I have banked with Cater Allen for many decades, since they were the retail banking arm of Robert Fleming & Co (RIP).
Having passed through various corporate hands they ended up with Abbey, which in turn is part of the Santander Group.
The whole operation was always faintly amateurish, ... Read review
Advantages: Polite, generally moderately knowledgeable staff Disadvantages: No longer able to answer the phone quickly.
I have banked with Cater Allen for many decades, since they were the retail banking arm of Robert Fleming & Co (RIP).
Having passed through various corporate hands they ended up with Abbey, which in turn is part of the Santander Group.
The whole operation was always faintly amateurish, with serious incompetence demonstrated when anything complicated was requested (for example transferring funds to an overseas account), ... .../>
Sadly now Cater Allen has, at long last, offered internet banking, this is not the case. The bank has decided, like all the other retail banks, that customers are important, but not so important that it's worth answering the phone to them promptly.
To give you an idea of how long you might have to wait, I *nearly* finished this review before anyone actually picked up the phone, this at 2:45pm on a Monday afternoon. ... more
I have banked with Cater Allen for many decades, since they were the retail banking arm of Robert Fleming & Co (RIP).
Having passed through various corporate hands they ended up with Abbey, which in turn is part of the Santander Group.
The whole operation was always faintly amateurish, with serious incompetence demonstrated when anything complicated was requested (for example transferring funds to an overseas account), but the call centre operatives were friendly and polite, always addressed me as 'Mr Hemingway' and gave both their name and surname.
The one aspect of their operation that was good was the fact that the calls to the bank are answered by a human who can actually help. Being passed around the centre was very rare, and this alone kept me a loyal customer. The other great thing about the bank was that phone calls are answered within a short time - usually within 12 rings.
Sadly now Cater Allen has, at long last, offered internet banking, this is not the case. The bank has decided, like all the other retail banks, that customers are important, but not so important that it's worth answering the phone to them promptly.
To give you an idea of how long you might have to wait, I *nearly* finished this review before anyone actually picked up the phone, this at 2:45pm on a Monday afternoon.
stevehem 16.07.2007 (16.07.2007)
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Quick review of Cater Allen
I too miss the days of Flemings. Cater Allen still listen when you tell them that funds are on their way and rarely charge if the overdraft limit is
slightly abused BUT my reason for now leaving this bank is that they built
up a hefty amount of charges and bounced Direct Debits et., causing my
mobile phone to be cut off when I was in the States for a month - real, real
hassle. If they had bothered to call me i Could havesorted this out, but
now I am closing the account down... ...
Diamondcutter 04.09.2007
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Advantages: Great website Disadvantages: Useless branch staff
I had a business banking account with BoS. I found the website pretty good, and was getting increasingly frustrated that my bank for my other business (CaterAllen, part of the Abbey Group) kept promising internet banking, but kept failing to deliver.
I went through the process of providing lots of paperwork to allow the account to be opened. I went to see the bank manager (business banking consultant, a more likely title), a Ms Julie Smeaton, in the Queensway branch of the Halifax. She asked me various questions about likely turnover, numbers of cheques, numbers of BACS payments etc. and said that we would receive cheque books and bank cards in a short time. She gave me a card, with her mobile number and asked me to call at any time if there was a problem.
This was the last time I received any communication from this person ...
