The Bank

Episode
A Matter of Life and Debt - Ep1
Broadcast Info
2015 (59 mins)
Description
Filmed over a year with the straight-talking staff and customers of one branch of NatWest, in West Yorkshire, this series lays bare the thorny relationship between us, the bank and our money.
Armed with boundless enthusiasm and some inspiration from Walt Disney, deputy bank manager Claire has got 12 weeks to improve the customer service score at NatWest in Huddersfield.
The first episode of this series - with unique, behind the scenes access to a high street bank and its customers - looks at NatWest’s bid to win back its customers’ trust.
Clare and her straight talking team are desperate to succeed, but it’s not going to be easy. Since the 2008 banking crash, faith in banks is at an all time low and some customers are quick to anger when it comes to banks. NatWest is owned by RBS, which was bailed out by the government and is still 79% owned by the taxpayer.
One customer Alan is livid. He says a cheque’s gone missing and he’s missed out on a precious ebay auction. Chris feels that he’s been given bad advice on a mortgage. With weekly automated phone calls, asking customers how satisfied they are, staff are under pressure to get it right.
Can Claire and her team persuade the people of Huddersfield that NatWest is putting the customer first? And is it fair for customers to point the finger at the bank every time? And what does the relationship between us and the bank tell us about us and our thorny relationship with money?
Claire and her team admit that the banks have got it wrong, but they say customers have to take responsibility too. Tracey is thousands of pounds in debt and facing repossession of her home. There’s not much the bank can do to help. Sarah Iqbal, sells life insurance at NatWest, but her father is the last person you’d see in the bank. He’s built his whole life around being super-frugal and avoiding debt.
Genre
Business Studies; Banking

How to cite this record

The Open University, "The Bank". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/218922 (Accessed 10 Jan 2025)