Barclay's BLOWS!!!!

[scenery_guy]

I think Barclays is meh at best. I got the US Airways card at the beginning of this year and was instantly approved but with a very small limit of $2K. Called to recon for CLI and the analyst was certainly professional but not polite. He nailed me as a churner but never used those words. I have yet to cancel a card then reapply but he pointed out all of my new cards and said he was not comfortable giving me a larger limit with all of my new accounts. I carry zero balances and I am an active spender on all my accounts. I explained to him that I won't spend over a few hundred a month on the card with that limit but he did not budge. 

Wound up transferring all of my earned and signup bonus miles to DW account recently to take advantage of the 100% bonus transfer. It was pricey to do ($460 to transfer 40K from my account earning her 80K total transfer) but she now has enough miles to fly her family out to visit us in January. I plan on letting the card sit unused until they cancel it due to inactivity. Dropping that card will not effect me one way or the other and quite frankly it's their loss. AMEX and Chase can have my big spends and I will use Citi and US Bank Club Carlson enough to show decent activity. 

I had hopes that they would auto CLI me so I could look at some other Barclays cards in the future but I must be flagged as a churner or card collector.

[FocusedAndDetermined]

---

@Awesomely wrote:

Barclay's is one of the worst credit companies, every representative I have talked to is hostile and it's like an interogation when you have to talk to them. " Oh sir I see you carried a $10 balance a year ago, is there any reason for that? "

Just be glad that you don't have their card anymore and aren't giving them anymore money.

---

My experience with them has been stellar.  I find their reps courteous and helpful on the few occassions I've had to call in.  I quickly and painlessly reconned my initial $1.3K CL to $3k, and the bonus of CVS and Target counting as grocery stores really helps the point compile quickly.  I am very satisfied with Barclay, but I do understand the OP's point about potential quick closure for non use.

[Awesomely]

Every single rep I have talked to has just been hostile and they know they have authority over you since they can do whatever they want with your account. I also have problems with their paranoid card closure business practices.

[FinStar]

@Awesomely - Barclays is not for everyone.  While you may have issue with their practices and/or policies, others (like myself) have had their CC products and have encountered no issues.  The beauty about banking and free choice, is that there's plenty of them out there for everyone.  No bank or CU has ever forced any individual to maintain a relationship with them.

[jasonkm1]

I've only used their card for their 0% balance transfer offers for the past 2 years. Haven't actually purchased anything with it during this time. Do you guys think I'm safe from them closing it?  I figured it would be ok since they send me the BT checks every month.  From about 2 years ago I used a check to transfer a $3000 balance and paid the card off when the interest rate would start taking effect, then a month later wrote another check to myself for $4000 that I used to pay off other cards and a vacation. That offer expires next July and was planning on paying it off by then and writing another check. Will probably think twice if this will cause them to cancel my account. This is one my oldest cards and has my 2nd highest credit limit.

[mxp114]

I find Barclaycard reps apathetic and mediocre but never rude.

[TiggerDat]

I also do not find them to be the best to talk to.  I asked them about my account and it was painful. 

I can't say they are rude, near that border though!  Unhelpful, annoyed, unresponsive, scripted, canned, are some of the adjectives I would select. 

[FinStar]

@mxp114 and @bernhardtra... I would give both that.  I could see that.  Maybe I don't call them that often enough to know for sure.  In the times I've had contacted them they seemed somewhat monotone at best, but not rude or unprofessional.

[FocusedAndDetermined]

---

@FinStar wrote:

@mxp114 and @bernhardtra... I would give both that.  I could see that.  Maybe I don't call them that often enough to know for sure.  In the times I've had contacted them they seemed somewhat monotone at best, but not rude or unprofessional.

---

Guess I've been fortunate, when I've called the reps have been professional and pleasant.

[Themanwhocan]

---

@bernhardtra wrote:

I also do not find them to be the best to talk to.  I asked them about my account and it was painful. 

I can't say they are rude, near that border though!  Unhelpful, annoyed, unresponsive, scripted, canned, are some of the adjectives I would select. 

---

You forgot Ignorant.

I only called them once. I will wait until I am in a particularly good mood, before attempting to do so again.

I suppose its inevitable though, just like visiting the Dentist.

I'm loving the two Barclay cards I have, though! Priceline.com 2% cash back for everything, and its a Visa.... Plus Three 5% cash back categories on the Sallie Mae MasterCard.