Bugsy Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 ........of the English-speaking Helpline.Click. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Probably a result of their (and Banque fédérative du Crédit mutuel) having their credit rating downgraded to A+ by Fitch.http://www.lemonde.fr/crise-financiere/article/2011/12/15/fitch-degrade-le-credit-agricole-et-la-banque-federative-du-credit-mutuel_1618675_1581613.htmlI also read that both Airbus and Air France are laying off a similar amount of people.in Le Monde today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Well it was a service above and beyond. Not a bank I ever liked or appreciated, my only dealings were via the assoc where I was treaurer and they were truly terrible with most things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 [quote user="Bugsy"]........of the English-speaking Helpline.Click.[/quote]Well I heard the lovely Rachel has been promoted but that could be corporate speak for..........I hope not she has been a great help and must have brought in lots of insurance business to the bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote user="Bugsy"]........of the English-speaking Helpline.Click.[/quote]I was wondering the same, Bugsy. I do hope that it is not axed. It is the reason that we bank with Credit Agricole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 This is a serous question Kitty, as you've been in France a while now Kitty, why would you need or use an english speaking helpline? I am rather curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 We've been here tens years Idun, and get by with few problems as far as language is concerned. (apart from my ever-increasing deafness ;) The ability to speak, occasionally, to your bank in english when confronted with stuff you don't fully understand can be of great value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I opened an account with Britline 8 years ago, before we moved here; it was simplicity to do and at the time very convenient to be able to speak in English and to have all the paperwork in English.It's worked fine for us and we have seen no good reason to change accounts even though there is a CA branch in the local town. For some strange reason I seem only to pay out [:-))], and I use only the ATM locally. I'd be sorry if this arm of the bank were to close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 [quote user="Bugsy"]We've been here tens years Idun, and get by with few problems as far as language is concerned. (apart from my ever-increasing deafness ;) The ability to speak, occasionally, to your bank in English when confronted with stuff you don't fully understand can be of great value.[/quote]Exactly. I have always maintained that I slaughter the French language and am lucky enough to have French friends that put up with me and are happy to correct me. On the other side are things like health problems for me and my animals. My French is not good enough to get over the exact problem and I am frightened that if I get the word wrong I might walk out minus a leg or something. Basic stuff like flu and that are OK but for arthritis, heart problems etc I prefer to speak in English. That said in the past I have spoken in English with a French person who allegedly speaks English only to discover their English is as good as my French. I also use the Orange and EDF English speaking helplines again because my French is not so good technically to get over the description of my problem.We initially banked with CA Britline and bought our house using them. The negative side is this business of regional banking and running a couple of business's, this has been a problem so we changed banks. My second French bank was BP and the problem was speaking in English with the type of French person I have already described. In my current bank I was OK in French but having a fraud problem I discovered that the manager worked for seven years in their London trading office and speaks perfect English. I don't need to speak in English normally but it's a nice comforter to know if I have a major problem there is somebody I can talk to. So I can fully understand and sympathise how the closure of CA Britline could be a major problem for some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Blissfully unaware previously of the english speaking service of Credit Agricole but as the "billets" above imply, it must have been a non profitable activity and ripe for closure in hard times.Thankfully an unforeseen but welcome event for normal clients of Credit Agricole we will collectively be burdened no longer in subsidising Credit Agricole's financial follies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 [quote user="pachapapa"]Blissfully unaware previously of the English speaking service of Credit Agricole but as the "billets" above imply, it must have been a non profitable activity and ripe for closure in hard times.Thankfully an unforeseen but welcome event for normal clients of Credit Agricole we will collectively be burdened no longer in subsidising Credit Agricole's financial follies.