You asked, we acted

At Nationwide our only focus is you, and we're constantly looking for new ways to improve our services and products and support communities.

That's why we contact our customers every working day, hold regular TalkBack events and maintain the Member Suggestion Scheme, always listening to your comments so we can feed them back into our service.

Here are some of the views and preferences you've shared with us - and the actions we've taken as a result.

• You asked:

  (at Leeds TalkBack event) "Please cater for homeowners who wish to borrow extra money to install solar panels or to make 'green' improvements"

• We acted:

  Since February 2013, if you are one of our existing mortgage customers looking to make some energy efficient improvement to your home, we have a selection of Green Additional Borrowing products.

• You asked:

  "When will Nationwide be introducing a Mobile Banking app?"

• We acted:

  There's now an app for the current most popular mobile phones. If you are a Nationwide Internet Bank customer click here to find out more and how to download it. 

• You asked:

  (via 'Your Nationwide') "A system please that texts a warning to my phone if my FlexAccount balance is getting low or when I receive a large payment."

• We acted:

  You can now set a low balance text alert or set a high balance one to let you know that a large credit like a salary payment is in your account. Find out how to do it here. If you're not an Internet Bank user, call 08457 30 20 10 or drop into your local branch.

• You asked:

  (at Swansea and Liverpool TalkBack events) "A new savings account please to reward extra interest to long term Nationwide customers."

• We acted:

  By launching 'Loyalty Saver' in October 2012 - an instant access account with a tiered interest rate to reward the length of your membership with us. (This account no longer accepts new applications). 

• You asked:

  "Can we please see the latest interest rate each time we go online to view savings in accounts like e-Saving Plus and Online ISA?"

• We acted:

  We've listened again and from August 2012 we're showing this at a glance rates information on your account pages. So you'll instantly know how hard your money's working.

• You asked:

  "What can you do to help people find better value and income from their pension savings?"

• We acted:

  By introducing a new easy facility that does the 'shopping around' for you and is designed to find a higher paying annuity or 'income for life' once you're approaching retirement. In March 2012 we launched The Nationwide Annuity Service, available online and in branches.

• You asked:

  "Could you make improvements to the internet bank to make managing your money online easier and to give customers more benefits when using it?"

• We acted:

  We launched our new internet bank in the autumn of 2011 with a modern design and exciting extra features.  Thousands of customers have already told us they like it and you can see some of their comments in the Talking Points section here on Your Nationwide

• You asked:

  " Please make it possible for a payment from a Nationwide FlexAccount to reach my Nationwide credit card account on the same day."

• We acted:

  That's now a reality. A payment from a FlexAccount to a Nationwide credit card account will happen on the same day. Many other payments have been speeded up too.

• You asked:

  (at the Reading TalkBack in February 2011): "Is it possible to have better interest rates on children's accounts that will help and encourage them and their relatives to save for the future?"

• We acted:

  By introducing new accounts including the 90 Day Smart Saver account, Smart Bond and a Smart Junior ISA. Our Smart range now offer parents, grandparents and children a savings range that gives them the choice and flexibility to choose the accounts for their needs.

• You asked:

  "Please consider extending the free travel insurance offered to people who make FlexAccount their main current account so that it includes more older people."

• We acted:

  We've increased the age range for the free European travel insurance to 75 from 65 for customers who use FlexAccount as their main current account. New customers can also qualify if they are 73 or under at the time they move their current account to Nationwide. (Please check for full qualifying terms).

• You asked:

  (at the Bath TalkBack in December 2010): "More help please for First Time Buyers looking to buy their very first home but who may be put off by the need for a higher initial deposit on a mortgage."

• We acted:

  By introducing our Save to Buy account. First Time Buyers saving for a home can save for six months and will then be considered for a Nationwide mortgage that requires only a 5% deposit (see our product pages for full terms and conditions).

• You asked:

  (at the London, Newcastle and Bournemouth TalkBacks and online): "Could Nationwide work to reward loyalty with better interest rates and products?"

• We acted:

  Since November 2010 we've launched six loyalty savings accounts for existing customers which aligns to Promise 2 of our Savings Promises.

• You asked:

  "Please can the seven day notice period be removed from the Flexclusive Saver account, so that we can have instant access to your money as and when we need to?"

• We acted:

  The notice period has gone so you now have instant access to this account and it has become even more convenient to use.

• You asked:

  (at the Southampton TalkBack in February 2011 and online): "Will you consider offering different incentives for card holders?"

• We acted:

  Flexclusive offers for our current account customers are designed to reward and provide outstanding value to our customers who use this as their main current account for their everyday banking. To learn more visit our Flexclusives information page.

• You asked:

  "Please show a strong and ongoing commitment to supporting charities and communities."

• We acted:

  Nationwide is now committed to giving at least 1% of each year's pre-tax profits to charity, community and environmental activities.

  We asked you, our members, to endorse this in a vote at the 2007 AGM and 97% of voters showed their support.

• You asked:

  (at our London TalkBack, February 2010): "In the name of fairness, the interest rates on tax-free ISA bonds should not be lower than the interest rates on regular savings bonds."

• We acted:

  We agreed and immediately acted to ensure that Nationwide's Fixed Rate ISA Bonds paid at least the same interest as on our Fixed Rate Bonds.

  This policy is even more strongly reflected now that we've made it one of our seven 'Savings Promises'.

• You asked:

  "It doesn't seem right that interest earned on dormant accounts - generally those which customers (who Nationwide can no longer trace) have forgotten about - should be accumulating at Nationwide when it could be used to support good causes."

• We acted:

  At the 2009 AGM, we invited members to vote on whether Nationwide should participate in the government-backed unclaimed assets scheme, through which accounts that have been inactive for 15 years or more may be transferred to a central reclaim fund.

  Ninety-seven percent of members voted in favour.

  This fund will retain sufficient money to meet the cost of any future reclaims, while transferring any surplus to the Big Lottery Fund for the benefit of social or environmental causes.

  Along with several other banks and building societies, Nationwide made its first payment to the fund in March 2011.

• You asked:

  (at the Sheffield TalkBack in October 2009): "Why not make it easier for customers to supply, or update, email addresses and mobile phone numbers so that Nationwide may contact them more quickly if necessary?"

• We acted:

  We introduced, on the annual AGM voting form, a new facility called 'Keeping In Touch'. So, in June each year, millions of people receiving the AGM pack can tell us about any updates in their contact details by returning the information in the same pre-paid envelope that they use to return their vote.

• You asked:

  "We believe Nationwide can save paper and reduce costs by not including a return envelope with the credit-card bills of customers who always pay by direct debit."

• We acted:

  We no longer include envelopes for these customers.

Keep your ideas coming...

There are many more ways in which your feedback has shaped initiatives and improved Nationwide. Here are just a few:

• We've introduced more shelf space in branches, to help you organise documents before you reach the counter.

• We've made it possible for more saving products, like fixed rate bonds, to be arranged and opened by phone, so you don't need to visit a branch.

• We've introduced a system that warns card customers more quickly if they're suspected of being a victim of fraud – and lets them confirm to us if their account is safe.

• We've re-ordered the selection menus on our automated telephone greeting, so you can get to the right department more quickly.

• If you've posted a message when logged on to the Internet Bank, we now send you an email alert when a reply is ready so you can log in to see it.

Please continue to share your views with us openly and often. We'll reflect them back to you, on this site and elsewhere, and display the improvements you help to make.