FREE POINTS

[Rick93]

Jim,

I can tell you about Citibank (CB)....

I've taken great pleasure in getting as many points as I can from them....

Previous advice is correct... ring them again and again. You will get a different operator each time.... all working from home! When you ask to speak to a 'supervisor', they will always put you on hold, to give you the impression that there is an actual supervisor nearby. However, you won't get to speak to one, because there are none! (my experience anyway)

So, try asking for a printed statement of the 'terms & conditions' to be sent to your address. The ones that CLEARLY state, that you can only have 'one or the other'.... the points or the low interest rate.

The fact is, there are no such T&Cs available.

Once I pointed this out to one of the operators, (and we argued over it for about 15 minutes) I pointed out, that there was a page on their website, that detailed the 1:1 points arrangement, and even the 2:1 points arrangement for 'closing' your other card (after a balance transfer).

I told this guy, that I have a 'print out' of everything on their website.... and I'll be contacting NSW Fair Trading to lodge a complaint. I'll probably seek compensation for the 'anxiety' CB have caused me!!!!

Bottom line... I got 2:1 points (balance transfer), plus 6.9%pa for nine months.

Go for it... give'em heaps!!!

regards,

 

[johnsmith]

I just called Citibank customer services and the person I was talking to was in a call centre in Manila, I am not very happy with someone earning 10 cents per hour knowing all my financial details especially in one of the most corrupt places in the world. Its just too tempting for people to borrow your identity and steal all your money.

 

[Ric]

Mr johnsmith,
That's quite a sweeping statement you made about the Filipinos (spelling?). :shock: :cry:

 

[straitman]

Mr johnsmith,
That's quite a sweeping statement you made about the Filipinos (spelling?). :shock: :cry:

Sweeping yet unfortunately true :!:

 

[serfty]

I just called Citibank customer services and the person I was talking to was in a call centre in Manila, I am not very happy with someone earning 10 cents per hour knowing all my financial details especially in one of the most corrupt places in the world. Its just too tempting for people to borrow your identity and steal all your money.

Maybe this was an Ex-Pat from the Phillipines, working from home in suburban Oz and only pretending to be in Manilla?

 

[johnsmith]

I have nothing against people from the Phillipines, but when I call an Australian credit card company with an Australian telephone number I expect to speak to someone actually in Australia. With some banks in the UK you are given a choice to speak to someone in your home country or a call centre in India.

 

[Ric]

Ah! This I totally agree with you. We should be given the choice of speaking to someone in our home country (i.e. Oz) rather than a call centre halfway around the world.

By the way, as a matter of interest, all Dell computers Global support call centre is in India.

Cheers!
Ric

 

[johnsmith]

Ah! This I totally agree with you. We should be given the choice of speaking to someone in our home country (i.e. Oz) rather than a call centre halfway around the world.

By the way, as a matter of interest, all Dell computers Global support call centre is in India.

Cheers!
Ric

There seems to be a number of large corporations locating their call centres in places such as India. Why pay high wages in Australia when you can pay people next to nothing in these countries, they usually only employ university educated people from these countries. I think Telstra was talking about doing something like this.

 

[spunkarooney]

Citibank is incredibly inconsistent. I have received both rewards points and a promotional rate - it was stated in my offer about a year ago.

As for dealing with Citibank, I usually find that sending an email via Citibank online works better than phoning them.

If don't get satisfactory resolution after a few emails I just refer the matter on to the Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman. It saves me the heartache of having to chase the matter up and it also means that I don't have to deal with stupid people who just don't care.

 

[QF WP]

I agree with the Citibank issue raised by spunkarooney. I was fortunate to be referred by a member of Flyertalk to one of Citibank's Team Leaders.

I had referred 8 people to Citibank and they had all received their referal points - but not me.

So, I sent the first email on 11 Nov 2004 (dealing with just one referral points query), he answered on Nov 16 that he had credited my account. True to his word, when I checked the points were there.

On 24 November (after collating all the rest of the information), I sent the next email (for another 3 referrals). He answered on Nov 29 that he had credited my account. Again, the points were there.

What is the most frustrating thing - I had to follow up on what they say is an automatic process (bull*achoo*cough). I sent him an email questioning what processes they have put in place to rectify the problem...that was on 6 December and I'm still waiting (not very patiently) for an answer I don't think is coming??

 

[spunkarooney]

I think that many organisations would like to have systems in place to have "stuff" automated - the reality is that much is partially automated - by way of spreadsheets and databases on employees' desktops rather than in production systems.

I just flicked a complaint the way of the Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman because Citibank appears unable to address a customer service issue with its can't-speak-English-outsourced-out-of-the-friggin-country staff.