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Interesting.  A chat with the Barclays Data Protection Team revealed how totally incorrect they viewed the actions of their own call centres.  There is an object lesson in staff education here.
 
The main customer relations number then took the details and handled me correctly, placing a note against the account.
 
Each of these were aghast that the call centre had refused to pass me to someone who could do the job if they could not do it themselves.
 
This proves increasingly that we, in the world of data privacy, are an essential element of Customer Service, which is itself a vital element in marketing - a discipline as relevant in the public sector as the private sector.
 
An amusing side note, though.  I called Barclays corporate switchboard and asked to be put through to the data protection manager.  "What is the nature of the call?"  "It is about data protection"  And that allowed me to be put through.  I wonder what they really needed to know the nature of the call for?
 
And my mother is making forward progress.

From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Trent
Sent: 29 May 2007 23:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [data-protection] Hiding behind Data Protection

I am replying to my own message because there are so many replies both on and off list.
 
First I do want to thank you for the good wishes for my mother's health.  She is 88, and may or may not recover.  Time will tell.  Whatever the right outcome is, that will happen.  She is improving, but things can so easily go backwards as well.
 
It seems that the consensus is that, even emotionally involved, I am correct that Barclays seems to be without an understanding of true customer service.  I took the opportunity to inform them formally that no charges of any description for any unauthorised overdraft would be accepted, and that they must record this fact. Interestingly their customer service(!) team refused to accept this notification.
 
I did make it clear to them that I wanted precisely NO information about the account or the account holder, and that I was giving them information which they should record for future validation.  They were rather stupidly unmoved by this.
 
Barclaycard exhibited excellent customer service.  Obviously interest will apply, but the account will be maintained "in good standing" because of my call.
 
I do have a power of attorney (thank you those who suggested it), but I am checking with the lawyer whether it is correct to invoke it in these circumstances.  The wording is important here because the power was intended for mental incapacity.  Physical incapacity may or may not be covered. 
 
I do know that I am unlikely ever to bank with Barclays after this.  I will probably call their DP Manager and have a chat.  I did a survey about 4 years ago and I do seem to recall that one high street bank said that "Finding your details would be like looking for a needle in a haystack".  Now I wonder which high street bank that was?
 
I have long thought that certain banks spell Customer Service with an F in it.  And, as we all know, there is no F in customer service.

From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Trent
Sent: 29 May 2007 08:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [data-protection] Hiding behind Data Protection

My mother is in hospital and has been on life support.  Naturally she is unable to communicate.  As a matter of prudence I called her credit card company, Barclaycard, and her bank, Barclays, to let each of them know that her accounts could not be operated normally during the next few weeks.
 
The reactions were stunningly different
 
Barclaycard said at once that it would put a note on her file and understand if payments were not made
 
Barclays told me that "The Data Protection Act prevents us from making any notes on a customer's file" And went on to tell me about fraud that could be committed if they did so.
 
That was in India, of course.  When I insisted on being transferred to a call centre in the UK the person there simply reiterated the statement and refused point blank to refer the call upwards.  She did, in the end, acknowledge that the statement about the DPA was not valid and that they were stating "Bank Policy".
 
So why do people get trained to hide behind the Data Protection Act?
 
And why can they not "pin" a simple note to a file, EVEN if they then disregard it?  "Policy" so often means that Customer Service goes out of the window.
 
However, I am emotionally involved with this.  Perhaps someone who is not emotionally involved would analyse the DP implications of the different stances of Barclaycard and of Barclays?
 


Tim Trent - Consultant
Direct: +44(0)1344 392644 Mobile:+44(0)7710 126618
Personal blog: http://timtrent.blogspot.com/
See also http://complianceandprivacy.com
email: [log in to unmask]
Marketing Improvement Limited, Abbey House, Grenville Place, Bracknell, United Kingdom, RG12 1BP
http://www.marketingimprovement.com
 
 

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