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Britline brilliant assistance...


MrCanary

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For those folk who have a bank account with Credit Agricole's Britline, thought I would share this experience with you...

My French is better than average, but nowhere near fluent...

On more than one occasion, I have enlisted the help of Britline's English speaking staff to help me with forms of a financial nature - even if not directly related to your bank account.

Very nice and very helpful people - to account holders.
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I couldn't agree more with the praise for Britline. I find them second to none when it comes to customer relations and service. As for the above statement, sorry administrators, delete if you must, but the words pompous and a** spring to mind !!!!
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My French is fluent but I still use the English speaking service, Norman.  They are very helpful and pro-active.  For example, they suggest a better way of holding your money e.g. opening up more favourable accounts.  Try ringing them yourself, Norman, and finding out.  They all speak French.

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I completely agree with Norman, you have no business leaving the south coast of the UK unless you can read, write and understand every nuance of all the regional dilects of France first.

Yeah right, you only live once, so go out and enjoy the world [B]

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[quote user="Cathy"]My French is fluent but I still use the English speaking service, Norman.  They are very helpful and pro-active.  For example, they suggest a better way of holding your money e.g. opening up more favourable accounts.  Try ringing them yourself, Norman, and finding out.  They all speak French.

[/quote]

And the usual Crédit Agricole staff don't?

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[quote user="NormanH"]If you need an English speaking service you have no future in France.

Go back to the UK, or move to Spain.

[/quote]

What a stupid comment.

We all (those that have moved here) have varying degrees of french and with the complexities of banking do, or may, require a little help occasionally.

Far better to be able to ask than not fully understand.

Get a life Norm......

.

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We opened a Britline account before we moved here in order to make things easier for the house purchase etc. We had every intention of closing it and opening a local account once we settled, but the service has been excellent and I've found no reason to change, so we're still with them 7 years later.

The language thing just makes it easier to quickly discuss any query or problem.

Just because we live in France doesn't mean we mustn't speak English ever again. I notice that NormanH writes in English on here; isn't that odd? [:-))]

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No matter how fluent you may be (and no, I speak good French but would not consider myself fluent), there are some subjects where it is important to understand what you are being told - hence the use of your native language for such things as financial matters.  This is sensible not stupid.

I have English friends who are fluent (two of them indeed being French teachers) but they speak English as the norm at home and with others of like mind.  I have Dutch friends who are fluent French speakers too, but when needed, we speak in English - as they too find it easier to be sure they are understood. 

So Norman, I think you are in a minority on this one.

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Ah I have to disagree NormanH and you know how I feel about so many things in France.

The french banking system is still hardly comprehensible to me. I used to think that I would 'get it', but I never did. I am a former bank clerk and IMO should 'understand' how such financial systems work, so how they have 'made it all up' it in France to be as it is, was beyond me.

I think that I could have appreciated someone explaining the finer points in good english, perhaps they would still not have made sense, or maybe they would?

RE the CA, a regional bank and maybe the britine is very good, but 'my' local' branches I stayed clear of as much as possible, very very bad service they gave.
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