Very good finance companies

BanksInsuranceCredit cardsBuilding societiesMortgages and loansForeign exchangePets

Nationwide

Largest building society in the world with over 15 million customers offering a wide range of products including savings, mortgages and personal insurance

  • 'Most trusted mortgage provider' and 'Best mortgage customer service' - This is Money Awards 2010
  • Shortlisted - Best service from a mortgage provider - The Moneyfacts Awards 2012
  • Best mortgage – overall customer services for remortgages - Best Service Awards - Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2009
  • Nationwide was voted Most Consistent Financial Provider at the Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2013.
  • Nationwide is one of six financial institutions listed in the Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2014 shortlist for Most Trusted Financial Provider.
  • Nationwide was ranked best major financial services provider in UK and in the top 10 per cent of all UK brands in The 2013 Customer Experience Excellence Survey from Nunwood.
  • To learn more about Nationwide customer service and see more of their recent awards, visit their plus page >>
  • Nationwide are ranked in the top 10 UK Customer Experience Champions 2014 in the research conducted by Nunwood's Excellence Centre and in second position for financial services providers.
  • Nationwide was ranked in #2nd position in the Finance (Cards, Loans, Building Societies) category of the YouGov brand Index 2015 Mid-Year review.
  • Nationwide Building Society was declared Best High Street Provider at the 2016 Savings Champion awards.
  • Nationwide Building Society received the Best Application of Technology Award at the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2017.
  • Nationwide was ranked in the Top 5 for overall service quality amongst personal current accounts providers in the February 2022 Personal banking service quality survey conducted by Ipsos in Great Britain.
  • Nationwide have received the top award for remortgages, and were highly commended for their branch network, in the 2021 Moneyfacts Consumer Awards.
  • Nationwide Building Society have won the award First-Time Mortgage Buyers’ Choice at the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards 2022.
  • Nationwide has won the category Branch Network of the Year at the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards 2023.

First Direct

First Direct offers a range of online and telephone financial services including current accounts, mortgages, loans, credit cards, savings, investments, insurance with a strong focus on good customer service.

  • Most Trusted (Most trusted financial company and scored top in 5 other categories) and Service Winner (Best credit card overall service, Best mortgage customer service) - Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2010.
  • Best Current Account Provider Award - Consumer Moneyfacts Awards 2011.
  • Named as the most trusted current account provider - This is Money Awards 2010 (94% good or very good customer service score).
  • Winner - Which? Best Financial Services Provider Award 2010 and 2011 and named Best Brand for Customer Service in a 2010 Which? poll of big brands.
  • Overall winner, Most trusted provider in four categories (Travel Insurance, mortgage, credit card savings account) Best for Customer Service in seven categories) - The Great British Customer Service Survey - Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2011.
  • Winner - Customer Service - Current Accounts and Mortgages - Lovemoney.com Awards 2011.
  • Innovation in Financial Services Award - Econsultancy Innovation Awards 2012.
  • First Direct recognised as Best Financial Services Provider - Which? Awards 2012.
  • First Direct is listed in the top 20 for Financial Services in the Social Brands 100.
  • First Direct collected four accolades at the Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2013 including Most Trusted Credit Card Provider, Most Trusted Mortgage Provider, and Best Current Account for call centre service and online service.
  • First Direct is in third position in the 2013 Centre of Customer Experience Excellence Top 10.
  • First Direct are listed in the top 5 organisations featured in the UKCSI of January 2014 and the highest ranked in the Financial Services sector.
  • First Direct has been included in the Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2014 shortlist for Most Trusted Financial Provider and Most Consistent Provider.
  • First Direct is ranked first in The best and worst companies for customer service 2014 list of 100 major companies rated in the Which? annual customer service poll.
  • First Direct obtained the top ranking amongst UK Customer Experience Champions 2014 in the research conducted by Nunwood's Excellence Centre.
  • First Direct was voted Most Trusted Financial Provider, mortgage provider and credit card provider in the Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2015 which are voted for by UK consumers.
  • First Direct has come up top in the 2022 Expert Reviews Money Awards, including Best Customer Service and Best Bank.
  • First Direct has won Online Banking Provider of the Year at the Moneyfacts Consumer Award 2023.

