Firefox Vs Standard Bank

[Marq]

Over the past few weeks, I get 'container contains no data' error message when doing internet banking with Standard Bank. Most alarming when you are making a payment and this message pops up.

Anyway, a bit of internet research reveals that this problem could be related to Firefox and programmers doing their thing for IE only.

So I write on the secure messaging system in order to ask them whether this is the case and if so when are they going to sort it out. I received a call from the local branch a day or two later, advising me that I must phone the call centre. I said no ways am I going through that hoop - they should be calling me. Then I get another call from another branch person who tells me the same thing. I tell her get your people to phone my people or I find a bank that programmes for all browsers.

So then I get a call from a third person who tells me it is all my fault for not knowing how the internet works and how systems work, and I should be using IE or maybe I should get Opera cause she knows their system works well in opera. I told her I have been using their banking system since time began and before she was born and that this was a new problem since some hot programmer decided to tweak their system and not test it properly. That was just ignored. She sounded very knowledgeable until, she assured me that the mac users were having the same problem cause they use Firefox!! Ah.....says I, They actually use Safari....so now you are telling me that both Safari and Firefox are not catered for and you are now telling me that it is the banks problem not mine. Well she wasnt going there and I must phone their technical guys and ask them what is going on.

So I suggested that perhaps as my bank, they were the ones that should be phoning me and putting out some technical papers to warn their customers on these issues and then fixing the problems. The alternative for clients is to find a bank whose systems are designed for all browsers.

We know about the banks inabilities to communicate and assumptions that customers are always wrong and don't know anything, but I was wondering whether anybody else out there was experiencing the same problem with the data messages?

[Debbiedle]

Hi Marq - eek on customer service. We also use Firefox and Std though and there is a slight problem with the NEVER password box not working - it simply comes up every time. Other than that all is well??

[Dave A]

I only do my online banking in IE...

Any serious coder will be well aware of the differences between IE and FF and really should be programming accordingly.

I think your argument is valid; someone should be calling you desperately trying to get to the root of the problem rather than explain that you're supposed to use IE - especially as the issue might affect security.

Online banking is a sensitive activity. The least one could hope for is the banks take usage issues like this seriously.

[insulin]

I use FF with ABSA and it has its hiccups but in all I cannot complain. However the banks in general its seems are too important to phone their customers when it comes to technical support. This is BS because you pay for them directly! It is your money that keeps them going.

I also had the displeasure to see how poorly ABSA treats there elderly clients. A sixty year old man was forced to fill out some stupid form just to see someone in the bank about something small. I also happen to know that he was told to phone the bank in one week’s time and request an update of his request. He a sixty year old man had to phone the bank after taking the time to come and see them personally!

I cannot understand why banks have this attitude, I know other banks do this as well they just don’t care about their customers because they know you need them more then what they need you.

[Sieg]

Firefox

FNB actually recommends Firefox over IE. I use FNB, Nedbank and ABSA's internet banking and all work fine in Firefox. I closed my trust banking account with Standard about a year ago because their systems caused problems.

Sieg

[Marq]

Thanks team.

I thought I was alone - although not surprised that there are related problems out there, just don't enjoy hearing that these are common issues. I am not holding my breath waiting for a call from a programmer type to ask what they can do to make our lives easier and to tell me that, by the way, the problem you had should have gone away. When will they learn? One day when they need us more than we need them I suppose.

Roll on ..... that day.
Mattress Bank - (Monetary And Trusted Treasure Reserves Establishing Sound Sleeping.)

[insulin]

It is alarming because we trust them with our money. I would just love to organise a consumer strike one-day and just hit them in the balls with hundreds of accounts being closed on the same day. I am sure that that will wake them up! But again the inconvenience to move to another bank is just not worth it. Pity...

[Loman]

Or we could all move our money to another country (preferably tax free) and watch them panic while we sip margaritas.

[insulin]

@Loman

I will second that

[daveob]

@Loman

Now if you are selling a service ( preferably online ) and clients are willing to pay via credit card, then that's a totally feasible thing.

It can be done and is being done with great success.
No local company registration and government red tape.
No taxation. No tax returns. No book-keepers, no accountants, no auditors, no annual financial statements, etc.

Funds are converted from the transaction's currency (Rands or whatever you want to use) to us$ and held off-shore. You then simply loan cash from the offshore entity and transfer it to your local account if / when you need it, or use your us$ debit card to pay for goods.

There are costs involved, but these are a lot less than the 30% tax you pay on local earnings.

Someone I know ( not saying who ) is doing this and earning ZAR 20,000 + per month and not paying a cent in tax.

Maybe I should write an e-book on this and sell it online ?

[Marq]

Today it seems as though my Standard Bank firefox problem has gone away.

Was that because I bitched and moaned and they have done something on the quiet or did the problem just fix itself? mmmmmm....will never know, cause they will never admit that they stuffed up.

[Dave A]

Was that because I bitched and moaned...

Who knows for sure. I suspect like Rolls Royce they're not inclined to confirming these sorts of problems.

But I'm sure they won't mind you taking the credit for pointing out the problem if you give them credit for listening