Mums: ‘NatWest gives me a glimmer of hope’

NatWest is saying Hello/Goodbye to customers these days – hello to good offers for all customers, goodbye to teaser rates and offers aimed only at new customers. It’s all about loyalty and fairness. The campaign includes a very funny video that has drawn the interest of the BritMums community. We take a look at what they have to say about it.

An innovative mission from a bank

“The Hello/Goodbye campaign from NatWest shows what its like to bring fairness to its customers new and old alike. How? No more special offers, free gifts, teasers rates or cake — no scratch that, the cake aspect may have only been in my head,” says Jaime at The Oliver’s Madhouse.

“I am so pleased to see that NatWest are changing the way businesses treat their loyal customers, spearheading a brand new outlook on what is the correct relationship between businesses and their customers.” says Mari at Mari’s World. Penny at Being Mrs C agrees, “It’s common sense really after all, businesses must spend so much more trying to get new customers than then would do if they just worked harder to keep the customers they’ve already got. It’s also just polite and fair.”

Karin at Cafe Bebe  says, “I like this kind of transparency. It’s not only rewarding loyalty but encouraging it.”

“After so many years of seeing banks offer their best rates to new customers and encouraging switching, it’s good to see that NatWest is bucking the trend and recognising loyalty by not ignoring existing customers, with its new Hello/Goodbye Campaign,” says Nadine at Juggle Mum. Customers won’t miss out on the best deals just because they have been banking with them a while, says Jen at My Mummy’s Pennies.

Swazi at Chocolate isn’t the only fruit says, “As someone who has had an account with Natwest dating back to when I collected the ceramic pigs – yes I do still have them – [it’s] great news.”

What parents and children know about fairness

Emma at Emma and 3 says, “As a parent we teach [fairness] often subconsciously. At the moment Erin is struggling with playing board games as she always wants to win. We are having conversations about this. We make sure we take turns and when she gets frustrated, I explain why this is fair.”

Jenny at Cheetahs in my Shoes mentions, “If you asked a group of 7-10 year old girls whether they thought it was fair that long standing customers were receiving a poorer deal than new ones, they’d say no…Our children, the next generation of customers, are smart, savvy thinkers and we have a collective responsibility to make sure that this remains that way.”

The NatWest video shows that it’s mean to treat two people differently, Cathy at Wishful Wonderings says to her children. “Be loyal to your friends even if they do not share your opinions.”

A business practice that inspires hope

“It gives me a glimmer of hope, this new NatWest initiative,” says Oana at Mama’s Haven. “It makes me feel a bit happier about Emma growing up in a world that is not only focused on the sensational and rewarding the novelty factor. I want her to grow in a world that is still passing on traditional values like respect for the elders, loyalty to your friends, compassion for the weaker, understanding for challenging behaviours. In a world where the banks have been blamed for the worst, it is refreshing to see a bank initiative focusing on improvement at ground level. Much appreciated, NatWest!”

“In a sense, I’m parenting them for the world we all want, which seems huge…How does one pitch politics to a preschooler?” Adele, from Circus Queen says. “I’m just hoping that what they see us doing day to day will reflect what we believe about this country of ours and about our place in it,”

Laura at Tired Mummy of Two says, “Society is not really geared towards loyalty and fairness, you just have to look at the car insurance industry to see why customers should shop around every year.”

“Loyalty and fairness in business doesn’t need to be confined to small, local businesses…,” Erica at Nine to Three Thirty points out. Kate at Wit Wit Woo says, “It’s also good to see that some companies too are taking this motto of fairness and loyalty on board.”

Some hope it has a positive effect. “I think NatWest will force other banks to act fairly in future,” says Sarah from Birds on the Blog.

What loyal customers want

“As a loyal long term customer, I want the same deals as the new people too.” Zara at Momma of Mojo

“It is a shame that so many companies, banks, telephone and broadband providers seem to forget about existing customers and reward only new ones with special deals and rates,” writes Lilinha at Lilinha Angel’s World, a longstanding NatWest customer.

Sarah at Boo Roo and Tigger Too agrees. “NatWest have realised that this is not the way to thank the customers who have been loyal, this is not the way to keep their loyal customers happy and this is not the way to make sure that their loyal customers continue to show their support.”

Says Jenny at The Gingerbread House, “This reminds me a little of my local bank. I keep seeing adverts for NatWest who are recognising customer loyalty by not ignoring their existing customers. I wonder if I can learn from this and share it with my son. Loyalty and fairness are two great qualities to share and perhaps I should suggest he sticks with his older friends who have come up with him from nursery, rather than be swayed by the new boys who shout louder and demand more attention from everyone else?”

Victoria at Verily Victoria Vocalises thinks it is about time that all businesses treated their loyal customers like this, kindly and with fairness. “I hope that Grace grows up to work for and, eventually, run a business like this.”

Tom at Ideas 4 Dads  came up with a fabulous plan inspired by this campaign: “10 ways to instil loyalty and fairness”.

Teaching loyalty to kids

Kirsty at My Two Mums talks about the teaching aspect of NatWest’s great video, “It shows that we all love a little special treatment, but prefer long term reward over a one of treat. Children are like little sponges and the sooner you instil great values in them the more effective the message you’re trying to teach them is.”

“Children may not exactly know what these words mean or even know the words but that doesn’t mean we can’t teach the basics of loyalty and fairness to them,” says Emma at Me, the Man & the Baby.

Treating everyone the same

Another theme that came through was about treating everyone the same and being fair, “Being a new customer quite often comes with it’s perks, a gift, a discount, some sort of preferential treatment that is reserved just for us newbies. Once you have that special treatment, what then? No more special gifts, or discounts?” asks Caroline at My Family Ties.

Katrina at Mummy Whiskers agrees, “I don’t know about you but I always feel annoyed by those special deals that are for new customers only, they only encourage me to move from one bank / provider to another on a regular basis and quite honestly I would prefer not to have the hassle of moving around, so to be rewarded for loyalty by receiving the same deal as a new customer it makes for much happier customers that will stay loyal in return.

Jenny at Mummy Mishaps has a good point when she says, “At last a fair way of treating people whether they be new or existing customers *this* is a fantastic move in making customers feel important and being treated fairly. I am sure this will benefit NatWest because loyalty is key in maintaining and improving customer service.”

Don’t forget your friends

Lauren at Real Housewife of Suffolk County makes a comparison with supermarkets and how they treat their customers, “I am a very loyal customer of a certain supermarket and have been for 4 years. In terms of customer service they are fantastic, if we have any problems with products we have ordered they will sort it straight away, and the delivery drivers always make you feel valued. However, this supermarket lets itself down by offering new customers £15 or £20 off their first grocery shop, and never offer anything of this value to loyal customers who spend a lot of money with them on a weekly basis. This does make me question how much they value me as a customer.” Good point!

Helen at Kiddy Charts says, “Companies are often quick to encourage customers to join, but then treat them differently, or even unfairly, in favour of getting more new customers where is the loyalty in that? My husband has been with NatWest for nearly 30 years, since he was a student, that should count for something too, right?”

Three cheers to NatWest

Michelle at The Purple Pumpkin Blog says, “To me, that shows respect to their loyal customers who have chosen to bank with them. Nice one NatWest, I hope others follow suit!”

Carolin at Mummy Alarm  cheers, “Thumbs up, I say! It’s great that a bank practices values that are so important to me as a person and a mum.”

The NatWest project was a paid campaign with BritMums. Bloggers were compensated for their time. All opinions are their own.