Ipswich Building Society

Providing a safe place for savings and helping local people get on the property ladder have been at the heart of Ipswich Building Society's business for over 160 years. Also provider of buildings and contents insurance products.

  • Ipswich Building Society were Winner of Business of the Year - Anglian Business Awards 2009.
  • Best Regional Building Society - What Mortgage Awards 2010 and the Society’s shared ownership mortgage was Highly Commended in the First Time Buyer Initiative category.
  • Highly commended - Community Services Award for Small to Medium Sized Lenders - Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards 2012.
  • Business Team Volunteering Award - Business in the Community East of England 2011 Awards for Excellence.
  • Short listed - Best No Notice Business Deposit Account Provider - Business Moneyfacts Awards 2012.
  • Ipswich Building Society was Highly Commended for 'Best Regional Building Society' at the 2012 What Mortgage Magazine Awards.
  • In 2021, Ipswich Building Society changed their name to Suffolk Building Society.
  • Suffolk Building Society won Best Building Society and have been highly commended for Best Specialist Mortgage Provider at the British Bank Awards 2022

Teachers Building Society

Established in 1966, the building society provides mortgages to teachers, people who work in education and Dorset residents as well as a range of savings and financial services to the general public, placing a strong emphasis on customer service.

  • Winner - Excellence in Treating Customers Fairly - Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards 2012.
  • Teachers Building Society was named Best Local Building Society at the What Mortgage Awards 2011.
  • Finalist in the Dorset Business Awards 2008 for ‘Excellence in Customer Care’.
  • Short listed (2012) and commended (2009 and 2010) - Best No Notice Account Provider - Moneyfacts Awards.
  • Teachers Building Society has won Best Local Building Society in the What Mortgage Awards 2012 for the second year running - August 2012.
  • Teachers Building Society has been named a finalist for the Customer Service Award in the BVM (Blackmore Vale) Business Awards 2013.
  • Teachers Building Society has won the 2019 What Mortgage Best Lender Website Award.
  • Teachers Building Society has been Highly Commended in the category Community Services - Small Lenders at the Mortgage Finance Gazette Awards 2016.
  • Teachers Building Society are one of the UK financial services firms included as finalists of the UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2020 for Best Customer Experience.

The Co-operative Financial Services

Leading provider of car insurance, mortgages, current accounts, home and contents insurance, credit cards, life assurance, personal loan and pensions operating through The Co-operative Bank, smile and The Co-operative Insurance Society

  • The Co-operative Insurance has been voted winner of the Intelligent Choice award for Car Insurance Customer Service 2010.
  • Best Online Motor Provider in the 2010 and 2011 direct awards by Your Money magazine.
  • Best Longer Term Fixed Rate Mortgage Provider - Moneyfacts awards 2011 winners
  • Finalists - Interactive Intelligence best application of technology award - UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2012
  • CFS named Best Large Company at the UK Customer Experience Awards 2009 and The Co-operative Bank ranked second in the UK Customer Service Index Banking league - Institute of Customer Service 2010
  • Winner of the Digital Marketing category at the Financial Services Forum Awards 2012.
  • The Co-operative Bank has been voted Best Charity Banking Provider 2022 by Business Moneyfacts
  • The Co-operative Bank has been highly commended in the category Best Service from a Business Bank at the Business Moneyfacts Awards in 2020
  • The Co-operative Bank have won the category Branch Network of the Year at the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards 2022.

World First Foreign Exchange

World First is a specialist financial services company offering foreign exchange and international transfers to thousands of businesses and individuals, helping them move their money safely and quickly around the world.

