 10 years and is open 24 hours. One of the stipulations is that the staff from inside the store (bear in mind these sort of stores are 24/7 operations) have to be able to attend to a problem within a set period of time.

 

[S&CLER]

Slightly off topic, but one effect of the move to cashless living that I've noticed in the last couple of weeks has been a decline in the number of people wearing poppies compared with last year, presumably because they aren't carrying cash (specifically, pound coins) to buy one with, and this kind of charitable giving isn't easily done by card.

 

[crablab]

and this kind of charitable giving isn't easily done by card.

Yes it is. Some churches, for example, have podiums with a contactless card reader and a button to select the amount.

 

[najaB]

Yes it is. Some churches, for example, have podiums with a contactless card reader and a button to select the amount.

It still more difficult that street collection. People who would be quite comfortable chucking a pound coin into a bucket are often quite reticent about passing their card over a card reader held by a random person in the street.

 

[Typhoon]

Slightly off topic, but one effect of the move to cashless living that I've noticed in the last couple of weeks has been a decline in the number of people wearing poppies compared with last year, presumably because they aren't carrying cash (specifically, pound coins) to buy one with, and this kind of charitable giving isn't easily done by card.

To some extent this is probably right however I think it is more than just that. I have yet to see a poppy seller. The places I normally see them (entrance to supermarkets) are not possible because of social distancing. Many of us are going out much less regularly so other collection points (stations, libraries, small shops) are likely to be much less productive.

On a wider point, I prefer to donate to charity anonymously so cash or cheque (for postal donations - I never fill in the address) reserving direct debit for a few, trusted charities. Otherwise I find you are bombarded by some charities - I have had two letters in two days from the same one, different correspondence. My mother was bothered by over fifty charities, most she had never donated to and did not desist even though she sent them polite requests to do so.

 

[crablab]

I would be interested to know how substantial the 'bucket collection' actually is nowadays, as a proportion of donations.

My understanding was that many charities had switched to getting people to sign up to regular giving (eg. via Direct Debit) well before Covid.

 

[najaB]

My understanding was that many charities had switched to getting people to sign up to regular giving (eg. via Direct Debit) well before Covid.

The bucket take is still pretty significant in the run up to Xmas. I've volunteered taking collections a few times and I've collected close to £100 in a two or three hour stint.

 

[Bald Rick]

Slightly off topic, but one effect of the move to cashless living that I've noticed in the last couple of weeks has been a decline in the number of people wearing poppies compared with last year, presumably because they aren't carrying cash (specifically, pound coins) to buy one with, and this kind of charitable giving isn't easily done by card.

Still a bit early for poppies though.

 

[najaB]

Still a bit early for poppies though.

It's not that early - Remembrance Sunday is in 10 days!

 

[birchesgreen]

Usually don't really see poppies much until November starts. Apart from on the media of course.

 

[ainsworth74]

To some extent this is probably right however I think it is more than just that. I have yet to see a poppy seller. The places I normally see them (entrance to supermarkets) are not possible because of social distancing. Many of us are going out much less regularly so other collection points (stations, libraries, small shops) are likely to be much less productive.

This! I've not seen a poppy seller or anywhere with them at all this year so I think the pandemic is far more of an issue than the cashless society (particularly as a fan of the cashless society I'm quite happy to get £10 out of an ATM to chuck in the tin!). I bought mine from: https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ instead this year

 

[simonw]

Sorry. missed the 'internal'. In that case, presumably, they have taken the redundancy and walked away. I would have thought that comparing till receipts with the record submitted to H.O. was a basic check.

Internal auditors would only have done across the situation if they had been asked to look at that particular part of the Asda operation, or it had been on their list of things to look at. Auditors internal or otherwise do not review all parts of an organisation.

 

[PeterC]

This! I've not seen a poppy seller or anywhere with them at all this year so I think the pandemic is far more of an issue than the cashless society (particularly as a fan of the cashless society I'm quite happy to get £10 out of an ATM to chuck in the tin!). I bought mine from: https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ instead this year

There was a tray of poppies and a collecting tin in the garage when I filled the car up this evening. I carry loose change in the car for parking otherwise I wouldn't have had any cash with me.

Pre covid I usually dropped small amounts of change in any collecting tin on the shop counter rather then fill my pockets up with 2 and 5p pieces.

 

[Typhoon]

This! I've not seen a poppy seller or anywhere with them at all this year so I think the pandemic is far more of an issue than the cashless society (particularly as a fan of the cashless society I'm quite happy to get £10 out of an ATM to chuck in the tin!). I bought mine from: https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ instead this year

Thanks. If I don't see anything local, I'll use that. I prefer to give to local collectors if I can as I just feel that besides benefiting the charity, I am hoping that the collectors get a buzz out of raising a particular sum of money, particularly as many served so they think that their efforts are worthwhile. It is also an opportunity to have a word,

 

[najaB]

Usually don't really see poppies much until November starts. Apart from on the media of course.

I think it depends on when Remembrance Sunday falls. This year it's as early as it can be, so the poppies will be out a bit earlier.

