I'm talking about those accounts where you do all transactions online, and you do not have any relationship at all with a physical branch (not an everyday bank account where you can go to a branch and speak to a human being but also have the option to do transactions online).
I'm thinking of moving my savings account to an internet-only one because I can get a better interest rate. I need to be able to bank via the internet, and I use the internet often with the account I have now, but I'm concerned about service and about the implications of not being able to speak to a person in a branch or on the phone (Abbey's website, for example, says that you can't manage their internet-only account over the phone) if I have an issue.
For those who have internet-only accounts, what happens if you have a problem (the bank makes a mistake or any other problem)? How do you deal with it? Do you do everything via email? How long does it take to get problems resolved (if the bank makes a mistake or any other problem)? What if you have an administrative change - for example, if you change your name or address, or you want to add someone else to the account?
If I have to waste hours rectifying problems, the increase in interest rate may not be worth it (my time=money).
So I would like to hear about others' experiences.