I wish to complain about HDFC Mutual Fund with regard to their clumsy call centre service. Over several days, I have been continuously unsuccessful in getting through their toll free line.1800-233-6767. Each time I am being disconnected with the remark, ’Sorry, your call cannot be processed’ or something similar. The Bangalore office has Tata Indicom numbers but they are paid numbers. One has to communicate through them.Today I called one of these numbers at 11.17 am(080-66205300). I wished to know whether, apart from the SIP instalments, the initial investment cheque for HDFC MF MIP Long Term(Growth) Scheme had to be of the same amount as the SIP instalments. She said I could send a cheque for Rs 1, 000 initially and opt for an SIP of Rs 500. I am not sure whether this is correct.
I also wanted to know, as a HDFC Bank customer opting for SIP through standing instructions, what was to be filled in the’Total amount’ column at the bottom of the AMC Copy of the SIP Enrolment Form(in the acknowledgment section)? The operator knew nothing about this requirement for HDFC Bank customers. She kept talking about the general SIP enrolment form and repeatedly asked me if I had the latest form although I had downloaded it from the HDFC Mutual Fund website itself. I was repeatedly kept on hold, until I gave up in frustration after 21 minutes without my problem being solved.
There are two questions. One, why does the company not have toll free numbers that are investor friendly? Two, does the MF have a tacit understanding with the telephone operator on sharing of telecom income?