Client Services

Like a lawyer for the customer 

The role of Tessa Hamstra and her colleagues at Client Services in Leeuwarden is “kind of like a lawyer” for ING customers. They spring into action when a customer reports an unauthorised current-account or credit-card transaction. 

Tessa started in 2023 as a temp on ING’s Fraud Hotline, where she investigated potentially fraudulent credit-card transactions. She learned a lot, but there “wasn’t such a big Sherlock Holmes element as I’d hoped”. She wanted more and moved to the Fraud department to do a one-year internship.  

‘I want to strive for justice’ 

Shortly afterwards, a vacancy arose in Fraud and Tessa was encouraged to apply. Various organisational changes a year later meant that she could choose between Fraud and Disputes – the department that helps customers recover money following unauthorised transactions. She chose Disputes. “I have a strong sense of morality and want to strive for justice. The ‘lawyer-like’ aspect appealed to me.” As an added advantage, she was offered a permanent contract after a while. 

A bank transfer to an unfamiliar furniture company, a deduction by a car hire company for alleged damage, a monthly direct debit for a non-existent subscription… Tessa and her colleagues handle customer inquiries about all kinds of potentially unauthorised transactions. 

Cunning tricks 

 “We are wholly on the customer’s side and work with the evidence they provide. The better documented it is, the stronger our case will be. Unfortunately, companies are very cunning when it comes to misleading consumers. To be honest, I’m not surprised that people fall for certain tricks.” 

Own responsibility 

 “But at the same time, people have a responsibility for their own actions. Sometimes, the harsh truth is that the mistake lies with them and there’s nothing we can do to help. However, we are increasingly focusing on prevention, such as automatic alerts in the ING app if customers attempt to authorise payments to companies on our blacklist.” 

‘In this job, you need to stay focused and not be afraid to push the limits’ 

The outcomes for Tessa and her colleagues are usually positive. “If the client is genuinely a victim, we do everything we can to get the money back. Sometimes you must fight hard - you mustn’t be afraid of that. Staying focused and daring to push the limits is all part of the job.”  

Fortunately, the colleagues can always turn to one another for moral support, to let off steam and lighten the mood. “We’re a close-knit team, despite being very diverse. That’s precisely what makes it fun - we all bring something different and it’s very dynamic. What unites us? We’re all driven and we don’t hesitate to raise issues with each other if we’re not entirely happy. It’s partly thanks to these people that I arrive at work smiling and am still smiling when I leave at the end of the day.”