On-line banking is fun

On-line banking is fun.

It is what we are all told that we should do.

It saves paper.

It is easy.

It saves time.

It saves money.

Well Bankers’ money…..do we want to save them money?

I have an on-line account.

It saves paper.

I don’t get paper bank statements any more.

Last week the internet went down and wiped all my passwords.

Today I wanted to access my on-line account.

I hadn’t got the password.

I didn’t write down the membership number, I know that is stupid but we are talking saving paper here.

No problem says the blurb on my on-line banking home page.

All I have to do is log in a few details:

Name, date of birth and bank account details.

Sorry, says the next page. We do not recognise you.

I try a few more times.

Sorry, we do not recognise you.

So I ring the helpline.

I give them my name, date of birth and bank details.

Can we also have the details of two direct debits from your account please?

Umm…no. I would need to access my on-line account to give you that.

Don’t you have a paper statement?

No, on-line banking saves paper.

Well there is nothing we can do if you can’t give us those direct debit details.

Anger management comes into play.

The nice man at the call centre agrees that this is a stupid system but there is nothing else he can do.

Have a nice day.

I have to go visit my local branch with a passport and one other proof of identity document.

On-line banking is fun.

It is easy.

It saves paper.

It saves time.

Not.