I worked for the AA for a little while earlier this year and my experience was generally a nice…read moreone. As it's a call centre, the job is either for you or it isn't and unfortunately, speaking to customers on the phone all day was not something I enjoyed at all. Mainly because I find it so difficult to be nice to rude people for a protracted length of time. The building itself is relatively modern and attractive, being built in 2000. Inside there are 4 floors housing everything from customer services and sales to the hub for the AA driving school. They have a very good training scheme at the AA, lasting about about 2 months and for which you receive a certificate approved by the Chartered Institute of Insurers (or something,,,). You hear horror stories about call centres immediately plunging you in at the deep end, with an irate, shouting customer on one end of the phone and you, a quivering, inexperienced wreck, on the the other. That's not the case here though. After your classroom based training (for which you still receive full pay), you are placed on a section called the "Grad Bay" for a couple of weeks. Here there are coaches assigned to each person giving you tips and help in general if you need it. By the time you actually get put into your team, you feel like a seasoned pro. I can't fault the AA as an employer at all. They have a very good bonus structure and realistic targets. The managers and everyone I worked with were all easy to get along with too and, although there is a certain amount of pressure involved (as your sales are targeted) I still think they do their best to keep a fun atmosphere around the place. All that being said though, and as nice as the people were, it is a very repetitive job, dealing with the same queries over and over. If you get bored easily, as I do, then I would avoid!

It was that time of the year again…read more That period where all my funds had dried up. Any money I'd managed to gather and save had been sucked away on the triple threat of rent, bills and take away pizzas and I was left nigh-on penniless. The bar was paying me enough to eat every week, but that was if I didn't have bills to pay. With a great heaving sigh, I cracked open my money box and spent an hour counting those sad coppers to see what kind of life expectancy I had. £17. That was how much my life would have to cost to maintain until money came flooding at me. £17 in pennies and 2ps, bagged up in money bags and thrown in my satchel causing it to weight at least 40lbs. I shambled up to the Co-operative till and deposited my 17 baggies on the counter: "Can I change these into real monies, please? I'm so hungry," I managed to croak out through cracked, dry lips. "Of course sir," the teller said, her voice ringing with hope. "Can I see your debit card?" "Oh, I'm not actually with this bank. I just want it converted into something I can actually spend. Like that money you have not half a foot away from your wrist" I calmly explained. "Sorry. We don't offer that service. You must be a client of the bank. Company policy," she said, her lovely tones collapsing into a bitter rasp when she realised I was an outsider. Dejectedly, I left. I went to Halifax across the road and they happily did it despite me not being a customer of theirs. In conclusion, screw you Co-operative Bank. My satchel was really freaking heavy.

This is my bank! But not in the same way that Terry's Chocolate Orange's belong to Dawn French! I…read moreshare it with everyone else! Which is essentially what the Co-op is about! Way, way back in my dim and distant past I had my Uni placement with these guys in Manchester, which funnily enough, is where their Head Office is! I learned all about their membership scheme and the leading edge developments that they were responsible for where environmental and Fair Trade issues were concerned. These things are not surprising seeing as the basic premise for this business was to provide affordable products and services for the less well off in society, and to allow them to share in the profits! The Co-op are amazing. I have banked with them for years! Their bank rates are more more equitable than other banks, and they are lenient when we fall foul of our commitment to them, (making a late payment, or accidentally going overdrawn etc... A quick phone call to explain is usually enough to remedy an error!). Five stars is just not enough for these guys... so here's a few more...

Wspaniala obsluga klienta! Marcin wyszukal mi ubezpieczenie na zycie i od chorob krytycznych w…read morebardzo konkurencyjnej cenie (przeszukalam caly internet- bezskutecznie!!!). Niesamowicie profesjonalny podejscie do sparwy, bardzo polecam!!!

Po wypelnieniu formularza na stronie p. Marcina niemal natychmiastowo otrzymalem telefon w zwiazku…read morez zapytaniem na temat ubezpieczenia od nieszczesliwych wypadkow, choroby itp. Musze przyznac, ze cala nasza konwersacja byla przeprowadzona w bardzo uprzejmy i profesjonalny sposob. Nalezy tu zaznaczyc, ze na poczatku nie bylem pewien jakie ubezpieczenie bedzie dla mnie najlepsze i w dodatku bylem zniechecony, co mi sie wczesniej wydawalo, calym procesem wyszukiwania najlepszego ubezpieczenia no i potem wypelniania dziesiecio-stronicowego formularza aplikacyjnego. Co lepsze p.Marcin wyszedl na wprost moich oczekiwan tlumaczac wszystkie skomplikowane angielskie terminy, uzupelniajac cala 'papierkowa robote' i doradzil odnosnie dostepnych opcji ubezpieczenia. Szczerze polecam p.Marcina Gierach jako osobe godna zaufania, ktora entuzjastycznie i bezplatnie pomoze w sprawach finansowych. Serdecznie dziekuje i pozdrawiam!