I've just started work at the headquarters of Marks and Spencer's Financial Services, until I go off to
Durham University.
The first thing I noticed was the landscape. Obviously, M&S have the same landscape gardeners as the Teletubbies... lots of hills and strange pipes growing out of the ground. It remains to be seen if they have an external PA system.
Inside it is posh. Really posh. If you want to know what that interest on your personal loan went to... it created a water feature in the main lobby, comprising of three small fountains, four pools, a waterfall six inches high and eight foot long, and an plunge pool lit from below.
Meals are pretty good too. You know those overpriced sandwiches in Marks and Spencer... well, they're pretty cheap (about half price) in the canteen, and everything's paid for on smart cards that buy everything from the canteen and vending machines, as well as permitting access to the building. So if I lose it, I'm stuffed.
So what do I do? Well, at the moment, not very much. But I'm working as part of a small team, and essentially respond to the mail from the various Debt Councilling services... and here's some tips from them that I picked up in the first day.
Firstly, they hate Baines and Ernst. They don't do a good job, and charge a fortune (and if you're in arrears, thats Bad News. Where do you think they get the money for the TV campaign?). They don't mind another company which I can't remember the name of... it's quite expensive, but they do a good job and make it easy. But if you work with a Citizen's Advice Bureau (or CAB in the lingo), you'll clear your debts much quicker, as you don't pay a middleman.