In- Credibly Untrustworthy Card Company!!! Well that’s quite extreme, you might think!
Extreme possibly, but not undeservingly so.
My tryst with ICICI started a year and a half ago. They had special schemes going for our company’s employees. Free for a year. Thought, Well, they portray a good image in their ads, they’ll probably be living up to it too. Little did I know of what peril I was putting myself into.
Card received in: 1 day. Documents required: Close to none. Way to go don’t you think.
Well, here begins the oft-repeated saga. After the card, one is supposed to receive an ATM pin, a net-banking pin, etc, isn’t it? Well they come separately through courier later. 15 days & No sign of either. I think:well ICICI is a good name, must be the courier co not delivering in time.
Surprise surprise, close to 2 months and still no signs of the pins. No Statements either. Are they waiving off the 1000 odd Rs I owe them?
Call to the Call- center: : Funnily enough, to file in a complaint you need to key in your card no & the pin. Also in the initial recorded message, there’s no mention of any key you press to directly speak with an operator.
Visit 1 to the Bank: 9.30 am
Me: Hello, I’ve made some transactions with you, I owe you some money. Will you be gracious enough to receive that and not charge me with any interest & service charges you’d have charged had I not come here today.
Executive @ Bank : Concerned Madam not here yet. Wait till she comes.
Entry of Madam @ 11.30
Catch 22 Situation Her Response : I’ll take the dues, but well, I cant help you with the pins. You need to speak with the call center
Me: But I cant seem to get across to someone I can speak with!
She calls & Bingo! she connects me through to an operator. (Psst, she told me of her secret way to get through to the operators too) Spoke of my problem. Checked my address with them. All’s right with their records, but I aint got any pins. Got a reassurance that the pins will reach me pronto.
Great! Problem solved! , I think.
Another 2 months. No signs of Pins or statement yet!
Visit 2 to the Bank: Previous Scene Repeat Now a reassurance that I’ll get my statements henceforth via e-mail.
No signs still of any statements via post. 1 E-Mail statement received after 3 months, with no details, just an amount. Call, ask for details, get them. Holy Crap they’ve charged me with late fees et al. Got them waived. Paid the Basic amount.
Told them again of my problem. And threatened that henceforth, I aint running behind them to pay unless they send me a detailed statement.
Still no statements coming.
4 months later: Got a call from collecting agency saying my payments are overdue
Ask them for details, again way too much service charges and late fees. Told them that I’m ready to pay the basic, refuse to pay overheads.
They explain(quite rudely at that too) that I needed to have called them within 3 months of transaction, And that now they can not waive the late payment and service charges.
2 days later: Again got a call from collecting agency saying my payments are overdue.
Was in a meeting. That too on roaming. Asked them to call back later that evening after 5.30. They still kept calling. Got 43 calls from them in that one day! Took about 15 of them and put them on hold so that I have a proof in terms of my phone bill details of this harassment.
Asked them very politely to (Pardon me) F...k off, and have not paid since. Also requested them that they please take me to court for the 1000 Rs I owe them, so in retaliation, I can take them to consumer court.
6 moths have elapsed since. My total dues have crossed 5000. I now receive a monthly email statement from ICICI credit cards. I receive a monthly SMS alert of my dues. I have so far also received 2 statements by post.
Wonderful Service, don’t you think?