# Bank of Ireland Premier Banking...what's the point??



## Squonk (15 Nov 2013)

I got this nice fancy package in the post today welcoming me to BofI Premier Banking (I''ve been a BofI customer for a while now). Looking through the enclosed brochure I have no idea what they are trying to tell me or sell me. Apparently, I've got a dedicated point of contact (my "relationship manager") but the letter has a scanned signature! I'm eligible for a Platinum Credit Card with free travel insurance...except that I need to pay €76 for such a card, so not quite so free. Maybe I should be feeling good that I've been invited to such an 'exclusive' club but I've just thrown all the paperwork in the bin. I can't honestly see the point, or what's the difference between this and the checking account I've had up to now. Looks like the Marketing people are taking over the asylum. How much did this cost the bank???


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## RPC757 (15 Nov 2013)

As a regular to RDS for Leinster games this posts reminds of BOI's big billboards advertising 'Mortgages, Anytime, Any place!  Now what does that remind me of?


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## daheff (18 Nov 2013)

Squonk said:


> I got this nice fancy package in the post today welcoming me to BofI Premier Banking (I''ve been a BofI customer for a while now). Looking through the enclosed brochure I have no idea what they are trying to tell me or sell me. Apparently, I've got a dedicated point of contact (my "relationship manager") but the letter has a scanned signature! I'm eligible for a Platinum Credit Card with free travel insurance...except that I need to pay €76 for such a card, so not quite so free. Maybe I should be feeling good that I've been invited to such an 'exclusive' club but I've just thrown all the paperwork in the bin. I can't honestly see the point, or what's the difference between this and the checking account I've had up to now. Looks like the Marketing people are taking over the asylum. How much did this cost the bank???




I got one before too....complete waste of my time & their money. That was the last straw for me...they'll throw money at stupid initiatives like this, but wont give me free banking...no thanks. now with PTSB

anyways...anytime i went to them to talk about financial products the people i dealt with were clueless (And Im not just talking about one branch...i went to a number of them)


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## Joe90 (18 Nov 2013)

Not from Marketing - more likely from their Banking 365 Financial Advice Centre in Tallaght/Kilkenny.  Premier Banking was the name that they went by when you were told you were pre-approved from an overdraft/loan/credit card when you rang in to register your ESB/Eircom/Bord Gais bill numbers in 2000 - 2007.  

Sounds like BOI has switched on the pre-approval software tracking current account usage in anticipation of the end of the recession. They'll be cold-calling by Easter....


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## Brendan Burgess (18 Nov 2013)

> I've got a dedicated point of contact (my "relationship manager") but the letter has a scanned signature!



I wouldn't just throw that in a bin.  Or, at least, make a note of the name and number in case you need it. I have a Relationship Manager in AIB. I needed an overdraft for a few months to pay my Preliminary Tax and it was sorted out with one phone call to a direct line followed by an email from me.  I doubt if I could have got that from a call centre.  Without a relationship manager, I would probably have been pressing still pressing buttons to choose options. 



You could ask BoI directly about it on the boards.ie [broken link removed] forum


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## Squonk (18 Nov 2013)

Good point...I'll haul it out of my recycling bin.


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## manninp2 (18 Nov 2013)

Relationships with banks are dead.

However, relationships with individuals within banks remain key to avoiding the dreaded "Dial 1 for another list of options".


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## Brendan Burgess (18 Nov 2013)

manninp2 said:


> However, relationships with individuals within banks remain key to avoiding the dreaded "Dial 1 for another list of options".



So, where people are offered these relationships, they should grab them. 

Brendan


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## amtc (18 Nov 2013)

Yeah, I now have a personal 'wealth manager'...


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## Bronte (19 Nov 2013)

I got a letter about a year ago about my special relationship manager with Ulster bank. And it's great. I now have an actual person to talk to which I've needed to do on two occasions. I was mightly sick of having to ring the helpdesk to get them to send an email to the branch so somebody there could ring me and sort out my problem.  It might come in really handy if I want a loan as I'm building up a relationship with an actual person.  

At least this letter didn't cost the earth. Those marketing people in BofI must have loads of customers cash for wasting.


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