With travel restrictions and social distancing in place, for most of our customers the easiest way to reach us is to contact the bank’s Customer Care & Call Center team, by phone or email. As a safety measure, this is better for everyone.

On the other hand, this also comes with a few consequences, which we want to share — out of respect and transparency towards our customers — to help explain the strain on our Call Center, one of our front lines during this period:

• There are 3 times as many calls and emails to Customer Care & Call Center as in normal times. In other words, a few thousand a day.
• Wait times to reach one of our Call Center colleagues have increased because our conversations with customers are longer — mainly about BT’s support measures during this period — and require more detail.
• Update [31 March 2020]: There are currently over 18,000 customer requests to defer loan instalments.
• Update [15 April 2020]: There are approximately 30,000 customer requests to defer loan instalments. We have increased staffing in the Call Center. 

Our alternatives for customers

Our Customer Care & Call Center team is operating at full capacity, 24/7, and is on duty both from the office and from self-isolation.

• Self-banking solutions and alternatives for customers (individuals and companies) are available on the BT Help page. 
• For deferring loan instalments, customers can also apply on the bank’s website (here) or via the BT Visual Help app (0263 30 80 00).
• On Ask BT you can find information about BT products and services, as well as the steps to take in certain situations in your dealings with the bank. The platform also includes a Q&A section on banking during this period: Real-time updates.

Thank you to our customers for your patience; we are on the front line to help us all get through this together. This is part of Human Banking and our priority during this period. We appreciate your understanding; our Call Center colleagues are part of the bank’s front line.