If it were hackers that denied customers online access to their bank accounts, then it would be considered a major black eye for the bank involved. It is surprising then that a ban would cheerfully announce that its customers would be unable to access their accounts while sections of the website were down for maintenance. Maybe if it were to just be for a day or so it would be an understandable inconvenience, but a full year?
This scenario is just what has happened with the website of Halifax Bank of Scotland. It has been reported that the bank has sent out letters to customers who hold investment accounts with them, warning of the planned outage. The reason that they are given is that it is to allow a new site with improved usability and security to be created. The date that this site will be ready will be ready is April 2012, assuming that everything goes smoothly.
The letter warning that customers will not be able to access their accounts online included a link to a web page with a list of telephone numbers. With no access to their accounts online customers will have to use either telephone or postal banking. While it is possible that this might appeal to those nostalgic for the 1980s, it must seem like definite inconvenience to customers who are accustomed to living in the 21st century.
Customers will find the site going dark after 18 April. A warning on the website reads “If you’d like to keep a copy of your most recent valuation, contribution history or any other information about your investments which we may hold online, please print these off by 18th April as they won’t be available to view online after this date”.
Considering the competition for customers it is amazing that a bank would consider having its website down for so long. Did they not get the memo about helpful banking? It is also a bit surprising that nobody was able to think of a way to keep the existing service running while the replacement was designed and tested…
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