Glenn complained that the bank’s identification process was unclear, and also that the booking system did not work. He said the miscommunication caused him frustration. He was also upset by the inconsistency between the information on the bank’s website and that provided by staff. He denied being aggressive during his visit and said the decision to refuse to take him on as a customer was unfair and was made without giving him a chance to explain his side of the story. He wanted the bank to retract its claim that he had been aggressive.

Our investigation  

We found the bank’s email did not clearly state that he had to book an appointment to provide identification, so Glenn’s experience was understandably frustrating, and we recommended the bank change the wording of its standard email to clarify this point. Glenn’s interaction with the assistant manager added to his frustration. During the interaction, he said: “I will fight for this.” As he later explained, he had not meant this in a hostile or threatening way (English not being his first language), but rather that he was determined to pursue the matter to a satisfactory conclusion. The assistant manager asked Glenn to speak respectfully and arranged for another staff member to verify his identity. However, the assistant manager still regarded Glenn’s tone as aggressive and refused to open the account for him.

We could not find the bank acted wrongly when declining to open an account but we recommended the bank amend its standard email about how to arrange an appointment at a branch to avoid other potential customers having the same frustrating experience.

Outcome

We did not uphold Glenn’s complaint.