Thousands of customers of ING, one of Australia’s major banks, are grappling with significant disruptions to online banking services. The bank acknowledged that both its website and mobile app are “experiencing issues,” leading to delays in making and receiving payments.
The problems began surfacing just before 8 AM on Wednesday, with users reporting their difficulties through various channels. However, it wasn’t until 1:13 PM that ING officially addressed the outage on social media, confirming the issues and apologizing for the inconvenience caused.
“Our team is working urgently to resolve this issue. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this is causing and will continue to provide updates as we make progress,” ING stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Despite the significant problems with its online services, ING reassured customers that they could still use their cards or mobile devices for payments, and that automated scheduled payments would not be affected by the outage.
In the meantime, the bank has been responding to individual customer complaints online. Many users expressed frustration over the lack of timely communication regarding the outage. One customer suggested that ING should provide a recorded message on their phone line to inform callers of the situation without them having to wait on hold for extended periods.
“Could you put a message on your phone line so that we know this without having to hold for 40 minutes?” a customer queried. Another user remarked, “Too slow to let customers know.”
Others took to social media to express how the outages were disrupting their daily financial transactions. One customer wrote, “Any feedback on your app and website being down would be handy… when you’re ready… got bills to pay.” Another echoed the sentiment, saying, “Everything is down? Please let us know what’s going on.”
Concerns about long wait times on customer service lines were also prevalent. A frustrated customer noted, “Why does every Australian bank have ‘longer than usual wait times due to excessive call volume,’ regardless of when you call?? Trying to talk to @ING_Aust to find out why they blocked a payment, and I’m told it’s a 50-minute wait. I’m a busy person; this is terrible service.”
As of 1 PM, more than 2,300 customers had reported issues on DownDetector, a website that tracks online outages. The extent of the problem has raised concerns, but there is currently no estimate on how long it will take for the issues to be resolved.
This outage comes on the heels of several other major banking disruptions in Australia. Recently, Westpac and St George experienced consecutive outages, while Commonwealth Bank faced its own glitch that resulted in customers being charged twice for certain transactions. These incidents have left many Australians questioning the reliability of their banking institutions.
The ongoing situation underscores the importance of timely communication from banks during technical issues, especially as more consumers rely on digital banking services for everyday transactions. With customers expressing frustration over payment delays and the lack of updates, ING will need to act swiftly to restore confidence and improve communication during such outages.
As customers continue to face difficulties, ING’s promptness in resolving these issues and enhancing their communication strategy will be crucial in maintaining customer trust. For now, affected customers are left waiting for updates on when they can expect their online banking services to return to normal.
In conclusion, the significant online banking outage experienced by ING has disrupted the financial activities of thousands of customers, prompting widespread frustration and concern. As the bank works to rectify the issues, clear communication and swift action will be essential in addressing the needs of its customers and restoring their confidence in the bank’s services.