Natwest to close 197 branches, 5 in Sheffield.

[Guest makapaka]

I don’t really get why anyone needs to deal with a cashier anymore.

 

 

[Vaati]

6 hours ago, makapaka said:

I don’t really get why anyone needs to deal with a cashier anymore.

Old people that don't have anyone to talk.

 

People who don't have the internet/phones to do banking as they cannot afford them.

 

Just a couple of examples.

[ECCOnoob]

1 hour ago, Groose said:

Old people that don't have anyone to talk.

 

People who don't have the internet/phones to do banking as they cannot afford them.

 

Just a couple of examples.

I feel that is quite a stereotype against the current generation of 'old people'.  They are far more sophisticated then we think.

 

The current generation of pensioners, including several pension age people I know, are much more computers savvy, they certainly do own mobile phones and are more than happy to use modern day online services.  That includes pensions and benefits being paid directly into their accounts and their widespread and confident use of modern day banking features such as debit cards, electronic transfers and direct debit bill payment.

 

The ye olde days of people queuing up to cash out their payments from the post office every week or fortnight are long gone for the majority.  Its quite obvious that that is only going to keep increasing as the years go by and we get into the next generation of pensioners.

 

Whilst I completely get the sentiment about loneliness and people to talk to - this is a bank we are talking about not a community centre.

 

The cold hard facts are that branches and counter services are being used less and less.  Ever increasing numbers of people are banking online, using electronic payments or simply using more convenient and easier ways of paying in money. 

 

Buildings and fixtures cost money.  It's perfectly understandable why banks are closing branches.  

Edited February 20, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[Guest makapaka]

5 hours ago, Groose said:

Old people that don't have anyone to talk.

 

People who don't have the internet/phones to do banking as they cannot afford them.

 

Just a couple of examples.

 

4 hours ago, ECCOnoob said:

I feel that is quite a stereotype against the current generation of 'old people'.  They are far more sophisticated then we think.

 

The current generation of pensioners, including several pension age people I know, are much more computers savvy, they certainly do own mobile phones and are more than happy to use modern day online services.  That includes pensions and benefits being paid directly into their accounts and their widespread and confident use of modern day banking features such as debit cards, electronic transfers and direct debit bill payment.

 

The ye olde days of people queuing up to cash out their payments from the post office every week or fortnight are long gone for the majority.  Its quite obvious that that is only going to keep increasing as the years go by and we get into the next generation of pensioners.

 

Whilst I completely get the sentiment about loneliness and people to talk to - this is a bank we are talking about not a community centre.

 

The cold hard facts are that branches and counter services are being used less and less.  Ever increasing numbers of people are banking online, using electronic payments or simply using more convenient and easier ways of paying in money. 

 

Buildings and fixtures cost money.  It's perfectly understandable why banks are closing branches.  

I echo ECCOnoob's comments above.

[jaffa1]

13 hours ago, makapaka said:

I don’t really get why anyone needs to deal with a cashier anymore.

 

 

If you have some sort of bank problem that needs sorting then you can't  get the answers from a machine.

[Guest makapaka]

43 minutes ago, jaffa1 said:

If you have some sort of bank problem that needs sorting then you can't  get the answers from a machine.

Ring em up.

[ECCOnoob]

40 minutes ago, jaffa1 said:

If you have some sort of bank problem that needs sorting then you can't  get the answers from a machine.

No but you can pick up the phone or go online or even go to an open branch and speak to a human.

 

Let's not try to make out that we are completely losing a human element to banking.    It clearly still exists. Its just existing in a much more accessible form with, quite frankly better opening times.  

 

Doris behind the counter may well be nice for the pensioners to talk to and set up their bill payment but she ain't there after 4.30 on a friday is she.   

 

Meanwhile,  the rest of us are more happy being able to do it whenever we like, even in the early hours of the morning by making a simple call or clicking a mouse.  

 

 

[Fudbeer]

The reason I needed a cashier was I had a fairly large cheque to pay in and although they offer an envelope service where you write the account number etc from experience getting just one number wrong can cause problems and you don’t have the benefit of a check digit when simply writing it down.

[abbeyedges]

21 hours ago, makapaka said:

I don’t really get why anyone needs to deal with a cashier anymore.

 

 

It's not that I need to deal with a cashier it's just that by using a cashier and not a machine I may (admittedly in a small way) be protecting a job.

 

Similarly I try not to use self service counters in supermarkets.

 

If more people would accept the hassle of queuing in the short term then it could save a few jobs in the long term. 

[Guest makapaka]

13 minutes ago, abbeyedges said:

It's not that I need to deal with a cashier it's just that by using a cashier and not a machine I may (admittedly in a small way) be protecting a job.

 

Similarly I try not to use self service counters in supermarkets.

 

If more people would accept the hassle of queuing in the short term then it could save a few jobs in the long term. 

That’s admirable but isn’t going to stop companies using technology to reduce salary costs.