  • World First is the winner of The Huawei Customer Focus Award at the National Business Awards 2012.
  • World First Foreign Exchange was named Service Business of the Year at the 2010 Fast Growth Business Awards.
  • Awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise - International Trade in 2009.
  • World First customer service plus page to view customer service testimonials >>
  • World First have won the 2013 UK Customer Experience Award for Financial Services (banking and investments).
  • World First was named the winner of the ‘customer focus’ category in the final of the European Business Awards 2013/2014 in Athens.
  • World First are amongst the finalists for the Best eCommerce Customer Service Award in the The eCommerce Awards for Excellence 2014.
  • World First has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade 2016

American Express

Leading credit card provider

  • Voted Best Business Card Provider - The Business Moneyfacts Awards 2010 and Best credit card for online service, Best credit card for call centre service - Moneywise Customer Service Awards 2010 (Best Customer Service)
  • Employees of American Express win Young Customer Service Professional of the Year and Customer Service Leader of the Year at the National Customer Service Awards 2009
  • Winner - Award for innovation, Customer Service Manager (Jamie Edward Hendon) and Lifetime Achievement Award (Cilla Adcock) - National Customer Service Awards 2010
  • Ranked top in 5 of the 11 categories of the uSwitch Credit Card Customer Satisfaction survey 2010, including Best overall satisfaction - also in top3 for a further 4 categories including Customer Service
  • Best Credit Card Marketing Campaign of the Year - The Card Awards 2011
  • Most Loved Credit Cards - lovemoney.com's personal finance awards 2011
  • Shortlist - Best Corporate Card Provider - Business Travel Awards 2012
  • Finalist (Best Credit Card Marketing Campaign of the Year; Best Alternative Payments Programme; Best Affinity or Co-branded Credit Card Programme; Best Business Card Programme; Best Achievement in Customer Service) - The Card and Payments Awards 2012
  • American Express was rated highest in customer satisfaction among U.S. credit card companies, according to the annual nationwide study by J.D. Power (The J.D. Power 2013 Credit Card Satisfaction Study).
  • American Express Wins Best in Show at ANA 2023 B2B Awards Ceremony.
  • American Express ranks highest in customer satisfaction among credit card issuers (2023 J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Customer Satisfaction Study).

F&C Investments

Leading asset management company providing investment products to over 3 million customers

  • F&C Asset Management Plc in partnership with Teleperformance - Shortlisted finalist - Customer Service Team – Financial Services - National Customer Service Awards 2010
  • Gold Standard for Fund Management – Incisive Media Gold Standard Awards 2009
  • Overall top performers in The Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Service 2009 and Award for Operational Excellence – UK Customer Experience Awards 2009
  • F&C REIT named UK Property Investment House of the Year - Estates Gazette Awards 2010
  • F&C Investments announced as overall top performers in The Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Service 2010

Scottish Friendly

One of the UK's leading friendly societies, provides savings plans that allow customers to make use of their tax-free allowance

  • National Business Awards for Scotland for the "Orange Best Use Of Technology In Business Award 2007"
  • Winner of international award for best practice in insurance administration by Celent, a global independent research consultancy based in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Winner of an Arts & Business Scotland Award for its sponsorship of ‘Meet Our Authors’- 2010
  • Scottish Friendly have been shortlisted in the 2013 Financial Services Company of the Year award category in The Scottish Business Awards.

Good customer service in financial services

Financial services can be complex and confusing, so it is important for customer service representatives to be knowledgeable, patient, and understanding. By providing good customer service, representatives can help customers feel confident about their financial decisions and build trust with the company.

  • Customers should be able to trust that you have the knowledge and expertise to answer their questions accurately. Be sure to stay up-to-date on the latest finance products and services, as well as any changes to regulations.
  • Financial matters can be stressful for customers, so it is important to be patient and understanding. Take the time to listen to their concerns and explain services clearly and concisely.
  • Always treat customers with respect, even if they are upset or angry. Maintain a professional demeanor at all times, and avoid using financial services jargon that they may not understand.
  • Don't just wait for customers to come to you with customer service problems. Be proactive and reach out to them to offer assistance. Look for ways to go the extra mile and make their experience as positive as possible.

Green Flag

Green Flag is an award winning financial services intermediary providing car breakdown cover insurance to its customers.