The Tesco & other non-Morrisons supermarket thread

[WillPS]

The Santander situation seems on the surface to be silly, but knowing the speed (of a snail) that Santander act on software changes, the branches had to operate independently serving customers of their former brands. I gather that the software should be unified around the end of this financial year so rationalisation could commence then. It's virtually complete now. However a further spanner will then be in the mix with the acquisition of the NatWest branches in Scotland and RBS ones in England and Wales, and the subsequenr need for these to be integrated within the Santander system.

Don't expect many closures anytime soon.

I don't think the Scottish RBS branches will cause so much of a problem.

As I understand it, the account holders in question have been told that they will automatically become Santander's equivalent accounts unless the account holder opts to remain with RBS (in which case their branch will change, presumably to the nearest remaining branch).

Whenever that date rolls around, the NatWest/RBS branch will close down one day, and then be completely refitted as Santander branches, with Santander systems etc.. The most complex part that I can see is staff who'll be protected under TUPE - obviously it would be beneficial for Santander to harmonise these (along with B&B and A&L staff).

Presumably this is going to lead to some people finding their local branches closed for a period? This whole process doesn't necessarily do the best for existing customers.

Not necessarily, but probably I'd imagine.

It would not be beyond the wit of man to strip out all RBS systems and machinery and refit with Santander systems and machinery over a weekend. The issue would be when you'd get to train the staff.

[DVB Cornwall]

I doubt that this is the plan, the complications of changing sort codes and account numbers, together with related standing order and direct debit changes, let alone back office and online banking account systems, would be immense even over a weekend. All the publicity on the RBS, NatWest and Santander websites related to the transfer of the businesses doesn't indicate such a radical switch.

I'd be happy to see evidence to the contrary though.

[WillPS]

Most high street banks offer a service whereby they switch all your direct debits and such over for you, so I'd imagine a system is in place ready to do this sort of thing already.

I don't know if you've any experience with databases but "the complications of changing sort codes and account numbers" amounts to creating a new branch entry in their master branch table, importing the data from the transferred RBS accounts in to a temporary table then inserting those details in to their master account table/s, with a reference to the old RBS account numbers. There's a chance I've even overcomplicated this, if Santander are able to use the old sort codes and account numbers they could just insert these in as inactive accounts in their database.

Customers would then be sent their new account material with the advise that it would not be usable until whenever. The RBS cards/chequebooks etc. would die at a set date and time, allowing for the transaction data to be imported and the new Santander account to be activated.

This differs from the way Santander have managed the A&L and B&B takeovers, because in each case they actually had a whole system to transfer and wind-down. In the case of RBS they've not taken responsibility for the system, only the accounts and branches. It would make no sense to try and temporarily adopt the RBS system with such a relatively puny amount of branches; where would the system even feed in to? It can only be "a radical switch" surely?

The complications implied in the press, I would suggest, are related to the red tape that will be needed to be cut in order to perform the transfer. In fact, the fact it can only be a radical switch (in systematic terms) probably leads to the extended lead time before Santander can call the accounts their own.

This is all educated speculation.

Banking processes never ever take as long as it is implied any more - stuff like 3pm cut off for pay-ins is archaic nonsense which should have no place in a realtime database-driven world.

[cdd]

Why would Santander be allowed access to RBS's systems and software? Tables and chairs is one thing, having access to their banking network is quite another. I doubt it could even be run in isolation from the rest of their network given how unified everything is these days.

I imagine the worst thing from the customer's point of view will be access to online banking depending on how they deal with it. I foresee everyone who had access to RBS's system having to re-register with Santander's. The ways you log in to each are drastically different so they can't just transfer the usernames.

As a customer of RBS in England it is terribly annoying to be 'sold' and bizarre that the terms of the deal prohibit them from making it easy for customers to stay. Presumably that's because nobody in their right mind would move to Santander given half a chance.

[WillPS]

Why would Santander be allowed access to RBS's systems and software? Tables and chairs is one thing, having access to their banking network is quite another. I doubt it could even be run in isolation from the rest of their network given how unified everything is these days.

I imagine the worst thing from the customer's point of view will be access to online banking depending on how they deal with it. I foresee everyone who had access to RBS's system having to re-register with Santander's. The ways you log in to each are drastically different so they can't just transfer the usernames.

As a customer of RBS in England it is terribly annoying to be 'sold' and bizarre that the terms of the deal prohibit them from making it easy for customers to stay. Presumably that's because nobody in their right mind would move to Santander given half a chance.

Precisely my point - it can *only* be a "radical switch" as DVB Cornwall put it. It wouldn't make sense for them to import RBS' systems in this case, and as I say if they did where would they feed in to in the interim? Some halfway house where the data goes to both organisations? Seems overwrought to me.

Is there not an opt-out process you can follow? I thought it was as simple as filling a form. I assume you'd then be moved to another branch/sort code, and they'd drop the charges for banking over the counter at NatWest (which were a load of bollocks anyway!).

[all new Phil]

I was in Tesco earlier, and I noticed they had a buy one get one free offer on Pringles. How exciting, I hear you cry. Well, the price of a tube of Pringles was £2.49. Isn't that pretty much double what they usually are? Or has inflation soared higher than I'd noticed?

[WillPS]

I was in Tesco earlier, and I noticed they had a buy one get one free offer on Pringles. How exciting, I hear you cry. Well, the price of a tube of Pringles was £2.49. Isn't that pretty much double what they usually are? Or has inflation soared higher than I'd noticed?

Pringles crept up in price over the last 2 or 3 years.

They've basically done a Domino's and set the RRP high but put offers out like dishwater allowing the average price to creep up slightly while sales soar as consumers perceive they're receiving good value for money.

It's a fickle world.

[Pete]

They've basically done a Domino's and set the RRP high but put offers out like dishwater

We calculated the other day the best value for Dominos was to use the "get £10 off £30" deal entirely on sides and then drive down to get the actual pizza on an any size for £7.99 collection special.

Nom nom nom.

[rdobbie]

I was in Tesco earlier, and I noticed they had a buy one get one free offer on Pringles. How exciting, I hear you cry. Well, the price of a tube of Pringles was £2.49. Isn't that pretty much double what they usually are? Or has inflation soared higher than I'd noticed?

Pringles crept up in price over the last 2 or 3 years.

That's probably got a lot to do with the Court of Appeal ruling in 2009 that Pringles were liable for VAT. http://gu.com/p/27p4b

It's quite farcical that these senior judges (first in the High Court, and then in the Court of Appeal) and a bunch of top QCs spent so much time pontificating over whether a Pringle is or is not a "potato snack".

The UK's laws on VATable food products are absolutely barmy. The chip shop owner case should be an interesting one to follow - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-he ... r-15405104

[WillPS]

1.5 (£1.50 still seems like a lot for Pringles in my head) * 1.2 = 1.8, not 2.5, okay so inflation is bad at the moment but not that bad!

[SirKen]

You're not far wrong with Pringles Will, they've definitely increased massively, their pack size is now (bigger sharing) 190g - which sees a further rise to £2.49

The usual size is 165g - £1.99 - Expensive. Still it's on deal more often than not.

Anyway - www.uk-retailers.co.uk continues to expand it's reach with a visit to the new Extra in Bradford, it's been extended and had a few new things added in. Check the blog for that and a visit to Booths too which is going up shortly.