Will the Retention Department up a credit limit?

[creditwherecreditisdue]

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jausanka wrote:
If you ask for a rate adjustment, press hard on a CLI, or indicate your "disinterest" in paying an AF or something similar, you can get to a retention specialist.  Also, if you ask "Could I please speak to a retention specialist" you will get there.  Also, supervisors typically have all the same powers as the "retention specialist" you would get transferred to, so asking for a supervisor or calling a backdoor supervisor number (not credit analyst) gets you to the same place.

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With HSBC I simply asked to speak with a retention specialist when I was given the same old same old regarding my AF for the umpteenth time. I never once mentioned canceling my card. The AF was permanently removed. I was nice. She was nice. No demands were made. FYI: The HSBC retention specialists are domestic...

[Anonymous]

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

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jausanka wrote:
If you ask for a rate adjustment, press hard on a CLI, or indicate your "disinterest" in paying an AF or something similar, you can get to a retention specialist.  Also, if you ask "Could I please speak to a retention specialist" you will get there.  Also, supervisors typically have all the same powers as the "retention specialist" you would get transferred to, so asking for a supervisor or calling a backdoor supervisor number (not credit analyst) gets you to the same place.

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With HSBC I simply asked to speak with a retention specialist when I was given the same old same old regarding my AF for the umpteenth time. I never once mentioned canceling my card. The AF was permanently removed. I was nice. She was nice. No demands were made. FYI: The HSBC retention specialists are domestic...

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+1.

I think I mentioned before, CSRs get paid and rated on average call time... If you call up and ask to be transferred to someone else... ANYONE else, most CSRs are happy to do it.  As long as they don't think you are going to say something negative about them to their supervisor (which is never, EVER their supervisor)... When you get pissy and demand someone's supervisor, it's amazing how often a call gets "disconnected" in the middle of the transfer

[DI]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

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jausanka wrote:
If you ask for a rate adjustment, press hard on a CLI, or indicate your "disinterest" in paying an AF or something similar, you can get to a retention specialist.  Also, if you ask "Could I please speak to a retention specialist" you will get there.  Also, supervisors typically have all the same powers as the "retention specialist" you would get transferred to, so asking for a supervisor or calling a backdoor supervisor number (not credit analyst) gets you to the same place.

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With HSBC I simply asked to speak with a retention specialist when I was given the same old same old regarding my AF for the umpteenth time. I never once mentioned canceling my card. The AF was permanently removed. I was nice. She was nice. No demands were made. FYI: The HSBC retention specialists are domestic...

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+1.

I think I mentioned before, CSRs get paid and rated on average call time... If you call up and ask to be transferred to someone else... ANYONE else, most CSRs are happy to do it.  As long as they don't think you are going to say something negative about them to their supervisor (which is never, EVER their supervisor)... When you get pissy and demand someone's supervisor, it's amazing how often a call gets "disconnected" in the middle of the transfer

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+1 I terminated calls numerous times for that reason.  I enjoyed when callers call from a cell phone.  Those are the easier ones to terminate and get away with it.  Can you hear me now?  LOL     But most of the time I would just escalate the call if they asked to speak with a supe.  Some people just like to get a second opinion.  

[Anonymous]

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@DI wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

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jausanka wrote:
If you ask for a rate adjustment, press hard on a CLI, or indicate your "disinterest" in paying an AF or something similar, you can get to a retention specialist.  Also, if you ask "Could I please speak to a retention specialist" you will get there.  Also, supervisors typically have all the same powers as the "retention specialist" you would get transferred to, so asking for a supervisor or calling a backdoor supervisor number (not credit analyst) gets you to the same place.

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With HSBC I simply asked to speak with a retention specialist when I was given the same old same old regarding my AF for the umpteenth time. I never once mentioned canceling my card. The AF was permanently removed. I was nice. She was nice. No demands were made. FYI: The HSBC retention specialists are domestic...

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+1.

I think I mentioned before, CSRs get paid and rated on average call time... If you call up and ask to be transferred to someone else... ANYONE else, most CSRs are happy to do it.  As long as they don't think you are going to say something negative about them to their supervisor (which is never, EVER their supervisor)... When you get pissy and demand someone's supervisor, it's amazing how often a call gets "disconnected" in the middle of the transfer

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+1 I terminated calls numerous times for that reason.  I enjoyed when callers call from a cell phone.  Those are the easier ones to terminate and get away with it.  Can you hear me now?  LOL     But most of the time I would just escalate the call if they asked to speak with a supe.  Some people just like to get a second opinion.  

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Agreed... If someone honestly just thought I was wrong, or thought they would get somewhere with a supervisor, I had no problem transferring them.

Forgot to mention one thing when it comes to threatening to close your account, and what comes up on a CSR's computer screen.  I alluded to it, but to put it very plainly:

The computer told us who was "worth" keeping in the company/computer algorithm's eyes.  There was a workflow menu, one of which you clicked when someone threatened or asked to close their account.  When you clicked it, one of two things popped up... "Please transfer caller to retention to better assist them" or "Please read the following to the customer before proceeding with account cancellation.. 'I'd be happy to help you with that.  Your account is now closed and....' "

It is literally Caesar's thumbs-up/thumbs-down judgement on your value.  If it didn't say transfer to retention, you weren't getting there, plain and simple.  You could go to a supervisor, you could call back to try another CSR, you could complain, but you weren't speaking to anyone who was going to waive that fee, change your APR, or increase your credit line... no matter what.  (And yes, the computer told IF we could waive that overlimit or late fee.. but it was OUR judgement whether we should or not.  That is when it's worth trying another CSR.. just hope that the first one you talked to didn't put notes on the account saying you were a jerk when you called and that if you call back you shouldn't get your fee waived!)