[/quote]Well somebody only asked IF it would be cut and to be honest I can't see it happening because like it or not it probably brings a fair bit of business their way. I think being that its been around for what 10 or 12 years if it didn't make them money it would have gone long before now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 When I was going to rehab' as an out patient, there was a British guy there who had had (amongst other things) a stroke. His physio asked me if I could possibly translate a bit for her as she was having trouble explaining things to him. I met his wife a little later and she told me that he had spoken perfectly good French before the stroke but the illness had completely destroyed his abilility with the language. That was an extreme case but is an example of how useful it can be sometimes to be able to deal with the important things in life in your native tongue. I know that Mr C was very grateful to at least be able to discuss our financial affairs in English when I (Mrs Translator and Coops Business Manager) was in a coma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I never had the luxory of an english speaking anything, well not quite true, there was a dual nationality girl at our first bank, but that didn't stop them doing dastardly deeds and she was good at shrugging telling me it was normal. It was then I learnt that nothing was 'normal' in a french banking.As a former bank clerk, I should have been at some sort of advantage when dealing with french banks, but I have to say the mysteries of the french banking system is still beyond me. I have no idea how they balance their books, or if in fact they do. For it wouldn't surprise me if they did not.I think I'd cry if I had the nonsense explained to me in english as it still would make no sense. I have to say that I have a lovely conseilliere at the moment, and she often doesn't know what's going on either, which is just about right, no one does and no one gives a damn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 [quote user="idun"]......I have to say that I have a lovely conseilliere at the moment, and she often doesn't know what's going on either, which is just about right, no one does and no one gives a damn. [/quote]When I moved from CA to BP I told them I was moving to a bank in my region, no problem and anyway I didn't have a lot of my money with them, it was still in the UK. After a disastrous experience with BP where they lost a large amount of my money moving it from one of my accounts to another and them telling me I couldn't have the money back till they found it (it was them that moved it by the way) I decided to move bank to another just round the corner. It took me over a week to move everything and when I finally went to hand my cheque book in and sign the final documents nobody asked why I was moving my money to another bank. On the way out I turned to the guy and said "Would you like to know why I am moving bank" to which he replied "No not really, it's not important". When I moved the money from the UK to BP I had to go for an interview and explain why I was moving my money out of the bank (Nat West), I got quite a grilling and was offered all sorts of goodies to stay like offshore Euro accounts, access to even high interest accounts (some of which I never knew existed) Black debit/charge card etc, etc. I was there for nearly two hours and they were not very happy probably because they knew head office would be asking them a lot of questions. The other issue I have with French banks and they all appear to have the same attitude is that I am only a customer, they are professional banks and I know nothing so sit down shut up and we will tell you what we want you to do. Still it's France, thats how it is so you just get on with it. Once you understand that then you can play with them at the same level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 [quote user="idun"]I think I'd cry if I had the nonsense explained to me in english as it still would make no sense. [/quote]Hmm. Well, I guess you're a pretty tough woman. A lot of the people in CA Britline are English and thus know very well some of the culture shocks re the system as well as the language. I think you, maybe as somebody who came here in your relative youth, perhaps underestimate the fact that not everybody is as good at such things nor as able to cope as you were. If some people are more comfortable in dealing with their finances in English, and CA will provide the service then why not? IF it's costing others money to provide it, then fine, I'm sure it will get dumped. However, I suspect it draws in quite a few customers so rather suspect that it pays for itself. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 ROFLPMP, thanks Coops. Cope ..........how I haven't got high blood pressure is beyond me, I have been an hysterical screaming woman in some banks, not coping at all. In fact, I've been that women at least three times this year too, over the phone. I don't see how such a system can be explained, even in english as it is poor practice for want of a better word.I have had accounts with six french banks now personally but our assoc account was with the CA. I know they are regional, but the assoc accounts,well one debacle after another. And let's face it my asset should have been my banking knowledge, but the things we have seen and had done to our accounts, well five year olds could have done better. Professionals, Q........bof, not as long as they have wotsits in their backsides. And my french, well, my son's girlfriend thinks it's good, and he and I think it is hilarious her thinking that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 [quote user="idun"].... Professionals, Q........bof, not as long as they have wotsits in their backsides. [/quote]Actually its as long as they have a hole there and it points downwards. [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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