HSBC has been fire-fighting today after a technical problem stopped around 275,000 payments, including salaries ahead of the bank holiday weekend.
The provider’s business banking software malfunctioned leaving customers unable to make payments, with account-holders from other banks also affected.
A spokesperson said: “HSBC apologises for the inconvenience this has caused. We are taking immediate steps to ensure the payments reach beneficiaries as quickly as possible. We will work with other banks to ensure that customers do not lose out as a result of today’s problems.”
The bank was using its Twitter feed (pictured) to update customers today.
It’s last update two hours ago said: “We are currently investigating alternative ways to ensure credits are received today.” Followed by a second, also two hours ago, which said: “Follow us and we will provide you with further updates. Thank you for your patience.”
One clearly irate customer @CharlotteDyer said: “Why don’t you pay us our money and fix the error on your own time and repay yourselves once you’ve found it?”
Another Twitter response from @MaleStylist just under an hour ago said: “The @HSBC_UK crash is a masterclass in how not to do marketing/social media. Complete blackout yet still posting useless materials. #HSBC”
London-based @ianrutter01 , tweeted an hour ago: “I wonder if, and how much, interest is being earned on our unpaid salaries sitting somewhere in @HSBC_UK’s banking system…#HSBC”
Victoria Hartley is contributing editor at Mortgage Solutions, Specialist Lending Solutions, Your Money and Your Mortgage at London-based publishing company AE3 Media.
She has an MA in Radio from Goldsmiths after gaining a 2:1 in a Comparative American Studies BA at Warwick University. She also holds a TEFL qualification and taught overseas in Mexico and Japan from 1994 to 1997.
Her role includes editorial oversight of the news, analysis and features, event content management and strategic and editorial consultancy for the AE3 Media group. She is an experienced video, broadcast and live-event host and regularly chairs web and podcast debates and interviews.
Multiple award nominations have resulted in two wins: Santander Media Awards, trade journalist of the year and Headlinemoney Awards, mortgage journalist of the year (B2B). Here is one of the award-winning pieces: https://www.mortgagesolutions.co.uk/news/2011/07/21/exclusive-tale-bailey-fraud-witness/
Previous roles include editorships of Mortgage Solutions, consumer title What Mortgage and trade title Credit Today as well as a stint freelancing for a variety of outlets including The Guardian and Which? Money.
