Bank of Ireland: my CX/SD disaster.

The steps are big. And clunky. And annoying.

So I got a great job in Ireland (yay!) and have moved over from South Africa. I’m now in full relocation-admin mode: sorting out rental accommodation, schooling etc. While I managed to open up a bank account with Bank of Ireland (BOI) from South Africa, the great experience stops there.

Let me take you through my journey:

1. In South Africa: open the account using a mixture of online forms, phone calls and skype calls. They need 2x proof of residence documents, but they have to be EXACTLY the same and from distinct institutions (tricky when dealing with South African companies). Nevertheless…
   While opening the account, the consultant advises me that they would prefer not to send my card to SA, because at the time there was a postal strike. Fair enough. She advised that once I land, I can visit a branch and ask for a card. So that’s what I did.
2. I went into my nearest branch and asked if I can order a card. The staff member then told me that while she could do that, it would take a while and it might be in my best interests to go to the branch which actually opened up my account — across the city. Ever the optimist, I said OK.
3. The next day I took the train into Dublin city, to College Green. I got into the branch, and the consultant there told me that I should actually just change my postal address using online banking, and then order a card online.
4. I went to my online banking profile (not the app mind you — I had to wait until my first day of work when I had access to a computer), find the place to update my postal address. But it needs to be verified by sending a code to my mobile phone. My SA phone number is still registered, so I find the section where I can update that number first. Turns out, to update my mobile number, I need to be sent a code via mail…. to my postal address, which — you guessed it — is still my South African address. It’s a catch 22.
5. Breath fire.
6. I then phoned BOI to ask if I couldn’t simply update both over the phone. Nope. The consultant told me to go into (yet another) branch where they would be able to verify my new mobile number, after which I can update my postal address (online, not in branch) and then only order a card. Oh, for the address to be updated, it takes 2–3 days. Then the card delivery will take another 3–4 days.
7. Breath more fire.
8. Consider closing this godforsaken account and going elsewhere.
9. Remember I need this account so I can get paid a salary. Cry a little, because I still have no card and am burning money by using my SA card.
10. Just arg.
11. Head to the THIRD branch — the hostess updates both my mobile number as well as my postal address. But it takes a few days to reflect, so… stay in limbo until it’s done.
12. This has taken 6 days so far, and will take a further 6–7 to actually get my card.

There is a lot to learn from this:

• Consistency, as a guiding design principle, is pretty much paramount when it comes to omni-channel services. What one branch staff member does, another should be able to do. What one knows, the others should too. The layers of a service need to be transparent and everyone should know what can and cannot be done on each channel.
• Designing with the 80:20 rule does not mean ignore the minority (20%). They still need to be considered. I’m assuming that I’m in the minority of cases where I needed 3 different things done that all depend on at least one of the others, but these edge cases are still important. Even if you’re not designing for each potential edge case, make sure that the system/staff know how it should be handled.
• Adding technology does not negate the need for people, at least not straight away. I love the fact that you can do all these things online, but as a new account holder (and an edge case) I didn’t know how to do them in the right order. I needed a human to help me (multiple times!)
• When designing task flows, all channels where it can be completed are important, but even more so is the relationship and dependency between the channels. I was in a pickle because to update my postal address I needed to enter a PIN/OTP that would be sent to my mobile, but to update my mobile number, I needed to have a PIN/OTP sent to my postal address. This could have been mitigated by having separate processes, or at least fall-back processes for at least one. E.g. To change your mobile number, visit a branch. To change your postal address, confirm PIN via mobile number.
• When in doubt, put “How to guides” or something like it on your website. If you can’t fix the process (yet), then at least make it visible so that customers know what to expect.
• Parity between channels is so important. Web and app should have the same functionality, unless channel relevance plays a role. One of the things that annoyed me in this experience was that I couldn’t change details on the app. Apps are authenticated spaces, so why not? It comes down to a lite experience on app, while web is richer. And I think that’s bollocks. If anything, mobile should come first.

I’m sure you’ve had an awful experience with a bank or other service provider; if you’d like to add to the discussion — leave a comment :)