[DI]

Agreed... If someone honestly just thought I was wrong, or thought they would get somewhere with a supervisor, I had no problem transferring them.

Forgot to mention one thing when it comes to threatening to close your account, and what comes up on a CSR's computer screen.  I alluded to it, but to put it very plainly:

The computer told us who was "worth" keeping in the company/computer algorithm's eyes.  There was a workflow menu, one of which you clicked when someone threatened or asked to close their account.  When you clicked it, one of two things popped up... "Please transfer caller to retention to better assist them" or "Please read the following to the customer before proceeding with account cancellation.. 'I'd be happy to help you with that.  Your account is now closed and....' "

It is literally Caesar's thumbs-up/thumbs-down judgement on your value.  If it didn't say transfer to retention, you weren't getting there, plain and simple.  You could go to a supervisor, you could call back to try another CSR, you could complain, but you weren't speaking to anyone who was going to waive that fee, change your APR, or increase your credit line... no matter what.  (And yes, the computer told IF we could waive that overlimit or late fee.. but it was OUR judgement whether we should or not.  That is when it's worth trying another CSR.. just hope that the first one you talked to didn't put notes on the account saying you were a jerk when you called and that if you call back you shouldn't get your fee waived!)

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There were many times when I transferred the call and they got the person sitting next to me. We had fun with those calls.   The good thing about the utility business where I worked is that you couldn't speak with a supe.  We had to advise to the customer a supe would call them.  The customer would have to go through the frontline CSR and a team lead before getting a supe. Some customers will call all day throughout the day. I hope myFico members are not like that.  

[creditwherecreditisdue]

When I was working on the cruise line side of the business I was a relatively senior agent and extremely conversant with all policies. When our team coach was not available I would frequently have to act as a "supervisor" in circumstances where a supervisor was requested and policy did not dictate transfer to an actual supervisor. I was also very close to being promoted to supervisor when I became ill and had to leave the company. If you do not bring your "A" game to the office every day, do not have a very steady demeanor and do not wear lead undershorts you don't ever want to be a supervisor. Agents disconnect calls - supervisors don't. BTW: If you hung up on us as sales agents we would call you right back. Nastiness gets you absolutely nowhere!

[DI]

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

When I was working on the cruise line side of the business I was a relatively senior agent and extremely conversant with all policies. When our team coach was not available I would frequently have to act as a "supervisor" in circumstances where a supervisor was requested and policy did not dictate transfer to an actual supervisor. I was also very close to being promoted to supervisor when I became ill and had to leave the company. If you do not bring your "A" game to the office every day, do not have a very steady demeanor and do not wear lead undershorts you don't ever want to be a supervisor. Agents disconnect calls - supervisors don't. BTW: If you hung up on us as sales agents we would call you right back. Nastiness gets you absolutely nowhere!

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Most of the customers who I hung up on was during major power outages.  I worked the CSR job out of curiosity.  I wasn't there to be a supervisor. I wanted to see what it was like.  Plus, I got paid very well.  I never realized how disoriented people can get during an outage.  I never realized there are so many people out there who struggle to pay their utility bills each month. It was a humble experience that made me realized how fortunate I am.  

[creditwherecreditisdue]

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@DI wrote:

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@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

When I was working on the cruise line side of the business I was a relatively senior agent and extremely conversant with all policies. When our team coach was not available I would frequently have to act as a "supervisor" in circumstances where a supervisor was requested and policy did not dictate transfer to an actual supervisor. I was also very close to being promoted to supervisor when I became ill and had to leave the company. If you do not bring your "A" game to the office every day, do not have a very steady demeanor and do not wear lead undershorts you don't ever want to be a supervisor. Agents disconnect calls - supervisors don't. BTW: If you hung up on us as sales agents we would call you right back. Nastiness gets you absolutely nowhere!

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Most of the customers who I hung up on was during major power outages.  I worked the CSR job out of curiosity.  I wasn't there to be a supervisor. I wanted to see what it was like.  Plus, I got paid very well.  I never realized how disoriented people can get during an outage.  I never realized there are so many people out there who struggle to pay their utility bills each month. It was a humble experience that made me realized how fortunate I am.  

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Being on the other side of the fence is a very illuminating experience. There's a whole world of personalities out there any one of them could be coming in on that next call off the ACD. When it is slow I have time to collect myself and meditate between calls. When it is busy I have no time think about it. Both are viable. I want everybody to be happy and do my best to make it so. However, there are those for whom there is no satisfaction. Sometimes you just have to be happy you made it to the end of the call intact!

[wmarat]

Talked with BOA.

BOA DOES NOT HAVE RETENTION DEPARTMENT.

[DI]

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@wmarat wrote:

Talked with BOA.

BOA DOES NOT HAVE RETENTION DEPARTMENT.

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Don't let them fool you.  They just gave it another name.  It's called customer relations department at BOA.