Better Rewards vs. Better Customer Service

[kimmiller112]

I've never had bad customer service from CapOne or Barclays.  I call customer service when I am traveling out of the country and using their card and they are nothing but nice and polite.  They mark the files and usually tell me to have a nice trip.  Once, CapOne called me when I purchased a computer because they wanted to make sure it was a valid purchase from me, which I thought was very nice of them.  I deal with the EO for CLIs for CapOne and everyone there is nice.  I've call into Barclays for a CLI and thought they were very nice.

I think a lot of CS complaints are from people who are trying to make changes to their card (PC, CLI, APR reduction) and aren't happy when they are declined.  

[navigatethis12]

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@kimmiller112 wrote:

I think a lot of CS complaints are from people who are trying to make changes to their card (PC, CLI, APR reduction) and aren't happy when they are declined.  

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This is so true it's not even funny. People love the lender when they get what they want, but as soon as they don't, they're the worst thing in history and they will never do business with them again. The exception is American Express; they could slash someone's limit to $100 and charge a $1000 annual fee and people would still be in love with them.

I would take customer service calling me names and talking over me if it meant I would get really good rewards. I don't speak to customer service much, so I really couldn't care less about it when deciding on a credit card.

[CreditScholar]

+1. I believe the term is called sour grapes, and you see it quite a bit on these forums.

As to the original question, I think there comes a point where you can command both and they don't need to be mutually exclusive.

Once a certain level of CS is achieved, then rewards starts to take over. However if their CSRs are so hopeless that even basic functions can't be done correctly, quickly and efficiently, then no amount of rewards will compensate for that IMO.

[compassion101]

I use rewards every day. I use customer service once every couple of months or so. So rewards are more important to me.

Not to say that I like bad CS, certainly it is important. But if it's an either/or between the two, I go rewards.

[Changingmantra]

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@thelethargicage wrote:

I'd love to get the Sallie Mae MC and the Capital One Quicksilver, but almost all the reports I've heard about their CS have been negative.  From Barclaycard's AAs and unwillingness to upgrade from one tier of MC to another and to Capital One's robot-like, never-deviate-from-the-script CS and next-to-impossible to get CLIs, I think in some cases it's better to pass up on more advantageous rewards programs and focus on issuers that provide superior CS in case an issue ever arises...issuers like Chase, American Express, and U.S. Bank, in my opionon.

Which one is more important to you?

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I do no know what "a lot of people" are experiencing, but my personal experience with Barclay has been - regular CLIs - generally cordial customer service.  My experience with Capital 1 has been limited - but adequate CLIs - generally cordial customer service.  My experience with them both - has been inconsistent information provided by CSRs who seem to have poor/limited training.   I had a Cap1 for 4 years - have had a Barclaycard for nearly 2 years.

Although I recently had a wonderful conversation with someone in Cap 1's EO office - who admitted that he has heard of this type of problem with Cap 1 and offered to help me in anyway were I to apply for one of their cards again, I cannot bring myself to do it!  In fact, he also  admitted that I was given wrong information last year, which lead to my closing an account with them.  Like I said, with Barclay, I have never had to ask for a CLI - but my experience with them has not been much better - if at all - than it was when I was with Cap 1 as far as CS goes; I am talking about in just trying to get very basic questions understood and answered.  The CSRs are pleasant enough, but that is not enough to help with credit decisions.  

You may never need to call CS - and maybe few of us ever do, but in another thread someone pointed out that we should consider which bank we would prefer to deal with were we ever in an emergency - especially outside of the US.  In all bussiness transactions, I very much value how I am treated and how much of my time is used/wasted in getting things done.  Barclays has been a whole lot more generous with auto CLIs (2 to 0) and reduced APR promotions(0% 12 months vs.  3.99% 6 months) than Discover - but I trust Discover's CSRs more; and this has nothing to do with having received material things that  I want, rather with having received superior and consistent customer service, which allows me to make informed decisions about my credit account.

As you read through these posts - discern what is a complaint vs. what is a concern over a business relationship; and pay attention to the patterns.  You have to decide what you can tolerate, just like in any relationship.  Many of us probably get a mixed bag of manure and soil, no matter the bank.