In an ironic twist, National Irish Bank's (NIB) latest customer satisfaction survey has actually irritated some of the very people the bank hopes to please. Some customers contacted Family Money to complain about being called during unsociable hours and what they described as the aggressive nature of the calls. It is understood that customer complaints have also been received at branch level.

According to readers, calls were made early on Saturday mornings or late during the week. Households were also called back several times if the particular customer they sought was not home. The survey in question asks participants to rate their satisfaction with NIB's customer services.

NIB defends these customer surveys as a regular practice in the financial services industry. "We would challenge that it's aggressive. They do not have to take part in the survey. There's no compulsion on anybody to participate," says Dr Mary McIvor, head of market research at NIB. The bank follows guidelines set down by the Market Research Society (MRS), a London-based professional body that sets standards for the industry.

As for the unsociable hours, these are the standard hours for telephone interviewing of customers as recommended by the MRS. According to the bank, these guidelines allow calls from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The MRS also says up to three calls may be placed to customers who are not in when called initially.

Phone numbers were provided by customers, says NIB, but it did not specify if customers were told the information would be used for telephone survey purposes. However, when customers open an account at NIB they are given the choice to specify that they do not wish to receive marketing material.

Customer surveys and telemarketing are not covered under the Consumer Credit Act which says credit institutions may not call or visit delinquent borrowers during unsociable hours, weekends or at their place of work.

These marketing functions may be covered under the Data Protection Act, 1988. "Surveys are possibly a legitimate use of customer details for use in a service context," says a spokesman for the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. "However, it would also be open to somebody who is receiving phone calls at unsociable hours, or is subjected to aggressive telephone manners, to complain that the use to which their data was being put was inappropriate given the basis and purpose on which it had been obtained."

If NIB customers would like their name struck off the survey list they should contact their branch or NIB's market research section in Belfast at 080 1232 245277. NIB does not provide free-phone numbers for these calls.