Broker roadtest - Barclays Stockbrokers

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated: 19:00 EST, 5 March 2000

Star rating - one star

Barclays is a name everybody has heard, which gives an added degree of security. There is no need to set up a separate bank account and this is one of the few brokers to offer a fully certificated service. Despite numerous problems, the account was set up in just 11 days.

However, the website is poorly designed and difficult to navigate. A significant feature of the registration procedure is that the whole system relies on you downloading a so-called digital certificate to your computer. Effectively this means that you can only place deals from the computer terminal at which you registered.

The site does not work properly on Macintosh computers and the required digital certificate can only be down-loaded using the Netscape browser. The problem with this is that you do not know this unless you phone up and it is almost impossible to get through because the line is constantly engaged.

I ended up having to phone the managing director of Barclays' online division in London who arranged for a member of the technical support team to phone me at home.

The user verification system cross references the details you have entered against the electoral roll. Unfortunately, this system seems to be out of date and may not work if you have moved recently or been out of the country.

I ended up having to send utility bills twice to prove who I was.