Credit Agricole [britline]

[dandaz]

Hi

 

I needed to put some euro`s in my Britline line account and found it hard to do [well impossible]at my local Credit Agricole branch.....Is it possible or a pain in the bum to switch my account to the local one?

 

Thanks mick..

[Gardian]

This is the text from a thread that I posted a month or two back:

I'm going to have to double-up on the blood pressure pills for the next few days.

Our Belgian neighbours have just returned home after their Summer hols down here. There are a few bits and pieces for the local builder to do and Dominique left me a €500 note to settle up with. It's been burning a hole in my pocket for a couple of days and since the builder might not turn up for weeks or even months, I thought that I'd pay it in to my bank account for safety.

We bank with CA Normandie (Britline), but I went in to the local big town branch of CA. Took a RIB with me, so no potential confusion over the a/c to credit.

Queue to get to the first available cashier.  "I'd like to pay this in to this account please."

Lots of key-tapping in to the keyboard. Furrowed brow. "Do you have an account at this branch?"   "Errr, no."  Long intake of breath through clenched teeth (can you clench teeth?)

Off to consult with more knowledgable colleague: returns after 2-3 mins. All seems OK.

More interminable key-tapping.  "Piece d'Identite svp".  "Well, no. I'm only trying to pay in €500, not withdraw €5000 !  Attempt at irony completely lost and counter-productive.  More key-tapping.  "The computer says No. I must have a Piece d'Identite.  Sinking feeling: tell callow youth that my wife is outside and I'll go and fetch my passport.  Literally fight my way through spaceship double doors for the 2nd time, then 10 secs later back again through same doors. Someone else has taken my place, but it only takes 5 minutes (4 mins 30 secs longer than necessary) for him to be served with his cheque withdrawal.

Interminable key-tapping again to enter every piece of information about me that appears on my passport. By now, head resting sideways on counter, eyes lolling lifelessly in their sockets.  And then it was over: sign this piece of paper, fight my way out again from spaceship.

I think that all British banks are great: I always did.  If ever I did once call them useless *ankers, I was mistaken.

I'm sure that it's both possible and a pain in the bum to switch.  I'm sure that it would be regarded just the same as opening a new a/c over here, with all the millions of pieces of paper that you have to produce.   Unless you're especially pissed off with Britline, I'd stay where you are and just treat the occasional increase in blood pressure as a useful heart stimulation.

      

[BQF]

I bank with my local Caisse D'Epargne, who are v helpful.  I have to say they are just as good as my UK Bank, for sure.

Easy to open an account, might be a pain in the bum to switch though.

I have heard many bad stories about Britline...I am an Auditor for a UK

Bank and I have a colleague who used to work with CA - bit of a

nightmare systems-wise - because it's a co-op they have many IT

platforms, which makes communicating between CA's v difficile.....

Bonne Courage!

[Ron Avery]

CAs are linked by name only, it is very easy to open an account with your local CA,  just take some money, a piece of identity,  carte de sejour or passport and utility bill for French address.  Then take your money out of CA Britline and THEN send a letter to them closing your account.

 Ian,  you will continue to have problems with French banks and institutions all the while you think you keep thinking that what they are asking for does not make sense, it is normal if they do not know you  to be asked for identity in a French bank, you must accept that they have different systems to the UK and are not wankers just because they don't do things the UK way, this is France and you should chill out a bit and go with the flow instead of it appearing to treat all mneetings with French officials as a challenge.  Most of us here have found bank, CPAM and tax people very helpful and friendy, they are,  provided you do not tell them their job or what you think the system is.

[LanguedocGal]

Disagree Ron.

If people want to call the French banking system or any other inefficient institution names, I feel they should be free to do so. The banking system is horridly backward to a large extent. 

What I want to know is why so many Brits feel they have to be on their best behaviour in France.

A friend of mine went completely nuts when the post refused her a service, and she ended up getting exactly what she wanted. Don't think they are used to such assertive Brits.  I'm not saying we should all go around being rude (she says the incompetence was sheer provocation) but if we would complain about a poor service in the UK, why not in France?  We are quite happy to talk about the things we love and enjoy about France so why not criticise their systems when it's crap because they often are.  This is not about doing things in the UK way, it's about having institutions in 2006 that operate as if they were back in the 1960s. Even their health service (which is fine) can be incredibly complicated based on the experience of various friends.

