Stupid use of technology rant

[VectraMan]

On Friday, I was looking at one of the ISA comparison sites, and Abbey looked best so I went through their apply online process, thinking I could do it and pay the money there and then.

At the end I just got a reference number and a thankyou.

So today I phoned up armed with my reference number, which they didn't want to know, and asked what was happening with my application. It turns out that applying online just means they send you an application pack through the post in 7 working days - too late for the deadline.

What a pile of crap. Why bother having an online system if this is how it works? If I wanted a form, I could have walked to the local branch, or they could have provided a PDF for me to print. What's really annoying is that at no point do they tell you this, they make it look like they have a real online system.

Grrrr.

[expat]

On Friday, I was looking at one of the ISA comparison sites, and Abbey looked best so I went through their apply online process, thinking I could do it and pay the money there and then.

At the end I just got a reference number and a thankyou.

So today I phoned up armed with my reference number, which they didn't want to know, and asked what was happening with my application. It turns out that applying online just means they send you an application pack through the post in 7 working days - too late for the deadline.

What a pile of crap. Why bother having an online system if this is how it works? If I wanted a form, I could have walked to the local branch, or they could have provided a PDF for me to print. What's really annoying is that at no point do they tell you this, they make it look like they have a real online system.

Grrrr.

It is user-friendly.

Problem is, you are not the user, but the used.

[threaded]

Electronic traction control.

If you can't drive a car, don't start the engine!

[TheFaQQer]

On Friday, I was looking at one of the ISA comparison sites, and Abbey looked best so I went through their apply online process, thinking I could do it and pay the money there and then.

At the end I just got a reference number and a thankyou.

So today I phoned up armed with my reference number, which they didn't want to know, and asked what was happening with my application. It turns out that applying online just means they send you an application pack through the post in 7 working days - too late for the deadline.

What a pile of crap. Why bother having an online system if this is how it works? If I wanted a form, I could have walked to the local branch, or they could have provided a PDF for me to print. What's really annoying is that at no point do they tell you this, they make it look like they have a real online system.

Grrrr.

A long time ago, I worked on a bid for Oracle with a bank (not Abbey) to put in a system that allowed users to open ISAs over the internet. We specced it all out, lots of Java stuff, hooking into an integration hub (that we'd just built for them), into the back office to create the account and take the money....

Our proposal was £3.5 million. Budget available £300k.

So someone else developed a web-form. User fills it out, and it goes to a printer in an office. Someone picks it up, keys in the information, then sends out an information pack. It met the client requirements - it allows users to open an account over the internet. It doesn't do what they really wanted though.

Sounds like Abbey have cribbed the idea

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Totally agree - and for this very reason last time I had the cash for an ISA I put it into one that would process online.

HSBC were the offenders then - I don't know if they still do it this way but they had the same carp offering as Abbey last time I checked. I wouldn't mind, but I'm an existing customer! Other financial institutions were happy to take my cash online so stuff 'em.

[VectraMan]

I've since found out Barclays (who I bank with) have a better rate anyway. And in theory I can apply for that online. In practice their website is out to lunch today.

[DimPrawn]

A long time ago, I worked on a bid for Oracle with a bank (not Abbey) to put in a system that allowed users to open ISAs over the internet. We specced it all out, lots of Java stuff, hooking into an integration hub (that we'd just built for them), into the back office to create the account and take the money....

Our proposal was £3.5 million.

I can see where you went wrong.

[PAH]

I can see where you went wrong.

Indeed. Someone was taking the piss and got found out. Even the web form for 300k probably works out at a rate of 600k/hour, seeing as you could knock up a simple web form in about 30 mins.

[NickFitz]

What a pile of crap. Why bother having an online system if this is how it works? If I wanted a form, I could have walked to the local branch, or they could have provided a PDF for me to print. What's really annoying is that at no point do they tell you this, they make it look like they have a real online system.

Grrrr.

Absolutely pathetic. There are sandwich shops with more sophisticated online ordering systems than that

[TheFaQQer]

Indeed. Someone was taking the piss and got found out. Even the web form for 300k probably works out at a rate of 600k/hour, seeing as you could knock up a simple web form in about 30 mins.

Fixed price deal to bring in the solution.

Oracle -> Other consultancy -> Client

Problem was with the first phase of development, which was budgeted at about £5 million and Oracle took £15 million. Meant that all that the consultancy could spend on the next bit was £300k. It was undoubtedly cheaper than that, but that's all that they offered us to build the all singing, all dancing solution to integrate web front end to messaging hub to back office and back again.