 

[DelayRepay]

Thanks. If I don't see anything local, I'll use that. I prefer to give to local collectors if I can as I just feel that besides benefiting the charity, I am hoping that the collectors get a buzz out of raising a particular sum of money, particularly as many served so they think that their efforts are worthwhile. It is also an opportunity to have a word,

My grandad used to sell poppies, and he did indeed get a 'buzz' from raising certain sums. Someone else I know was involved in organising the sellers locally. It is surprisingly competitive - I heard of some kind of 'turf war' between two local branches who both thought they had 'rights' to a particular store!

 

[Hadders]

My local supermarket has poppies on sale at the till and you can place cash into the adjacent tin. What won't be happening this year is poppy sellers at the entrances.

 

[Busaholic]

Sainsburys here has poppies near exit door and collection box for 'donations' but then one of their staff is the main man locally collecting for Help for Heroes

 

[RichT54]

This! I've not seen a poppy seller or anywhere with them at all this year so I think the pandemic is far more of an issue than the cashless society (particularly as a fan of the cashless society I'm quite happy to get £10 out of an ATM to chuck in the tin!). I bought mine from: https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ instead this year

In recent years, for a suitable donation, I've been collecting the small metal poppy badges showing the current year. However only a few of the poppy sellers have any of these and as I'm unlikely to be going anywhere that might have some in the near future, I got one from the online poppy shop instead. The £3.99 delivery fee seemed rather a lot for one small badge in an envelope, so I hope part of that went to the charity and wasn't eaten up in expenses.

 

[PeterC]

Sainsburys here has poppies near exit door and collection box for 'donations' but then one of their staff is the main man locally collecting for Help for Heroes

Either the store manager is out of order or they have changed their rules. It certainly used to be mandated by head office that only the British Legion poppy sellers could collect on the premises during the run up to Remberance Sunday.

 

[Darandio]

This! I've not seen a poppy seller or anywhere with them at all this year so I think the pandemic is far more of an issue than the cashless society (particularly as a fan of the cashless society I'm quite happy to get £10 out of an ATM to chuck in the tin!). I bought mine from: https://www.poppyshop.org.uk/ instead this year

On Thursday there was actually a tent in town opposite Sports Direct with two veterans selling poppies.

 

[A Challenge]

I've only just realised this, but I haven't seen anyone selling poppies (or a collection box I think, even) yet this year either. May just be unlucky, but given that other people are saying the same thing, it may be a decision from the Poppy Appeal to not do as much collecting this year because of coronavirus?

 

[Bald Rick]

I’ve just seen my first poppy seller of the season - funnily enough right outside a bank (on Abbot’s Langley high street). Fair play, as it was belting down too.

 

[Busaholic]

Costa branch close by the Sainsbury I mentioned above has the same arrangement - I asked the manager if all Costas were doing this, she said it was down to individual managers and franchisees. The other branch in Penzance I visited this morning didn't have any.

 

[A Challenge]

I've been looking at savings accounts, and the best Easy Access at the moment is with Leeds Building Society (only 0.8% unfortunately, and only two withdrawals a year), which you can't open online, so I may have to go into branch to open it (or post, but I don't fancy opening an account by post), so for them face-to-face in-branch banking isn't dead. Incidentally, the similar Yorkshire Building Society account (single access, 0.8%) is also in-branch or post only.

 

[Romsey]

Going back up the thread a bit, I do use banks tellers for changing high denomination notes. A lot of smaller shops don't want to change £20 notes and if the ATM only pays out £20 notes I go into the branch if it's open and ask for them to be changed for £5 and £10 notes.

Many smaller voluntary groups still work with cash. Not so many years ago one group I'm involved with was asked for a fee of £500 to set up a credit card account and security for accepting postal or phone ticket bookings. For a one off event, that would have consumed most of our profit. I know technology mas moved on with the likes of i-zettle machines which work via smart phones.

As for internet banking I can see some of the advantages, but after a day and a half of trying to set up internet banking and it not working on the next day, I'll just walk or cycle to the town and speak to a human being! After all we are supposed even with the lockdown to get out and get exercise.......

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

That's a fairly good point. Branch banking as it is now isn't what it was. It's often poorly-trained people operating the same software you could operate yourself. A bit like railway ticket offices often are.

I use a certain high street bank that has global connections. The branches nearest to me are in Wilmslow, Stockport and in central Manchester. All the staff that I have seen in these three branches have been most professional and each of those branches have on-floor customer relations staff that all fully conversant with all aspects of the services offered. When I was last in York, the large branch there was just as good in all respects.

 

[PeterC]

I use a certain high street bank that has global connections. The branches nearest to me are in Wilmslow, Stockport and in central Manchester. All the staff that I have seen in these three branches have been most professional and each of those branches have on-floor customer relations staff that all fully conversant with all aspects of the services offered. When I was last in York, the large branch there was just as good in all respects.

You are lucky. The last few times that I have needed to do anything more complex than paying in a cheque it has proved to be totally beyond the branch's ability. They never impressed me before the take over but the new owners should have stayed in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Before anybody asks why I bank with them, I don't, my dealings have been as an executor and as tresurer of a club.