I hold a Standard Chartered’Gold’ Credit Card since past 2 years.Although I am judicious in using credit cards(prefer to use my debit card always) I somehow made a purchase of just 704 rupees on this one .
I received the bill(Bill date 25th april 08)) as usual but failed to make the payment by the due date due to oversight.
So far so good.
Now, since I realise that I have to make a payment(and I know that the bank has already levied a late charge(350rs)+interest@40.80% p.a+service tax&cess @12.36%) I decide to call up thier call centre and ask for the outstanding amount.
I spoke to Shweta, thier Customer Service Exec who gave me an amount of 1096 as due for 21st May08.
I promptly made a cheque payment of 1096 with the Standard Chartered Bank Branch on 21st May08.
Now comes the worst part.
I get a statement from the bank which is generated on 25th May(5 days after I have made my payment) but it does not reflect the cheque payment made!
Also interest charges have been levied on the whole outstanding from 21st -25th for 4 days.
Shocked, I call up thier call centre again.
The call centre staff was pathetic, they did not understand even when I told them in clear words
that one)my payment is not reflected in the statement and two) I have been unfairly charged interest on days after they received my payment.
All they repeated like a stupid tape recorder was that "we will not reverse your charges" and "We are sending you the same statement by email"(I could not understand thier second behaviour.which makes them all the more stupid)
To top it the exec said that I might have been charged since the bank received the payment after few days as there was saturday and sunday in between.
Utter crap!
The fact remains that the bank receives payment when my account is debited(i, e 21st May)
Although the amount in question is a small one, I made this post to point out the lack of efficiency on part of SCB and utter disregard for the customer from thier call centre people.
Now I have one more reason(the fourth one) to tell people why not to go for StanChart cards
1)High Interest
2)No waiver on fuel surcharge
3)Lack of transparency when interest rates are changed.
4)Stupid Customer support.
Go for it only if you want to lose your sanity!