|
BankruptcyNews
Junior Member
358 Posts |
 Posted - 26 March 2007 : 09:46:53
|
HSBC diverts poor callers abroad
Britain's biggest bank is diverting poorer customers to foreign call centres while more profitable clients are dealt with in the UK.
HSBC has admitted filtering calls from its 8.5million customers with current accounts and transferring them after assessing factors such as monthly income and credit rating.
The number of products an individual has with the bank, and the way in which each manages their money, are also taken into account.
Customers are then graded on a scoring system. Their ranking is accessed as they give their account number when calling the bank. Although customers with Premier and business accounts are connected to call centres in Britain, those with lower scores are likely to speak to staff at call centres in India, Malta, the Philippines or Malaysia.
A spokesman for the bank said: 'There is a scoring system. If you are identified as a customer with more complex needs, then you are more likely to be dealt with in the UK. As a general rule, these are the more affluent customers.'
Eddy Weatherill, from the Independent Banking Advisory Service, said: 'This smacks of a first-class and second-class system. If you are struggling to make ends meet you will be passed over to a second-class service.
'It is a fact that money drives the system-The opportunity to make more profit exists with those who have more funds in their accounts.'
HSBC, which announced record profits of £11.9bn last year, denied it was providing poorer customers with a second-class service. The spokesman added: 'All our call centre staff, wherever they are based, are HSBC employees and have the same levels of training and review.
'Staff based in different parts of the world will be trained to advise on different products. Those based in the UK will have been trained to deal with the greater number of products on which Premier and business customers may need advice.
SOURCE: Daily Mail
26 March 2007
See my Blogs:
http://bankruptcynews.blogs.bankruptcyhelp.org.uk |
|
HSBC diverts poor callers abroad
