I have had enough trouble with the SBI Phone banking people and I believe that SBI should take action against GE Money as they are the one who is handling the Customer Service for SBI’s Credit Card.
You must be knowing that sometimes back last year, the SBI had a tie up with IRCTC where they were giving 10% discount from 3rd transaction onwards on all the irctc purchases till January 31st 2006. I made 4 transactions and the discount was amounting to Rupees 490. I had made this purchase in the month of September-October 05 and when I recieved my statement in November, I did not see the discount. I called the Phone banking that there is no discount and they came up saying they will finally do it in February as this scheme was valid till January. since then I never recieved any reversal. I called them so many times and they were not able to resolve this matter. Till date this has not been resolved.
The customer services sucks equally. When I had been following up on a payment miss due to non reciept of statement, I called up the customer support. The lady on the customer side (Priya) picked up the phone, she was resolving my queries. When I discussed this issue that I have not recieved any credit of reversal on IRCTC purchase, she started asking me dates of purchase of tickets and other questions which for me was taking time as this was done something last year so I asked her to hold the phone. Mind this that whenever they ask us to hold, we are very patient, but when I asked her to hold while I check back, she became impatient. Firstly this was not my job to keep track of such information, it should be with SBI in their terminal. Had she taken the initiative, I could have resolved the problem immediately. Anyways the tone of the customer support changed while she had to wait for my inputs. Finally she said, that she hasn’t got whole day for responding/resolving my query. (If she can’t resolve my query they why the hell they call themselved customer support?) Anyways she not only was getting upset while she was talking to me, she was not ready to provide me support as well of any sort, I had to do my own defence and provide proofs. Finally I also lost control and told her that if the bank is not making adjustment of the reversal of discount on IRCTC, I ll not pay the full amount. She smartly wrote in her records that I am not ready to pay full amount. When I asked her to call her superior, she called up a guy called Anoop. After talking to Anoop he told me to make a final settlement pay of Rupees 3803.88. He also said that the late payment fees was waived off and promised me to look into both the matters:
Priya’s mis behaviour
Matter of reversal of IRCTC discount charges.
I made the payment and called up SBI to cancel the card sometimes later. I chose to hear the last payment made and I was told that they have recieved payment of 3804 which I made the payment. When I spoke to the Customer Representative, this time Jama (From Chennai) she reported that the check was returned by the Bank and so I ll have to also pay the transaction fees for the same. I informed them that I ll pay that amount as this was mistake on my part to issue the check and did not ensure that the bank had the right amount. I told them to represent the check to which she said she will do. When I asked what is the other amount that I am supposed to pay she said that there is another amount of 1720.42 that I am supposed to pay, when I asked for details, she said that there is no details except that I agreed to pay them Rs.4000 This was no where that I agreed for. When I said that who had recorded that statement, she informed that there is no name there so she has no idea, but then I realized that this must be Priya. When I asked her that I am not supposed to pay any amount other than agreed amount of Rs 3803.88 and I have already issued check of 3804. She started asking me question of why have I not paid the amount in May 06 of minimum amount due. When I told her that it was because I was waiting for a settlement from SBI CC division I had not paid, but there was another reason that Anoop had already mentioned that I need not pay extra late payment fees or any service charges on the same. She told me that there is no such statement. I had my head spinning. I told her give me the amount that I have spent on CC last month which is not yet paid. I also told her not to tell me the amount of 3803.88 in that same amount. What came out from it was that there was following charges which are interest and other financial charges which includes
336.72 Latepayment fees
122.17 Other Financial Charges
280.60 Representing check in Bank
5.82 Insurance Charges
26.94 Another Insurance Charges
20.20 Another Insurance Charges
summing up to 792.45 I am not sure where did this come from again. Insurance I am certainly not going to pay as I am planning to cancel the card. Charges for representing the check I’ll certainly pay but then I am not going to pay the other charges as this was discussed with Anoop and so I ll pay the amount summing up to 719.64+280.60 = 1000.24 Paise. When I told her that I ll pay only this amount she told me why you are not going to pay, I said I am not supposed to as I had already discussed with Anoop and I don;t think any thing besides this was outstanding so I ll not pay. She said fine I ll take a note of it. When I said I intend to speak to Anoop she said she is from Chennai and probably last time when you spoke you must have spokent to Gurgaon Customer Support Centre. So try calling again. I hung up.
I called again this time it was Ankur. The guy was gentle and polite. He was all the time polite and I was very happy with his support. ( Some how I believe ladies in the call centre does not work, they do not have patience to listen and I believe this is somethign that the call centres should check for before hiring) Anyways, he updated me and told me all the details I required he also told me that there is no update on the discussion you had from Anoop. He told me that generally they do not write name of employees over there, which I doubt so he cannot give me further details on the same. He said that I should write to feedback.gesbi@ge.com to get it clarified and he also told me that it should be done within 48 Hours. I have writtent them my problem and I hope to hear from them soon.
But I must say that I was trying to fight for the discount and here I was under trouble and loaded with latepayment charges, financial charges, mis behaviour and mental tension. Sometimes I think if I would have been in any US or European country, these people would have been paying through their nose but then this is INDIA.
What ever happens I must say that SBI Credit Card sucks and would like to say that so are the other credit card. I’ll say that this plastic money has given me enough nightmares and mental tourtures that I am now planning to get rid of all 6 cards I have.
Regards
Ashish P