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3 Comments
Kiwibank is too mickey mouse to handle the number of govt transactions. Perhaps those new ex-ASB appointments will shake things up, that is if they know how ASB IT systems work. My view is ASB has one of the best front ends compared with most other banks but since I'm used to it it's a bit difficult to compare with some of the other banks which I've had occasion to use.
If you've not used Kiwibank's IT systems - either as a customer or as an employee - then what authority informs your opinion that Kiwibank is "too mickey mouse"?
1/ I am a Kiwibank customer and to date have not had cause to find their infrastructure to be "mickey mouse". in fact, I've found the reverse to be the case. Their cellphone app is superb at meeting almost all of what I need to do with Kiwibank - including written communication, and their website is very easy to navigate through.
2/ In my personal experience their front line staff are superb. National Bank staff (before the National Bank was infected with ANZ) could hardly be better.
3/ Large government contracts don't change vendors instantly - there is always a handover period. What makes you think that a bank that has had the success that Kiwibank had at starting from scratch and becoming what it is today couldn't right-size it's IT infrastructure to deal with a big customer with specific needs?
Personally, my experience of Kiwibank has been nothing but positive - to the extent that I'm even considering consolidating my banking interests onto Kiwibank. Haven't done that yet, but I am seriously considering it because it would be very convenient to me.
tldr: Lookup baby duck syndrome.
Knowing the back end of Westpac and ASB (close enough to give their transaction services a kick and even physically kick their literal servers) I would advise running away as far as you can, especially on the security and customer privacy of transactions front. Leaking like a seive and with less customer data protection tools than Kiwibank on so many levels. The main reason the govt is with them is weight; Westpac, ANZ and ASB are big beneficiaries of government funds and lending like FLP and they put in a lot of work into lobbying. So it does not matter that their customer security & support is trash and that they have illegal inaccessible services across most NZ and that they criminally seek to hide transactions of investment funds so many customers are unaware of what is happening with their money. As mentioned with inside knowledge you can only really have a deep disgust for them. But as it stands who has the money to pay lobbyists to compete, or to rephrase who has the money to burn in trying to compete. It is no wonder we still do not have adequate deposit guarantees and these banks still breach UN conventions. It is just good "business".
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