Here’s a little trade secret which you’ll would like to try. Every one knows of the the pathetic Customer Service that HDFC Banks CC helpdesk gives to its customers.
Problem
I have been using a Silver Card since Feb ’05. Problems started from the very first month. I have never received my monthly statements on time. In the initial months I used to call phonebanking & complain to which I got blunt replies that you can still pay your bill using your Debit card across any of the HDFC ATM’s. But no complain was registered by the phonebanker nor was any attempt made to check why I was not receiving my statements.
After staying on hold for around 13 to 15 mins for the first three months & getting the bill amount from phone banking I decided to keep a track of my expenses my self & started dropping cheques before the due date in the DROP BOX at the Andheri Branch, Opp Shoppers Stop, Mumbai.
To my horror the cheques were not collected on time & I started receiving statements having LATE FEES included in them. This statement was sufficient enough for me to wage a war against those who had generated the statement.
Solution
I called Phonebanking again & after staying on hold for 16 minutes took the customer services email address.
Once I got the email address customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com I spammed their servers with 1375 mails of my complaint in just a matter of 4.5 minutes using special software’s.
I had realized that shouting at the top of the voices to those fools sitting at the other end of the phone I shall not be able to make my presence felt or have my complaint heard.
Please note that you may be prosecuted for spamming & that I shall not be responsible for any action initiated against you on grounds of cyber crime or whatso ever. I hereby make it clear that I donot suggest doing such a thing for any reasons.
Result
I got a reply from Customer service in 58 minutes, apologizing for the inconvenience caused to me & that LATE FEES had been waived of & would reflect in the statement. As per the statement not being received by me a duplicate statement would be sent across to me immediately.
Tragedy
My latest bill that was to reflect the waiver has been generated on the 9th of the month but has not been received by me till date. However, I received the last months duplicate bill just today for which payment has already been made ages ago, even before this duplicate bill was dispatched.
Fear
My last months cheque which was also dropped in the same drop box, has not yet been cleared from my account & hence am expecting to see a NEW LATE FEES entry in the latest statement which I am yet to receive.
Hello Mr Pralay Mondal its high time you looked into this & did something substantial for the customers because of whom you are at the that position - Head - Credit Card Department.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Added on Sep-30-05
As expected I received my latest statement today, just a day late than my last day of payment. The previous months LATE FEES has been reversed but a new LATE FEES for the last month has been added to the statement as feared.
It seem HDFC is hell bent on extracting money from me as LATE FEES.
I have decided to surrender the card & leave HDFC for good.