topic Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today in Credit Cards

Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:11:25 GMT

I've been an Amex member for 2 years with my PRG and with the new Everyday cards and high AF of the PRG verses the Everyday Preffered I decided to call the retention department to cancel. I tried 4 different reps and not a single one of them offered me any reason to keep it open. Not even a single offer of more MR points, waive the AF, or anything. I'm honestly surprised as I put a lot of money through the card. In fact, none of them cared that I wanted to cancel, and they went straight to read the disclosure statement to make sure I wanted to close it.

My credit profile is great and I honestly have much better prime cards but I still figured they'd try a little bit to keep a customer of two years. The whole experience made me doubt I even want to get one of their other cards now. Before this I was considering getting the Everyday Preffered. I'm seriously doubting it now. I think I'll just stick to Chase and Citi now since they seem to love me even though I've had them less time than the Amex card.

Anybody else noticing less than stellar customer service with Amex these days?

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:13:07 GMT

Do you have unused MR points, that is where the ED comes in.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

mongstradamus — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:15:28 GMT

my limited experience with amex has been less than stellar. Since most of the CSR are outsourced i don't really think they care if they keep customers. Their only goal is to gain new customer from what I can tell.

I really don't know how they win best customer service awards every year but that is another story in itself.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:15:44 GMT

I had used them all on a recent hotel stay. So that would have been my only reason to keep it open and keep those points. But since my AF hit and I had used my points there was no other reason to keep it unless they gave me a bonus offer or AF credit.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:17:19 GMT

I agree. Luckily when you call to cancel a card they transfer you to the US based call center. They were just as bad as the outsoucred center when I've had to call them for anything.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:31:41 GMT

tbh - i consider that great customer service. nothing worse to me than begging not to close a card. i'm an adult and if i want to close a card I've weighed the benefits and the costs already.

just my opinion.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:37:58 GMT

True, but considering how little value the PRG has now compared to other cards, even their own Everyday lineup, you'd think they'd throw me a bone to stay. I've read on here and other forums of people being offered waived AF or 25k bonus points for staying. Heck even free Amazon Prime coudl have been cool. It seems all of the great offers are only for new accounts and they could care less about existing members.

As an example both Citi and Chase both notice when my spending goes down a little on their cards and I'll get an offer of x amount of bonus points if I spend a certain amount over rthe next few months. It works great and I'll up my use of the card for the bonus. It happens every 4-6 months usually. I never got a single perk like that with my PRG even when I was using it like crazy and stopped for awhile.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:40:30 GMT

tbh - I agree with mike1979. I don't exactly consider it begging but neither would I expect a lender to offer incentive for me to keep a card open after deciding to close. They certainly aren't obligated to do so and that doesn't mean their service is flawed. You called to cancel, cancellation was granted. Where exactly did they fail in this experience? Perhaps the amount you put through the card was minor compared to the big picture and there wasn't a major reason to offer you freebies to keep the card open idk.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

joedtx — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:49:25 GMT

@Thammer wrote:
True, but considering how little value the PRG has now compared to other cards, even their own Everyday lineup, you'd think they'd throw me a bone to stay. I've read on here and other forums of people being offered waived AF or 25k bonus points for staying. Heck even free Amazon Prime coudl have been cool. It seems all of the great offers are only for new accounts and they could care less about existing members.

As an example both Citi and Chase both notice when my spending goes down a little on their cards and I'll get an offer of x amount of bonus points if I spend a certain amount over rthe next few months. It works great and I'll up my use of the card for the bonus. It happens every 4-6 months usually. I never got a single perk like that with my PRG even when I was using it like crazy and stopped for awhile.

I have to agree with the above poster If i've made a decision to cancel a product I don't want it to turn into an experience of like trying to cancel your cable service where they are debating you on the merits of your own decision. As far as customer service goes AMEX is the best the second place trophy would go to Discover I will say that Citi used to be top notch until the last few years but now they are mediocore at best with Chase private client only being just above them. I hope you've taken into consideration the upcoming benefit adds for the PRG in your decision.

All the best

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 17:57:57 GMT

Yeah I guess I see the points you are making. I called to cancel and they granted. The point I'm trying to make is there are websites and posts dedicated to the Amex retention offers that members get when closing an account. If they would have said he we'll give you 25k MR points I honestly woudln't have cancelled and they'd have seen more use on the card. To me, that's showing you appreciate existing members.

I used the card a lot until just a few months ago. Then they got rid of the 15k point bonus for yearly spend, and came out with the Everyday Preffered which pretty much kills the PRG. I guess my thinking is if you're going to make a card somewhat obsolete you'd make it more attractive when people go to close it out. Just my opinion.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:01:49 GMT

you're still a customer with their other card though - I am sure they are aware that the everyday card is one that has better perks than the prg. Maybe they said to themselves "yeah i'd cancel that card too".

i've canceled cards over the voice response system and thought the same as you - wow, they don't care. but i've also canceled cards where they offered to waive fees, and that didn't work so they started talking about AAoA etc and nothing could be worse than that.

closed my best buy mc last week - wasn't bad, but they did ask why i wanted to close it, which was probably a good mix of caring/not begging.

real question though, is were you looking to close the account, or were you looking to get the annual fee waived? and if you were just looking to get the fee waived, did you ever ask for that straight up?

