[thelist] Re: UK online banks for Mac users

Andy Warwick mailing.lists at creed.co.uk
Fri Sep 13 04:09:01 CDT 2002


On 2002/09/13 09:12 am, "Bird, Graham" <Graham.Bird at rspb.org.uk> wrote:

> Geoff,
>
> Ignore this ill-informed gent.

I'd rather you didn't.

> The Smile service used to be Java but is now
> HTML. I have been a Smile member for several years now, both on 9 and X, and
> it has always been fine.

Did I say Smile?

No, I didn't.

I said Co-op.

Co-op may run Smile, and - for all I know - that may be fine, but I have
been a Co-op account holder since the mid 80's and their online banking
service *is* Java. The actual account in question is their Privilege
account, available at <http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/> (top-left link).
Click that on a Mac and get access if you can...

> I'm tempted to suspect that "Andy" is actually an employee of Lloyds with
> his "avoid Co-op" nonsense.

Bzzz. Wrong answer. Andy is owner of Creed New Media Design
(<http://www.creed.co.uk>) and has no link with Lloyds other than as a
satisfied customer.

> Not only do Smile have just about the best rates
> in the industry, they are also the only BS7799 accredited online bank. As
> well as that, if you're into such things, you can be safe in the knowledge
> that they are also an ethical bank.

That is why I still use the co-op as my personal account; their ethical
stance. For business, however, they suck. I live in Nottingham, where the
co-op has one branch (for heaven-knows how many tens of thousands of
people), and they don't even have a dedicated business manager on site. To
speak to someone about a business account, you have to go in to the branch
and talk on a phone in the lobby. Just appalling. I would have *loved* to
have banked with the Co-op for my business, but could simply not justify it
on a service level.

> Smile have never publicised the fact that it works on Macs, but it does. Of
> course, you couldn't have a "demo in-branch" because it doesn't have any
> branches, but then that's why it's so good.

For personal maybe, but for a business account that falls far short of
acceptable.

> And by the way, their telephone service is outstanding.

I am sure it is. But that is *Smile* not the Co-op.

Check your facts before rubbishing mine.

Andy




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