Smile Bank / Cooperative Bank's new facelift is an utter disaster
Smile had pretty much the same system since 1999, it was matter of fact, but crucially it worked, was never offline, there was never a mistake on the account. You could phone, use a branch of the Cooperative Bank if you really had to. When all you had was 2G data, you could still log and make a transfer/payment. It was a frugal interface in terms of data exchange. It was great.
Cooperative decided on one of those useless glossy revamps, and boy, is it the biggest load of convoluted shit ever. It adds absolutely nothing and destroys everything in the process.
Each box, takes 2-3 seconds between each entry screen to become typeable.
You now need to remember your Sort Code, Account Number, the original 4 Digit Pin for Telephone support
The new Online Sign on process...
You need Sort Code, Account Number followed by the original 4 Digit Pin. (old system)
This now gets you a deleteable cookie stored on the device to access the new system. Delete this you needs the above again.
Then you need a new case sensitive 8+ character password, plus a new six digit password. Then..
Mother maiden name, First School, Last School, Fathers name, Memorable date, or some combo of.
When it all fails (it does because the system can't keep up with your typing), you can use the Generic Card Reader with your Debit Card + a different 4 Digit Card Pin to reset everything online with no system checks and gain full access (and subsequently empty the account if you had got hold of someone else's Pin + Debit Card, + have a Generic Card Reader.
It's actually quicker to fail the Password system three times, and use the Card Reader + Pin every time to log on!
All in the name of Progress. Oh, and phoning Smile/Cooperative now, you'll be lucky if the phone is answered in any time short of 30 minutes.