Outage? No, phones are playing silly buggers, insists Sainsbury's Bank Sainsbury's Bank has insisted to The Register that it is not experiencing an IT outage, despite lots of enraged customers asking why their money isn't moving. Lots of irritated people, including Reg readers who got in touch with us, have been complaining that the orange-hued bank's performance has been less than stellar over …
My explanation I use with railway companies, etc:
If you were sorry, you'd do something about making sure it wouldn't happen again.
Any "by-proxy" apologies mean absolutely nothing to me.
You apologise to say "Yes, that was our fault, it shouldn't ever have happened". No other reason. If you're not apologising to admit fault, then it's pointless. If you're apologising and then having to apologise for doing that same thing over and and over again, then it's pointless.
The fact that the wording "we will be reviewing our systems and making sure this doesn't happen again" has become so cliche is a really damning indictment of modern companies and their attitude to problems they cause.
"You apologise to say "Yes, that was our fault, it shouldn't ever have happened". No other reason."
Probably they get the same advice from their legal team as you do from your car insurers if involved in an accident. Never admit blame, let the legal people sort that out for you. In the case of companies, it's not good PR, but maybe it saves them in being sued.
So there are no problems with their systems, but both times I have logged in this week I have had a banner at the top of their page saying
We're upgrading our system, so can only offer limited online functionality for now. For transaction information – please call 08085 40 50 60.
You got further than me. I was given the 'go away and come back later' message for most of Sunday and Monday.
On Tuesday I was able to pay my credit card bill - I think. The site said the money had been taken, but it hasn't left my current account and hasn't appeared on the credit card yet, nor have I had an email confirmation that the transaction has been made.
I blame Jamie Oliver - not just this, but in general.
Coincidently I tried to access my car insurance details online yesterday with Sainsburys bank. It says you need to reply to notification email. 2 tries at getting notification email and no emails received.
Phone up ( only 5 or 6 minute wait ) and I am told it must be a problem with my spam box. I have not got a spam box I say. Yes you have the call centre wonk tells me. Do you want me to change the email address and try again. Yes - gave him a different email address.
Same result.
Thought no problem, I will register as a new user. For the second time that day I encountered a web site that would not allow cut and paste of password. F**k this I thought, I have got better things to do with my time, but to be helpful I will let them know why I could not be arsed.
"Sorry our contact form is out of action at present"
What a way to run a railway!
Well I am not surprised they had long delays. The person I got did not know the English Alphabet, Took about five minutes to work out what my post code was. Repeatedly asked for date of birth despite front end insisting I put it in before I was passed to a person. Could not answer basic question when I did get through. Put complaint in on-line system, to get e-mail saying "try ringing the call center".
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