LOOK. Minister Van Peteghem calls Belfius management on the carpet
The HLN research cell was able to view internal documents showing that Belfius – still 100 percent owned by the state – would give preferential treatment to the richest customers. The documents show that Belfius customers are divided into categories. This means that ‘Gold’ customers are always helped first, because they often also have a private banker. Followed by the ‘Silver’ customers, who have a product “in 5 or more different product groups” from Belfius. Finally, there are the ‘Bronze’, ‘Ruby’ and ‘Rest’ categories. The document literally states: “Callers will be treated according to their priority in the queue.”
“The fact that ordinary savers would now come in second place on the telephone and via email is certainly unacceptable for a public bank,” Minister of Finance Vincent Van Peteghem (CD&V) responds to the news. “Banks are systematically reducing their services, and people are rightly indignant about this. That is why we have already obliged the banks to maintain at least 1 ATM per municipality.”
“I immediately asked the top management of Belfius to come and provide more explanation to my cabinet this week. Every customer must be treated with equal respect. I am surprised that the banks have not yet understood this, after the clear signal that savers gave with the government bond,” Van Peteghem continues. “The ordinary saver demands respect from the bank, the same respect that wealthy customers and shareholders receive. Now they don’t get enough of that, and you can see that in the success of the government voucher.”
The minister will first talk to the top management of Belfius before deciding whether he will also call the other banks to account. KBC and ING also work with a similar segmentation system. BNP Paribas only works with preferential treatment for those who have a private banker.
The Big Money Debate, tonight at 9.40 pm on VTM. ‘VTM News’ also helps you save, with as many concrete tips as possible.
Also read:
THE GREAT MONEY DEBATE. The richer, the faster help is provided at Belfius. Ex-call center employees: “We’re not actually allowed to talk about this” (+)
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2023-09-19 09:00:19
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