EDIT - just saw your last post - did you ask them for extra rewards points first? or ask for the annual fee waive? curious because i plan to ask for mine to be waived, but i'd just ask.

also, you said you moved your spending a few months ago - did you move it to the other amex card or to some other issuer's card?

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

core — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:08:54 GMT

@Thammer wrote:
If they would have said he we'll give you 25k MR points I honestly woudln't have cancelled and they'd have seen more use on the card.

Hah, yeah if they gave me $250 I'd keep mine too!! Did you give them that much in profit over the last year? If not, what makes you think they would give you that much? Paying out more than you take in doesn't seem like a good way to run a business.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:12:25 GMT

Yeah by the time I got to the 4th rep I asked if they'd just be willing to give me the points to offest the AF or just flat out waive the AF. I got a no to both. I even told them that the whole reason I was closing it was because the EDP was better and that last rep agreed with me. So you may have a point. They thought the same thing and didn't think there was anything worth offerig to keep it open. Excellent obvservation.

Basically my call went like that. I said I'm calling to cancel and they asked why. I stated those reasons above and they said OK we'll close it. I guess I'm just used to other companies at least offering to waive some fees or do a product change to something better which is what Citi recently did for me.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:15:56 GMT

The $250 in points isn't that out of line. Heck I nearly pay that in the annual fee alone. Google Amex retention offers and see what people said they've gotten when trying to close out their cards. My spend at one point was high enough to make that worth while for them to keep me.

But to answer the other post, no I moved my spending to another card for a couple of months, namely to my Citi AAvantage to get the 50k mile sign up bonus.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

kdm31091 — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:17:19 GMT

Some companies just don't give out free stuff. They will close your card if you ask and that's it. We have to all remember we are one of many many many cardholders and despite what we may think, they can do fine without us! So can't really be expecting a huge retention offer every time.

Of course its nice to get, but never guaranteed and shouldn't really be expected.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:22:53 GMT

@kdm31091 wrote:
Some companies just don't give out free stuff. They will close your card if you ask and that's it. We have to all remember we are one of many many many cardholders and despite what we may think, they can do fine without us! So can't really be expecting a huge retention offer every time.

Of course its nice to get, but never guaranteed and shouldn't really be expected.

most of all - it's not "customer service".

customer service is getting you a replacement card super fast if you lose it on vacation. customer service is explaining fees or features. customer service is handling your requests accurately (address changes etc) and giving you correct answers. customer service is leaving notes on your account so you don't have to explain yourself if you are transferred (and not transferring you 6 times)

retention offers and such are a separate entity.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

kdm31091 — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:26:10 GMT

Agreed. I'm in retail and hate when people say bad customer service because they didn't get everything they want. There's a pervasive attitude in society where if you aren't given handouts, the customer service is poor. Not that OP was as extreme about it, but it happens a lot

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Thammer — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:35:16 GMT

I know opinions vary on this. I didn't mean for my post to come accross as a guy whining about not getting a retention offer. I'm just surprised after all the money I put through Amex that they didn't at least offer. I guess my point is I've read all over the internet about how famous Amex is for their big retention offers but it wasn't the case for me.

I do believe customer service includes rewarding loyal customers. Afterall, we're all consumers and we can choose who to bank with as well as which credit card we prefer. So in that light, I do think that a card company should make using their product more rewarding and strive to keep customers. In today's credit card market we have so many choices based on rewards structure and bonus offers that I think they should cater to us. But maybe that's just me.

And yes, I realize I'm but one tiny cog in the giant machine that is Amex. But it's just my little observation that other credit card companies have treated me better than they have and I'll stick to using them.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

Anonymous — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:37:07 GMT

@kdm31091 wrote:
Agreed. I'm in retail and hate when people say bad customer service because they didn't get everything they want. There's a pervasive attitude in society where if you aren't given handouts, the customer service is poor. Not that OP was as extreme about it, but it happens a lot

i had the misfortune to work in a couple call centers way back when.

it happens enough that i guarantee all 4 csr's were thinking in their head that all OP really wanted was the fee waive. especially after the first 2 calls. they saw the notes - "cust req close acct, disc when i offered to do so".

they also get dinged when you call back in, so each one is already hating their life for getting you in the 1st place. their big hope at that point is that you'll ask for a manager, because one way or the other you might not call back in again (cuz you got what you wanted or will give up). the only other hope they have is closing the account before you disconnect.

as kdm31091 said, not saying you were over the top, but a lot of people are, and at least a quarter,maybe half your calls a day are like that, so the reps start assuming you'll be over the top, which probably hurt your chances.

Re: Cancelled my Amex PRG today

mongstradamus — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:39:11 GMT

It's not surprising that amex doesn't do much for retention offers. Heck they don't even honor offers that are clearly listed in their own website. To me it comes down to if they are looking for new customers to pad their profits