Online Banking - Best and Worst

A

AllyThacker

Guest
Hi Everyone,

What do you think of your online banking? I've been with my bank for years and their self-service online banking is basic to say the least.

Every month, I need to transfer money to my Parents in Scotland. Currently this means a trip to a branch, fill out an A4 form, queue up, get it stamped, wait three days for it to get to my own branch in Galway, and then another 5 days until it hits my parents account.

If there is a bank which would allow to to make the transfer on-line, I'd change banks tomorrow.

Who do you bank with? Is their online service any good? What can / can't you do?

Thanks

Alistair
 
Cool, thanks. Would you recommend them as a bank in General? I'm with BoI just now and I'm shopping around.
 
I'm with ptsb and can do almost everything online or over the phone.
Plus its free banking.
 
i used to be with BOI and found them terrible , switched to AIB about five years ago and i can't fault them in anyway at all
 
CN624 said:
I'm with ptsb and can do almost everything online or over the phone.
Plus its free banking.
Thanks. My partner is with PTSB but she didn't think that you can do international transfers online.
 
miju said:
i used to be with BOI and found them terrible , switched to AIB about five years ago and i can't fault them in anyway at all
Yeah, I have stuck with BoI for 8 years. Their online offering was pathetic when it first launched in '99 and it didn't improve at all since then.

Then suddenly the other day... They announced a re-launch!

In fact, they simply gave the old site a new coat of paint, fed it some more coal and added two or three tiny new features that you could easily live without. "Change account nickname" anyone?

All this time, I was holding out for a real online banking service and they they give us this??? It's just insulting. I'm going to vote with my feet.

I just feel stupid for hanging around for so long for nothing.
 
grizzcol said:
aib 24hour online allow you to do international payments

Same with National Irish Bank, you can set up everything online without having to ring the bank or sign any forms. Also free banking on the current account as long as you stay in credit.

I got fed up with BOI charges and their primitive online service some years ago, switched to NIB and haven't had any cause to fault them yet.
 
Free banking with NIB unless you want to pay a bill, strange bank!

Cheers, Des.
 
I think the new BOI one is actually quite good.

Improvements include,
Viewing standing orders, and dates
Viewing & removing direct debits, and dates
Customising individualised statements, between whatever dates and containing various transaction types
cheque search
money transfer now has saved the accounts you've set up, and made it very easy to transfer money instantly or at a scheduled time
can view credit card statements up to 1 year ago
can register online a mortgage or savings/investment account

it is FAR better than was before... i'm very pleased with it
 
AllyThacker said:
All this time, I was holding out for a real online banking service and they they give us this??? It's just insulting. I'm going to vote with my feet.

I just feel stupid for hanging around for so long for nothing.

..what exactly do you mean by a real online banking service?...... what are the shortfalls in your view?

ninsaga
 
I think it should offer the following:
  • Set up new benificiaries / bills etc (without having to call)
  • Set up new recurring payments (without having to write a letter)
  • Make international payments (without having to queue up in a branch)
  • Create Text / Email alerts (eg when you go overdrawn or when your salary arrives).
  • View pending/clearing incoming payments
  • Integration with quickbooks / microsoft money
  • Download statements in PDF / XML formats
  • Schedule appointments with your account manager
  • Secure email direct to your branch
  • Track your share portfolio (again - text alerts)
  • Much better reporting including trends analysis and graphical reports.
  • Assign categories to transactions (including splits) so you can analyse your spending.
  • Request cheque books, pin number, new cards etc
  • Request foreign currencies / request bankers drafts
These are all availalble with other banks, and have been for some time. If BoI are releasing a new version then it should include all of these at the very least. You would like to think that with a new offering then they might actually innovate too...
 
AllyThacker,

in the same boat as yourself with BOI. Am in the process of moving it to NIB as I have it from a very good source that their backend IT is very good and they offer free banking. BOI's 'Face change' is just that, very basic features which have been touched up a little. Not even close to the competition. Used to be with AIB and it was only an unrelated service mishap which made me change from them. As far as their online goes, very good, and now it is free except for overdraft charges annually (and some other hidden ones you can be sure of).
 
I'd recommend a move to AIB. Their online facility is very good and they offer free banking. But they also have an atm/debit card all in one which makes me think why other banks arent doing it. The free banking has rules of course but so does every bank. Including PTSB (who are rubbish). They request you stay in credit just like any other bank. Oh btw, I dont work for AIB. HEHE. I do agree about the MSMoney intergration though. That would be very handy.
 
rkeane said:
IThey request you stay in credit just like any other bank.

I don't see that in their T&C's for free banking:

 
If you go into debit on your account then they charge you overdraft fees. Its small print.
 
rkeane said:
If you go into debit on your account then they charge you overdraft fees. Its small print.

They do charge an overdraft fee but they still give you free transactions etc.
 
I use Ulster Bank online & phone banking, not very happy with it to be honest.
The main disadvantage is that you can't log on from any computer-to use a different computer you have to call the 24 hour banking, get a shared secret, and more or less register again. Obviously this is completely useless as you can't manage funds when on holidays, away from work/home PC
Cant manage your credit card account online either,in fact you can't even get the balance online.
I used to be with AIB and thought their internet banking was excellent and made it really easy to manage funds in all accounts-credit card, current, savings etc
However I find that Ulster Bank in general give much better service than AIB so Im afraid the internet banking is just a cross i'll have to bear!
 
The only conditions for free banking with AIB are that you make at least one debit card transaction and one online/telephone transaction every 3 months.
 
Is it very difficult to transfer from one bank to the other.
i have Dd's set up each month. i don't want to skip a payment especially to the SSIA account.