cc with best and worst customer service

[Open123]

---

@CreditScholar wrote:

Many people take credit so personally, can't even recognize things that are really their own fault, and/or don't understand how the game is played. It's often much easier to blame the lender and call it poor customer service (or as some like to put it, "CUSTOMER RISK").

---

Right, far too often, we define good customer service as acquiescing to our requests, CLIs, waiving of fees, lowering APRs, and a variety of demands.  Conversely, bad customer service is when we're refused or declined.  

In my view, customer service isn't how bubbly, articulate, or the accent of the CSR, but what they do when I have a problem, not how accomodating they are on the myriad of inconsequential requests.  Customer service is AmEx finding me a room when there were none to be had during a convention, or allowing me return home by picking up cash in a local travel office should I find myself stranded abroad.

[Weights]

---

@SunriseEarth wrote:

---

@Weights wrote:

I thought this would be a useful post.  As the title suggests, from your personal experience, which credit card issuers overall has the best and worst customer service? It can be any creditor, such as banks, credit unions, etc.  Please elaborate as to why. 

From my own experience:

   Best: American Express

   Worst: Capital One

I haven't had AMEX for very long, but they've always been pretty courteous to me, and a couple of claims I filed were honered with no hassels at all.  The reps also seemed to genuniely care about my satisfaction with the account and customer service.  So long as things continue to be good, I plan to keep the account open indefinitely. 

Capital One, on the other hand, never seems to resolve much of anything until you get the EO involved, and even then, it can be a questionable outcome.  For example, they refused to remove their duplicate tradeline when my Best Buy account was transferred to Citi, effecting my AAOA, even though Citi was reoprting the exact same information (open date, payment history, etc).  Also, it seems you often have a language barrier with the front line reps.  I will never apply for an account owned by them again. 

---

It's accurate information.  Why should they faulted for reporting accurate information?  

I haven't always achieved my desired results with the CapOne EO, but they have provided excellent service for me.  

---

I agree with the other posts that this is an area where it's virtually impossible to remain neutral.  I certainly don't believe in the old saying that the customer is always right either.  Experiences can and will vary between individuals with the same creditors.  I certainly respect the fact others may not hold the same viewpoint as that of my own when it comes to a particular issuer. 

In so far as my complaint with Capital One detailed above, having another tradeline for one credit account has adversely effected my AAOA.  There's another forum on here where others had the same exact complaint.  To be fair, it's probably not having a lot of damage in my case, but I had absolutely no control over this in any perceivable way.  Hence, I don't see why myself and the others effected should have their fico impacted because of this.   Might other creditors do this in the same scenario?  Sure, but my experience in this case is with Capital One.  Again, I respect that others hold Capital One's EO in higher regard than myself, and were sometimes able to get what was sought.  But my experience with them is not as good compared to other creditors.  Hence, this is why I asked others to give their opinions based on their experiences.  Anyone is free to disregard another's opinion if so desired. 

[DigitalArk]

It's very subjective:

The best: USAA, Discover, Chase Sapphire

The better: NFCU, Amex (most of the reps I spoke with were Filipinos), Barclaycard

The bad: None with the cards I have

[enharu]

@weight, have you tried disputing the account with the CRAs?

Anyhow like CS and open said, this is extremely subjective and sometimes it becomes too personal and emotions are tied in. There are certainly competent and incompetent CSRs, but it's not exactly fair to put a blanket statement that xxx bank has horrible CSRs all the time. They may be more likely to have worse CSRs, but like everything else it's going to be YMMV.

I have had a few bad experiences myself, such as the couple times I was basically transferred around different citi departments because each CSR said it was the other's responsibility. It can be a nuisance, but there are other times the service was acceptable as well.

Also to add: a lot of the call center positions are minimum wage. If those people were any competent, they wouldn't be stuck at this job that pays as much as a McDonald's cook to start with.

[Weights]

---

@enharu wrote:
@weight, have you tried disputing the account with the CRAs?

