UK in particular has the worst bankins systems and services I've yet seen in my life. Many European countries, including these from eastern Europe, have a banking industry that's 100 years ahead of UK (on example is where you can't just walk in to a bank and have your thing done - you have to schedule a visit, often weeks in advance. And opening an account - real nightmare, good luck with that, if you're not born&breed brit). However, said that, I do understand that this is the result of UK banks being actually oldest ones and the usual inertia of 'working' things made the changes way slower than the rest of the world.