Name: Jayanthan Bank: Axis Bank Account Type: Savings - ’Priority’ Customer Location: Basaveswaranagar/Bangalore I am a ’Priority’ customer in Axis Bank from past few years. I do have a Platinum Credit Card issued by the same Bank.
For some reason I got this idea of re-deeming my ’PlusPoints’ earned through my credit card and I checked the Axis Bank website. For the ’Platinum’ card there were numerous gifts/vouchers available and I decided to go for 2 Landmark Gift Vouchers worth INR 2000 (with 2800 Pluspoints). That is when my ordeal started. I called my Relationship Manager, who claimed even he was not aware of the process to redeem the points. He promised to call back in some time.
After about 2 hours, without receiving a call from him, I thought it is best to call the customer care myself. I was asked to set the T-PIN and I proceeded with re-deeming my points. I was first told that there was not option for ’Landmark gift vouchers’ and only ’Mainland China’ was available. I had to tell the person on the call that I had checked the website and it is available, at which time she apologized and accepted her folly. I had only a small request. Please mail the gift coupons to my Branch so that I could pick it up as no one would be available in my residence. But she claims there is no provision to send it to the branch !! Why do ’Priority’ customers have a relationship manager? The Bank claims that RM is exclusive and you even have lounges and separate seats? Why all this glitz when even a basic need of a priority customer cannot be taken care of? I am not asking for the moon; all I was asking is to send the mail to ’their’ Branch in Basaveswaranagar so that I can collect it safely. All other mails/couriers like ’Pin’ new CC are all mailed to the Branch for us to pick it up, but when it comes to Gift Voucher that is not possible !!?
If the mail is delivered to my home when no one is present, I end up losing the gift vouchers/pluspoints in case some one picks it up. Where is the ’Priority’ in ’Priority Banking’ ??? About the Priority Relationship Managers (RMs) - When we had called (we have 5 Priority Accounts in my family) to discuss about EFT Gold purchase and DeMat Trading account there were in our house physically to explain in detail about the services. But when I just ask them to help me through PlusPoints redemption, that too in a telephone call, my RM claims that he does not know of the process. He actually called me 24-hours later and asked me - "you had called me yesterday, how can I help you?". 24-hours later he does not even remember why I had called him and his promise of the previous day to get back to me in ’2-hours’.
Re-deeming of our points is not important in the list of services of the Bank, I guess. No wonder my RM says he does not know of the process to redeem the points !! Please define ’Priority’ to me? I always of the belief that "WE" customers were the ’Priority’, but now I feel the bank has its own list of ’Priority’, and definitely the ’Priority Account’ holders’ comfort/convenience do not feature in that list. Secondly, I am told I will be charged INR 30 + service tax for the Gift Voucher mailing ! Ridiculous !!! And this is not even mentioned in the Rewards .pdf of the Bank’s website. I have redeemed my points earlier from my international debit card and I do not remember paying for any courier or service tax. I was going ga-ga over ’Priority Account’ in Axis Bank to my colleagues and friends. But I will no longer do so. After such pathetic service meted out - Not accepting to send mail to Branch and charging for mailing/couriering gift vouchers, I do not think it will be good on my part to talk about ’Priority Service’ in a pleasant manner to anyone. From a totally disappointed customer,
Jayanthan Ravi