I was feeling good that ICICI has given a chance to open a zero balance account. Also I thought I could do banking from the comfort of my home. But this was the start of my harrowing experience with ICICI B2. First when they collected documents from my home, the ICICI guy who was supposed to collect send some other absolute fool to do running around for him.
He was told to get signatures on 4 places in the application, I also signed on the nomination. The guy was very insistent that I SHOULD NOT sign there. I tried to explain but he would not understand and asked that he will get a new form. Then I told him sternlt to take the form back and first submit it.
If they say no then he could come back. OK then after a few days I get a email in the b2 account that my name and address as provided by me does not match the address proof given by me so I was asked to resubmit. I was not ready for such botheration so I just ignored it - if the account was opened good, if not no harm. Again a week later an email comes that account opened.
Fine. So I logged in and tried to open an FD, the site was not updated with recent FD rate. I tried for 890 days which is 10% now, 890 days was not available on b2. Then I tried 590 it indicated 9.5% but it is 10% according to main ICICI website. I tried their chat service. After 10 minutes somebody will accept your chat session.
This was one week back, he told FD rate will be update "end of the day" it is one week it has still not bee updated. Anyway I had not received the b2 security card, again next day I asked the cat guy where is my security card, he told it was couriered and gave me the consignment number. When I asked the courier company, the company said it was addressed to an ICICI bank manager.
I again asked the chat guy next day, he said it will first go to "concerned dept" and that dept will send it to you. I say, if the courier was being sent to the "concerned dept", why was the consignment number given to me? OK after one day I got the b2 security card. I transferred some money in the account and tried to open a 590 days FD at b2 site rate (9.5% although the chat officers maintained it will be opened at 10%). Next day I logged in, the amount was debited but no FD was visible.
I promptly sent a mail. Next day FD is visible and - guess what - interest rate for 590 days offered to me is 6.75%. I ask the chat guy - he says "technical error - it will be corrected by 3 days". Now I am thoroughly fed up with ICICI b2. I try to break the FD with the "premature withdrawl" link. It says "unable to process your request". This is a nightmarish experience, I really do not know if their computers was working properly? I am scared my money might disappear.
About 15 days back I tried to book FD in my normal ICICI account through internet. After typing transaction password, the screen turns blank. After repeated contact with customer service, they did not have a clue what the prblem was. Majority even said there was no problem.
I have opened account with HDFC bank and their internet banking seems better than ICICI. I am closing my ICICI normal account also. ICICI required minimum 10000 AQB - 10000 rupees for this lousy banking service, while HDFC will make it a zero balance account if you have some minimum FD with them.