Tuesday 10 November 2009

Career Development Moans....!

Career Development Loan process according to Barclays...


I began my application for a career development loan in August, Since then I have been required to validate my address and identity,I have sent Barclays the following documents,

Proof of address...
• EDF electricity and gas utility
• Water Bill from Seven Trent
• TV licence
• Actual tenancy agreement, signed by my landlord, estate agent and myself
• Letter from HM revenue and custom


Apparently this is not enough proof, one more form of address verification is required?

Proof of ID
• Actual Provisional Driving Licence
• Photocopy of Passport stamped and signed by Narborough Road Branch

Again this is not enough, One more ID verification is required, Could this be because Barclays have lost my actually Driving licence?

I sent the ACTUAL licence - (advice from Indian, I was told at this point photocopies would not be accepted, this advice was later contradicted by the same call centre) with the EDF energy utility, which amazingly enough Barclays received, So how come my driving licence is now missing?

Due to Barclay’s misconduct, my driving licence is missing, and because of this I do not own 2 valid items of ID verifications.

On top of this, I have lodged this complaint 3 times with the call centre, in India. I have received no communication about this complaint from England, No help about what I can do and no apologies.

Phone calls to the call centre over the past 3 months have caused my phone bill to increase by 100%

I have 28 day apparently to get my documents to Barclays before they cancel the loan application entirely, it may well take longer than that to have a licence resent to me to send to Barclays AGAIN, I am an MA student, working full time to cover the rent and bills as well as undertaking my studies. This is taking time and money I that I don’t have

I want some answers Barclays!

Sunday 1 November 2009

Professonal public relations...?

This is the first posting of a blog I am keeping as an assignment for my MA in Public Relations. The title is a work in progress...

I am currently trying to answer the question 'What are the most important factors that need addressing in order for public relations to obtain legitimacy as a profession?'

Public relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, however as the occupation has been practiced in the UK without proper codes of conduct in place and unethical practitioners, public relations has not generated the best reputation for its self as a profession.

In trying to answer this question it seems to me that Public relations now has almost everything in place to be properly established as a profession, the educational institution, the local and national associations, and codes of conduct.

After trying to answer this question, I have reached a few conclusions; One of which is rather ironic; It seems that a contributing factor effecting public relations ability for formalise as a profession is the stigma attached to its reputation.

Anyone know a good publicist?