I've had about 6 different borkers over the years. If you want customer service, BellDirect is the best. I don't use them for other reasons that don't appeal to me, but BD is good on service.
Most of these brokers know they don't have to provide a good product. In Aus we have no choice. We have the worst platforms and brokers (compared to the US and EU). Until one of the US companies launches here, the Aus brokers will just continue to deliver poor service and a poor product.
If you are a high net worth client, some of the AU brokers will accomodate you with a personal phone line (straight through, immediate response), and all sorts of perks in terms of reduced brokerage, social events, market reports (proper ones) etc. But for the rest of us it's not easy.
If US companies ThinkOrSwim or TradeIdeas launched here, they'd be swamped.