We should feel free to call a spade a spade. That does not mean we do not appreciate aspects of the country. I for one could do without the horrendous bureaucracy in every area of our lives here. For those who are retired and live, relatively speaking, outside the system, consider yourselves lucky.  There is no point in chastising those who refuse to accept the incompetent and frustrating elements of French society with a stiff upper lip. I think one's lips would need to be incredibly stiff not to blow one's top at local ways occasionally.

Go on Ian, let off steam... just don't hit anybody:-)))

[Dick Smith]

LG I think you have misunderstood Ron's post.

I also don't think that being rude is the best way to get what you want.

[miszter]

I bank with Britline and regularly pay money into my local CA branch.  If you want to pay in cash you only need your RIB and your passport and then it takes about 1 minute as in the UK.  If you want to pay in cheques you have to send them to Britline with the paying in slip in your chequebook.

 

Miszter

[LanguedocGal]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]LG I think you have misunderstood Ron's post.

I also don't think that being rude is the best way to get what you want.
[/quote]

I'd be delighted if you could explain Ron's post to me because the gist of it seems to be ''go with the flow''. Not bad advice for certain situations but not productive for others.

Like you, I don't believe in rudeness but assertiveness is a very positive thing when dealing with certain institutions in all countries including France. 

Britline is not the real culprit here but the regionalised nature of CA in general. A bank like BNP may be better for those who need more regional flexibility.

[Frederick]

I also came accross the regionalised nature of CA when I paid in a cheque for over 700 euros into CA Lucon (85). The staff were great could not have been more polite.....only some two weeks later when on line and  I noticed the money was not in my Britline account did  the difficulty with this show up. Britline had to chase the payment and get it transferred after I had faxed the payment slip copy  to them and they had phoned Lucon . I was then instructed NOT to pay money into other CA branches and to send the cheques to Britline . I have thought of moving my account to a branch which is in the village next to me ....but I have yet to find it open when I am passing .  

[Dick Smith]

Ron is saying that it is necessary to adopt a French mindset to deal with French banks.

[Ron Avery]

No I'll explain it. The French do certain things their way and that can sometimes seem contrary to how it was done in the UK. But it is France and its their rules and requirements.  Assertiveness is not calling a bank employee a wanker because they were doing their job and asking for what is required to pay money into French bank, ie proof of identity.  Ian of course can certainly go on saying what he thinks and also keep having problems with the many parts of French society where they don't do things as they do in the UK. Maybe you should also try driving on the left as well,  as the French often do[:D]

[Dick Smith]

That's what I said!

[Ron Avery]

Yes, Dick,  but you had not posted what you said before I started  typing my one fingerd expanation and as you cannot see what is being posted why you are hammerig away at the Keyboads, posts can over lap. as this one clearly has. 

[Dick Smith]

True. I was just backing the message up!!

[LanguedocGal]

I take your point about the mindset but at times, this just drags things out forever. If you have the time, that's great but not everyone has that luxury. Have the mindset when dealing with small family firms or local boulangeries etc but Institutions such as Banks, I feel people should be more demanding and I also include the French in that.

For me, it's not a question of France versus UK. If I lived in any western country (incl UK) and were obliged to face this level of archaic systems, I would react in the same way.

However, I will consider your advice on driving on the left but if you hear of an almighty pile up in the Garde, Herault or Aude, consider yourself responsible [:)]

 

[Sunday Driver]

I think that there are two issues emerging here - the system and processes in place in France, and the efficiency by which those processes are managed/implemented.

It's pointless complaining about the former (and equally pointless comparing them to those in other foreign countries like the UK) because that's how it works here - and you all knew that before you decided to move over here, didn't you?

However, complaining about inefficiency or mistakes is quite legitimate and you should fully understand your rights and be demanding.  Oh, and being polite is a good way of making things happen to your advantage.....

 

 

 

[Dick Smith]

You mean that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar? That never seems to occur to a lot of English in France, it seems.

[Sunday Driver]

[;-)][;-)][;-)]

 

 

[David]

I changed my account from Britline to the local Credit Agricole branch.  I found it easy and hassle free, and I have not regretted it.

I simply went into my local CA branch, smiled at them and told them how wonderful they were, and how awful Britline were, and how I wanted to integrate into the local community, gave them the details of my Britline account, signed a few forms, and all was done very quickly.

I was not even charged for closing the Britline account.

Result with a smile.  The local CA still welcome me with open arms every time I go there, and cannot be more helpful.  I have now placed all my insurances with them.  They have even cancelled a cheque for me over the telephone when I was in the south of France and had a problem.  Again no charge.

