As it is the UK custom to drop the interest rate on all bank accounts, and then open new ones each month with a higher rate (to screw customers out of money) anyone who keeps an eye on things in the UK and doesn’t like rip-offs has to constantly change bank\u00a0 accounts.<\/p>\n
As a result, I recently tried opening an account with citibank. I should point out I’ve been a UK citizen for all my life and have been a company director for over 10 years. I have had a number of different bank accounts, and never been in any financial trouble that would put up a warning flag. In short, I am a good customer. Here are the highlights from citibank:<\/p>\n
send us one document from each of the two lists below to our freepost address by 26-Dec-09.<\/em><\/p>\n Proof of Identity (a certified copy) They actually expect me to go find a f****g lawyer to get the lawyer to say ‘yes that looks like the passport of a guy I met 10 seconds ago!’ (lets dwell briefly on the idea that the most trustworthy members of society are lawyers and bankers shall we? not a heart surgeon or a priest or a social worker. They are obviously corrupt and evil, unlike the banker…) They also wanta\u00a0 utiltiy bill which does not exist because mine is online. yay! Also I love the word ‘simply’ in there, just ebfore the bit that makes it stupidly involved. Hardly cutting edge NLP… We look forward to welcoming you as a Citibank customer.<\/em><\/p>\n Note: Please do not reply to this email, because this email address is not set up to receive incoming email.<\/em><\/p>\n Classic. In other words. “we want to hear from you!. But not really. Sod off.”<\/p>\n Citibanks correspondence now lines my cats litter tray, where it is at least of some practical use :D. It amazes me how companies get so big by treating their customers as an irritation. I treat my customers as partners and as a major benefit to the company. Some of the best feedback I get on my games is direct from customers. There is only one email address ending in positech.co.uk that gets auto-deleted:<\/p>\n cv@positech.co.uk.<\/p>\n I’m sick of crappy recruitment companies that don’t even update their database every decade…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As it is the UK custom to drop the interest rate on all bank accounts, and then open new ones each month with a higher rate (to screw customers out of money) anyone who keeps an eye on things in the UK and doesn’t like rip-offs has to constantly change bank\u00a0 accounts. As a result,<\/p>\n
\nCurrent signed passport.
\nOR
\nCurrent UK photo card driving licence (a non photo driving license is, unfortunately, not acceptable)\u00a0 [sorry, non got one. mines too old]<\/strong>
\nOR
\nCurrent signed national identity card issued by a member state of the European Economic Area (EEA). (Click here for a list of EEA countries)\u00a0 [ we don’t even HAVE THESE IN THE UK YET!]<\/strong>
\nPlease send only certified copies of your documents, and not the originals. Certified simply means documents that have been signed and dated by a lawyer, notary public or banker using an official stamp, and with their name and address written on it.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nAnd the highlight:<\/p>\n