Cater Allen are idiots!

[Higgs Boson]

While I've found Cater Allen to have excellent customer service in general, they have "misplaced" several (several in a row, in fact) incoming foreign wires into my account, despite the wire transfer containing all of the required information (which they freely admitted). Again, the customer service is excellent, but I wouldn't be too hasty in dismissing this post, as they do seem to have structural issues with handling incoming foreign wires in my experience.

True, but I am pretty sure other banks will have the same problems every so often. If the issue was a constant Cater Allen one, it would be on here every week. I have only called them once, but they were pretty good and just answered the query.

[Maslins]

With my MVL Online hat on, Cater Allen are our preferred bank to deal with. Normally takes them less than a week to get client funds to us, average for other banks is probably 3 weeks, with Lloyds and Abbey typically being a couple of months.

Also, when you call, a real human answers the phone quickly, who is intelligent and can act on your requests. That seems a novelty these days.

Sure, they may make the odd mistake (everyone does), but I bet they rectified it far quicker than one of the highstreet banks would, and with far less stress on your part.

Our only annoyance with Cater Allen is they often won't accept our client's electronic signatures as it doesn't match the handwritten one they have on file...

[Scrag Meister]

Cater Allen is Santander. They have call center operatives based in Bootle. They are the same people who take Santander calls.

Bootle!!!

No wonder, give me an off-shore call centre any day, at least I can understand them better.

[philip@wellwoodhoyle]

I deal with Cater Allen quite a lot with many clients and just don't recognise these kind of complaints about them.

OK, yes, occasional they make mistakes - for my client base, that seems about once every two years, across dozens of clients, so fairly small.

But, I have to say, their handling of complaints and rectifications are absolutely first class. I've never had trouble getting put through to supervisors, managers or even the complaints managers, and when a problem has been highlighted, they've fallen over backwards to sort it out quickly and efficiently.

My experience of their call centre is also excellent. It makes such a change to be able to talk sensibly with the person who answers the call and can actually deal with most things that you are calling about, there and then. None of this passing it on, promising call backs that never come, etc. I also doubt whether it's the same as the Bootle call centre - the call handlers seem a different breed from the oiks who answer calls to Santander who seem barely literate!

[psychocandy]

Apart from the one bad experience as mentioned I've found them pretty good.
As explained they were pretty bad at the time, and they werent exactly keen to cough up too much compensation.

Since then though they've been pretty good.

Only thing is they charge me 29E to transfer euros to my currency broker (still cheaper than using them to exchange mind). Fellow contractor here with HSBC says they do for 5E.

[Moscow Mule]

I think a fair bit of this stems from money laundering / ofac regulations.

If they've had to suspend a payment whilst they check you out then they are not allowed to tell you why - which is why you get a lot of waffle.

[blinko]

I will be hoenst , been with cater allen for 2 years not a single problem and great phone service !!!

[lilikins1]

Cater Allan not too impressed

So they take ages to send the paperwork to give you access to online banking, card hasn t arrived and will take another week! Can t go to a bank and get money out with my passport.. Just joined and leaving pretty swiftly !

[SueEllen]

So they take ages to send the paperwork to give you access to online banking, card hasn t arrived and will take another week! Can t go to a bank and get money out with my passport.. Just joined and leaving pretty swiftly !

You are probably unlucky. They were very quick with me with cards and online banking access.

I don't tend to have a problem opening accounts with banks/building societies for business or personal banking but I do have an issue trying to close them....

[stek]

So they take ages to send the paperwork to give you access to online banking, card hasn t arrived and will take another week! Can t go to a bank and get money out with my passport.. Just joined and leaving pretty swiftly !

Why would you be drawing cash out of a business account?

Cater Allen have been great for me, can't recommend them highly enough.