VICTORIA BISCHOFF: The power of your postbag

After a decade at Money Mail, the past four years as an editor, this will be my last column – my last Last Word, if you will.

It’s time for me to pass the torch and starting later this month, Money Mail will have a new Commander in Chief.

When a colleague recently asked me what I would miss most about this brilliant role, the answer was simple: you, the readers.

One of the greatest privileges of this job is reading your emails and letters on a weekly basis.

The first lesson I learned when I joined the team was that we are here to serve you. Whether it’s exposing scams and scams or providing helpful tips to help you manage your money, we’re on the consumer side.

Financial companies all too often hide behind impenetrable jargon and piles of fine print that no ordinary person can read. We try to shed light on those precious catches – and, if necessary, campaign for change.

But none of this would be possible without your support. You are often the first to warn us about wrongdoing. And it’s obvious when a company has a systemic customer service problem, because a clear pattern of complaints quickly shows up in our mail bag.

It is this invaluable insight that helps us hold companies accountable on your behalf.

The most powerful personal financial stories are just that: personal. It may take a lot of courage to share them, but it’s so worth it because these are the stories that really make lasting change.

Time and again, I’ve witnessed firms shrugging off accusations of poor service, only to quickly raise their hands when confronted with one of our famous files of letters from readers.

These remind companies that their customers are real people, not numbers on a spreadsheet — and that the decisions CEOs make in their ivory towers can have devastating consequences for many.

One of the best examples of this was in 2019, when Barclays tried to ban customers from withdrawing money from the post office. Amid the backlash, we encouraged readers to write to then chief executive Jes Staley to share their grief over the loss of such a vital facility.

And as the bank itself admits, it was this deluge of handwritten letters that ultimately led to the turnaround.

Another brilliant illustration of the power of the Money Mail mailbag is the time when NS&I was forced to backtrack on plans to scrap our much-loved Premium Bond prize checks in 2021.

Again, you had written massively and described in heartbreaking detail how disappointed you were by this penny-squeezing decision. The NS&I top team didn’t stand a chance against such a moving public outcry.

Indeed, I could write all day about the many victories your willingness to speak out has won for ordinary people.

With your help, we have successfully fought for banks to repay impeccable fraud victims and change the way they treat survivors. More recently, we helped reclaim £6 million for taxpayers after your letters exposed the devious tactics used by scam discount firms.

And if you’re still unsure whether your experiences and opinions matter to major companies, look no further than our annual Wooden Spoon customer service awards – the threat of your voices makes them tremble in their boots.

Many companies can learn a lot from the generosity you regularly show towards complete strangers.

After writing in this column earlier this year about an elderly gentleman living on just five pounds a week earlier this year, I was honored by the number of readers – most living on modest pensions – who were quick to make donations. to make his life just as small a little easier.

I am also incredibly grateful for the kindness you have shown to me personally over the years. In my office there is a large bulletin board on which I have pinned dozens of my favorite cards and letters. I keep them as a reminder of why we do what we do.

You are the lifeblood of Money Mail. And while we are undoubtedly entering a difficult winter for many, I know that I leave you in safe hands and that my successor will continue to stand in your corner.

So goodbye for now. Thank you. And, as always, keep those emails and letters coming.

v.bischoff@dailymail.co.uk