topic Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service? in Credit Cards

How is Citibank's Customer Service?

CreditScholar — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 12:22:54 GMT

I've been strongly considering adding the new Citi Hilton Reserve card to my wallet, however I wanted to get some feedback from people about their customer service before applying. The card benefits/rewards are great. How is their CS? Is it even close to Chase, Amex, Discover, etc.?

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Open123 — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:31:17 GMT

Citi Gold's customer service is exemplary.

There is a special "gold only" phone number (unlike backdoor numbers, they verify gold standing before taking the call) where there's literally no wait times. All CSRs are generally very articulate and seem to understand complex spatial issues more than most. As good as this service is here in the US, it's even better overseas.

However, I'm not sure if this extends to the credit card department. I've had the Citi Premier for about 6 months, and have never had cause to call them for anything. I've been around those who have called. It seems to me Citi's CSRs are bound by company policies with no discretion to ever make an exception, unlike some other issuers. While Citi Gold CSRs are great, they can't override even the simplest Citi protocol--the most inflexible company with whom I've ever dealt.

From my experience, I think Discover is the friendliest and most enthused about helping to resolve issues. You will never get a bad expreience with Discover customer service calls.

AmEx isn't as consistent as Discover, but when it comes to making exceptions and overriding protocol, Amex is completely without peer. For example, last year I called them about losing some tickets, which they refunded with a statement credit without any documentation whatsover (the agreement will call for a process, but they often waive that process). Or, when I charge someting on a lesser card, I've had protection from my Platinum card (though the agreement specifies you must use the Plat for the card's benefits). Amex just seems to be able to do anything--if they feel like it. Of course, if they don't, they're far and away the worst company with whom to deal.

I haven't called Chase much, but when I have, there's never a wait time. The few issues I've had with Chase has been resolved very quickly and without any fanfare.

I'd imagine Citi would be less than the above referenced 3, but certainly a step above BofA, CapOne, etc...

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Cdnewmanpac — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:45:32 GMT

Open123's experiences fit with those of my wife: phone CSRs are very professional, but they really stick to scripts. The one exception has been their @askciti twitter team, whom she has found to be very responsive and creative in finding solutions for her.

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:09:12 GMT

They are decent. Better than most, but not on Chase/AmEx's level IMO.

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 15:43:49 GMT

I say not as good as Discover or Chase but better than capital one

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

CreditChampion — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:50:32 GMT

Can you share the gold customer service number? Thanks

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Open123 — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:17:14 GMT

@CreditChampion wrote:
Can you share the gold customer service number? Thanks

888-248-4465

I don't think they service credit cards though.

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:22:02 GMT

Nope Citigold CSR's don't help with credit cards. I've tried, but they can only help me with checking, savings, etc.

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

frogfan12 — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 00:52:57 GMT

I think Citi's CS is pretty good. Like someone mentioned above, using the @askciti service on Twitter has definitely helped to resolve various problems I've experienced.

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 20:18:34 GMT

I have a fantastic credit rating for decades and excellent income. I've typically had credit lines with credit card companies from $8,000 to $35,000. My credit lines are often increased without me even asking. And when my accounts have been closed, it has been by MY choice to close them. I pay ALL my bills on time. As a result, banks always offer and grant me new credit cards --- EXCEPT Citibank.

CITIBANK sends me enticing offers of 0% for 18 months to transfer my balances but whenever I apply, they reject me. Why? Because in 2005 CITI closed a credit card account I had (that's right, 7 years ago) because of a tiny small claims court issue that showed up on my public record. This was over a couple hundred dollars that wasn't with CITI-- it was a personal matter that someone took me to small claims court instead of just coming to me directly-- I wasn't even aware of the bill until I was in the courtroom and as soon as I knew about it, I paid it off. The judge offered my the opportunity to pay it in installments, which I accepted, not realizing at the time that decision would blemish my record. OK, so life happens and we move on, but since that ended up in the public record, CITI closed my credit card account in 2005 even though I was never late in any payment on any credit card or car loan or debt of any kind EVER -- with MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS in credit lines over the years. Now SEVEN YEARS LATER, CITIBANK won't even consider my impeccable credit for DECADES with NO late payments , NO bankruptcy , NO foreclosure EVER. Most banks consider me an excellent customer, but CITI wastes my time with their offers. After I applied, they didn't call back as promised, and then when I call to inquire about the status they transfer me over to 5 different people in a single phone call and in the end they say "DECLINED." The reason: because I once had a CITI account that is restricted that will ALWAYS be reviewed in any application with CITI -- which means they NEVER want my business since that stupid little incident that was resolved once it was brought to my attention overrides everything else. Really incredible, -- they treat good responsible customers like garbage that can be thrown away.

So who is good? DISCOVER. I find that they have tremendous customer service!

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 23:55:12 GMT

I have credit cards from each one and here is my experience:

Best to worst:

1) Discover

2)Chase

3)Amex

4)Citi

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 02:27:42 GMT

I would put them right behind Amex and US Bank.

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 02:34:01 GMT

Agreed!!

Re: How is Citibank's Customer Service?

cashnocredit — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 02:57:17 GMT

I've only had two experiences with Citi credit cards. They used to offer 25k secured mastercards with a 4% cd. Gf and I got one in late summer '09. In early '10 they limited cash advances to 5k and, coincidentally, dropped their max on new cards to 5k. That Spring my mom had a stroke and I found myself desperately trying to find an air ambulence to take her to my home on the West coast. After finding one I agreed to charge 20k on my MC and write a check for the rest but the card was declined. I called Citi and explained that I was declined for no reason on a secured card well below my CL. The CSR could see the decline and couldn't make sense of it so she immediately escalated to a CSR who could actually watch the CC activity and see the decline real time but they still had no idea why. They called in someone who determined it was the result of a banking policy change (probably related to the other 5k change?). They tried to use a manual authorization with the ambulence service but they were a small op and had outsourced the CC processing to a third party who couldn't take the manual authorization. Citi then went and changed something on the account "so it would go through normally" and waited until we verified it was approved. Subsequently, I've had a couple other occasions to run more than 5k charges through it and their have been zero issues.

I found Citi CSRs and techies friendly and quite diligent in addressing an apparently unusual problem.

The other experience was PCing the card above about a year after it was unsecured. Changed it to a WE MC. No pulls or any questions for that matter.