A very friendly and helpful banking experience, much better than the impersonal UK.

David

[Kristine]

I have lived an equal lengh of time in both france and Spain, believe me if you find French systems ,banks,health system etc archaic ,don't ever consider moving to Andalucia .Compared to the way things operate there french systems are wonderful .At least if you go with the flow and follow the laid down proceedures everything works and you achive your goal. In Andalucia no system works because the people will not work to a system.Stay where you are and be thankful you're not here !

[LanguedocGal]

[quote user="Kristine"]I have lived an equal lengh of time in both france and Spain, believe me if you find French systems ,banks,health system etc archaic ,don't ever consider moving to Andalucia .Compared to the way things operate there french systems are wonderful .At least if you go with the flow and follow the laid down proceedures everything works and you achive your goal. In Andalucia no system works because the people will not work to a system.Stay where you are and be thankful you're not here ![/quote]

Kristine, I spent just under a year in Andalucia a few years back and I wholeheartedly agree with you when talking about institutions in general but I found the Spanish Banking System no worse than the French.

 However, I feel David has unwittingly highlighted some of the problems with French banks and other institutions. He is praising (rightfully if he has had a good experience) an individual branch of a banking network.  As a client, I do not feel the need for the staff of any bank/branch or institution to like me. They are employed to offer a service and I do not need to transfer my financial portfolio (if I had one) to them or anything else. Simple professionalism is all I ask from any institution anywhere and it should not be too much to ask from France. 

David then mentions his personal experience in the UK, so I will do likewise.

Out of 3 banks (not branches) with which I had accounts in the UK, 2 provided me with excellent professional service for over 20 years. I could move around the UK and abroad and call 24/7 if I ever needed help or stranded anywhere in the world without having to go in, smile at them whilst asking about their kids, cats and dogs. (Not interested!)

I suppose what we seek depends on our lifestyles and a bank with the ‘village’ mentality may suit some but not others. Not every French person lives in a village anymore as far as I’m aware. 

It's a little pointless always making comparisions with other countries though. I live here now and if I find institutions here ineffective, I will demand professionalism, as I would expect them to do if they were seeking a service from me. It’s not personal.

 

[Renaud]

I have an account with Britline and value the fact I can speak English to them as my French is not great and banking French non-existant. They are polite and helpful. They have helped me inadvertantly slipping into overdraft.

I once had some euro travellers' cheques, I tried to pay these into a different branch of CA with zero success - the lesson being that you can only deal with Britline, forget the british concept of a network.

I am not thrilled by UK banks. to explain - I used to have my business in Soho and paid my cheques into the Barclays there. It has the third highest volume of cash going over the counters in the Barclays network (think about it) and one was lucky for a wait of less than 15 minutes. I then moved to Smithfield where the level of service was worse. One of my clients was a consultant who had worked on a project for head office Barclays where her team had the idea to drive the customers towards Internet banking by decreasing customer service in the branches. That was why I had been spending so long queueing. Now Barclays, worried by their unpopularity are trying to provide good customer service in their branches again.

[Gardian]

Oh dear, this seems to have kicked off a typical LF forum mini-storm, doesn't it?

Just a few comments:

• I agree 100% with what LanguedocGal has said in her several posts
• My post (repeated from an original which was originally intended, with a degree of tongue-in-cheek frustration to illustrate some of the bureaucratic / process difficulties that one can experience here) was meant to echo the OP's experience of trying to pay money in via a remote CA branch
• As you will know Ron, from what I have described in other threads, I have experienced the extremes of complete help and complete pushback with the Impots and CPAM respectively: in both instances armed with good advice from the likes of yourself and others.
• Going back to LanguedocGal, I too can only speak of and act on what I experience, whether here or in the UK.

In the two years that I've lived here, I've learned to 'go with the flow' over most things.  However, that doesn't mean that one is prepared to put up with the boulders that are put in one's way by 'difficult', untrained, or unknowledgable personnel in whatever organisation one may encounter.

I must say that I find your seeming antagonism over this little issue (and it wasn't an issue at all), at odds with your regular willingness to constructively help just about every contributor who surfaces. 

[Gardian]

[quote user="Ron Avery"] Assertiveness is not calling a bank employee a wanker [:D][/quote]

Oh, and just for the record, my original post didn't say that I had addressed the bank employee thus, nor would I ever.

[Dick Smith]

No, Ian, but somewhere along the way such 'assertiveness' was applauded.