Hi all,

I am trying to get the geo number for Santander FSI (Not sure what the FSI is unless Financial Services) I have been given the 0845 6066185 number

Kind regards

Al G

0845 606 6185 is for the Santander shareholder services.
Try 0121 415 7188.

I needed to call Santander Customer or Banking Services today and my on-line account gave the contact number as 0845 972 4724.

I do not call 0845 numbers as a practical matter and also on principle so I looked on our wonderful sayno.... database here and found the alternative 01908 237963.   I called it and got a message telling me that this number is for overseas callers only and that I should redial on the 0845 number.

So I called the 01908 237963 number again but used 141 at the front of my dialling.   Again I got the message telling me to dial the 0845, so it is clear that their system was aware I was dialling from within the UK despite my use of 141, as has been reported and explained on this Forum before.

So I then dialled the 0800 1697903 number that is given on the same line on our database.   A lady answered saying she was in Card Services.   I said I wanted Banking Services and asked if she could transfer me.   She said she couldn't and then started to give the 0845 number.   I interrupted and said I do not call 0845 numbers and could she please give me a normal geographic number to call.   All the time I was polite but firm.   She then said wait a minute and transferred me to Banking Services and I was completely satisfied with the way they handled the rest of my call.

At the end the agent asked if there was anything he could help me with and I said yes, could he please pass on the message from me to his management that I do not like 0845 numbers, regard them as a rip-off, will never call such a number, and would they please provide normal geographic numbers for customers such as myself to call.   He politely said that he would pass on my message.

My apologies to readers for such a long and detailed messge but I thought that others may take some heart from this experience and perhaps handle the situation similarly.   If enough people tell companies that they do not like 084/7 numbers, will avoid calling them, ask for a normal geographic alternative and even suggest that they might take their custom away to another organisation if normal numbers are not available, then we might start to have a satisfactory effect.

Best wishes to all Forum Readers.