Anyhow like CS and open said, this is extremely subjective and sometimes it becomes too personal and emotions are tied in. There are certainly competent and incompetent CSRs, but it's not exactly fair to put a blanket statement that xxx bank has horrible CSRs all the time. They may be more likely to have worse CSRs, but like everything else it's going to be YMMV.

I have had a few bad experiences myself, such as the couple times I was basically transferred around different citi departments because each CSR said it was the other's responsibility. It can be a nuisance, but there are other times the service was acceptable as well.

Also to add: a lot of the call center positions are minimum wage. If those people were any competent, they wouldn't be stuck at this job that pays as much as a McDonald's cook to start with.

---

I agree with everything you said enharu.  You'll read horror stories with any company out there I'm sure.  In my case, I'm certainly not suggesting that others won't ever have good experiences with Capital One.  I'm stating, however, that my experience with them compared to other creditors is worse.  Hence, I don't have any desire to do business with them again personally. 

To answer your question, I have in fact disputed the account with the CRAs.  After I called up each bureau and elaborated, Transunion and Equifax deleted the Capital One tradeline to my surprise.  Experian, on the other hand, refused to do so unless Capital One sent a request.  Maybe I just got a bad rep in the EO, but she acted like my concern was barely worth having a conversation over.  I also didn't like the fact that individual reps there don't have a direct number.  You have to ask for the person by name and wait on hold longer if the same one doesn't answer when calling back, presuming that he/she is able to speak with you then.  This situation obviously plays a role in my feelings towards Capital One, but my overall interaction with them as a whole was worse than with other issuers.  Trust me when I state that I hope others who have had better experiences with them continue to do so.  I apologize if anyone was offended by my previous comments. 

[Chris679]

I work in a call center and I can tell you from personal experience that you really can't blame the company because a CSR gave you bad info. Across the board, this is the way it is. It's just the nature of the business.


Maybe true but we are comparing them to others whose CSRs know exactly what will and will not be a HP and make it perfectly clear.

[drkaje]

---

@enharu wrote:
Threads like this are often very subjective and biased, as evident from some of the posts.

When a customer gets to have his way, whether it is for an approval, CLI request, upgrade, sp CLI, etc., they are happy.

When things don't go the way they hope, they are unhappy, and most of the time the customer service department bears the brunt of the blame.

---

Customer service is about how concerns or complaints are addressed. If people are cheerful, knowledgeable, and professional I generally hang up the phone satisfied. It would be silly to think things will always go my way, LOL!

[bigblue7722]

---

@JasonKR wrote:

Best: Discover, Amex

-> They know what they are doing.

Between: Chase

-> Overall good, but not great IMO

Moderate: BoA, Capital One, 

-> Never had problem with. but for BoA, had problem with unsecuring secured card

Worst: Citi

-> Wanted to change card design, but why are they talking about photocard every time I contact them?

---

What was your problem with boa and unsecuring your secured card?? Mine is at 9 months right now I am hoping for early graduation.

[barbaralee]

I sit next to the call center part of my department, right next to a Nigerian man, in fact. I always find it amusing when I hear him transfer because someone wants a person "from the U.S.", based solely on his accent. He says people complain about his English, but truthfully his English is better than most others (Nigeria's official language is English). 

But I got a taste of the whole "I need someone from my country" once. They crossed trained me on a platform where I had to take some calls. I am very articulate, and have pretty good vocabulary. I spoke with someone who I could only guess was from NJ, or somewhere east and he said to me: "I can't talk to you, anymore. I need someone from my own country." I laughed out loud. I said: "Excuse me?" And he repeated what he said. I have never had such an absurdly insulting request. 

I personally have never had issues speaking with a rep where I had to request someone else based on their accent. 

[efranklin23]

---

@enharu wrote:
Threads like this are often very subjective and biased, as evident from some of the posts.

When a customer gets to have his way, whether it is for an approval, CLI request, upgrade, sp CLI, etc., they are happy.

When things don't go the way they hope, they are unhappy, and most of the time the customer service department bears the brunt of the blame.

---

+1 Agree to this 100%. Threads like this won't help you with the credit process at all