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To be honest, how many times do you even need CS? Unless you are high maintenance, get the card with the best rewards that fit your spend.
I find all the phone and online applications for both good.
Excluding required calls for Amex Plat perks I would have never called them.
The only time customer service is needed is if there is a fraudulent charge or an issue with the cash back or a card needs to be replaced. When Bean was handled by Barclay they were good at catching a couple of fraudulent charges and contacted me right away, and it was handled with one phone call. If there is an issue, I don't want to have to have trouble getting it resolved.
I have had my issues with Citi's CS and Fraud departments and almost walked away from them two years ago. I stuck it out with all the crap they made me do to keep the card and am happy with it 99% of the time. If I have to call in for any reason I think very carefully about cancelling it every time. With AMEX, I've never felt that way. I would prefer if they defaulted to my Gold Card when I call in rather than my Hilton that I only use for hotel stays but that is the only gripe I have with them.
@Anonymous wrote:
American Express has four tiers.
Tier 1: Core Products.
<b>Tier 2: High-Value Cardmembers on Core Products.</b>
Tier 3: Platinum CCPs.
Tier 4: Centurion CCPs & Account Supervisors.
Just out of curiosity, how do “reach” tier 2?
@bergrides wrote:The only time customer service is needed is if there is a fraudulent charge or an issue with the cash back or a card needs to be replaced. When Bean was handled by Barclay they were good at catching a couple of fraudulent charges and contacted me right away, and it was handled with one phone call. If there is an issue, I don't want to have to have trouble getting it resolved.
My card is on double secret probation. I don't want to make a hasty decision to close, so I'm giving it a few months while I think about it.
The Citi rep tried to reassure me that I don't need to monitor for fraud because Citi does it so well. To give me an example, she told me that charges are frequently declined on her Citi card when she charges in a town 30 miles from home. That didn't make me feel reassured, especially considering the posts I've read here that tell us how hard it is to get legitimate charges through when they get caught up in Citi's fraud protection.
I've disputed with Innovis, TransUnion, and Experian. I still need to do Equifax.
Innovis was a snap to do online. I had a rep on the phone while I did it. I disputed on a Friday, and it was resolved late the following Tuesday. Choose "Claims company will delete" as your reason. Before disputing, I ordered a paper copy of my Innovis report. I don't think that step was necessary.
I did TransUnion online. In their reasons dropdown, they gave me an option similar to what Innovis offered. I ended up with a message saying that my request needed to be manually reviewed. In the meantime, I can log in and check the progress of the dispute.
Experian didn't offer a similar reason to choose. When I called and asked how to proceed, the rep did the dispute over the phone. I can log in to check progress.
Equifax is a mess. I was verified by their system once. When I got into the system, I was befuddled because none of the dispute reasons made any sense at all. So I stopped until I could call during their limited hours. Since my first attempt, Equifax has been unable to verify me, either online or by phone. Their rep told me that due to the verification issues, I need to dispute via snail mail, so I'll get that done in the next day or two.
Thanks for the info.
@HeavenOhio wrote:
@bergrides wrote:The only time customer service is needed is if there is a fraudulent charge or an issue with the cash back or a card needs to be replaced. When Bean was handled by Barclay they were good at catching a couple of fraudulent charges and contacted me right away, and it was handled with one phone call. If there is an issue, I don't want to have to have trouble getting it resolved.
My card is on double secret probation. I don't want to make a hasty decision to close, so I'm giving it a few months while I think about it.
The Citi rep tried to reassure me that I don't need to monitor for fraud because Citi does it so well. To give me an example, she told me that charges are frequently declined on her Citi card when she charges in a town 30 miles from home. That didn't make me feel reassured, especially considering the posts I've read here that tell us how hard it is to get legitimate charges through when they get caught up in Citi's fraud protection.
I've disputed with Innovis, TransUnion, and Experian. I still need to do Equifax.
Innovis was a snap to do online. I had a rep on the phone while I did it. I disputed on a Friday, and it was resolved late the following Tuesday. Choose "Claims company will delete" as your reason. Before disputing, I ordered a paper copy of my Innovis report. I don't think that step was necessary.
I did TransUnion online. In their reasons dropdown, they gave me an option similar to what Innovis offered. I ended up with a message saying that my request needed to be manually reviewed. In the meantime, I can log in and check the progress of the dispute.
Experian didn't offer a similar reason to choose. When I called and asked how to proceed, the rep did the dispute over the phone. I can log in to check progress.
Equifax is a mess. I was verified by their system once. When I got into the system, I was befuddled because none of the dispute reasons made any sense at all. So I stopped until I could call during their limited hours. Since my first attempt, Equifax has been unable to verify me, either online or by phone. Their rep told me that due to the verification issues, I need to dispute via snail mail, so I'll get that done in the next day or two.
@EAJuggalo wrote:I have had my issues with Citi's CS and Fraud departments and almost walked away from them two years ago. I stuck it out with all the crap they made me do to keep the card and am happy with it 99% of the time. If I have to call in for any reason I think very carefully about cancelling it every time. With AMEX, I've never felt that way. I would prefer if they defaulted to my Gold Card when I call in rather than my Hilton that I only use for hotel stays but that is the only gripe I have with them.
If there was a fraudulent charge, were you able to get it resolved in a timely fashion? If they flagged a charge, were you able to get it through in a timely fashion?
I second this. Amercican Express is known for its higher standard of CS. On the other hand, I have had the WORST experiences with Citi. ALL of them have to do with their CS. Yes, their 2% card is popular, but if you can find an alternative to Citi, DO IT.
In my experience, NO. I currently have a citi card that i cannot use because they have locked it. i have provided all neccessary information to verify that the $5 charge at the gas station was valid. they still locked my card, put me on hold numerous times, and still declined the charge. this was a 30+ minute ordeal while standing in line at Circle K. i provided my alt phone #'s, emploer, salray, address, balance, checking account, etc. then they still elected to keep it locked. They said the only way i can unlock my card is if i return a written letter to them within 5 business days. I am done with Citi