Comments on: How To Do Customer Service On The Cheap (Shocking BarclayCard, Shocking) http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/ Blogging the web, usability and apple. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:14:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Shamsul http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-43336 Shamsul Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:10:55 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-43336 I just got off a frustrating phone call to what sounds like the Indian call centres. They have also failed to change my direct debit instruction months ago, which resulted in the old bank account gone overdrawn. During this call, in my attempt to change this month DD, I was told this is not possible even though the payment is not due to go out for another 10 days! Also in my attempt to change it for the future periods, I was told that this is not possible, and I can only do so between the 2nd and 9th (1 week window) next month. Such an excellent customer service, I cannot imagine how hard it is to actually pay them!! I have other important things in life, Barclaycard is not one of it. I dont want to worry about it anymore, so goodbye Barclaycard!! I just got off a frustrating phone call to what sounds like the Indian call centres. They have also failed to change my direct debit instruction months ago, which resulted in the old bank account gone overdrawn. During this call, in my attempt to change this month DD, I was told this is not possible even though the payment is not due to go out for another 10 days! Also in my attempt to change it for the future periods, I was told that this is not possible, and I can only do so between the 2nd and 9th (1 week window) next month. Such an excellent customer service, I cannot imagine how hard it is to actually pay them!! I have other important things in life, Barclaycard is not one of it. I dont want to worry about it anymore, so goodbye Barclaycard!!

]]> By: KC http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-43135 KC Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:21:57 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-43135 Barclaycard are a nightmare! In August I went £1.29 over my credit limit, for which I was charged £12, which after a phone call to complain (India Arrrrggggg!) was told it would be waived as my payment history was excellent. I cleared the full amount on my account only to again receive my next statement and my outstanding balance was now £24 and this has happened twice since. I duly wrote to the customer services director and got a letter back to confirm that my balance was now set to zero and would not not need to make any further payments. Horror of horror I receive a statement this morning for £54!!! The worst thing is that when you phone "customer service" you have a 2 in 3 chance of going through to India, they cannot and will not put you through to the UK and are not interested in your problem and If you get assertive they cut you off. When you do eventually get through to the UK (after going through all the options on the phone - at my cost), they fully understand your problem but are as useful as a chocolate teapot at resolving it. They will not give you a direct contact number for the UK, their extension number or e-mail address, they just expect you to play russian roulette when you wish to phone again as to whether or not you get through to the UK. This all for going just £1.29 over limit! I am absolutley FUMING and contemplating my next move. Barclaycard must be making a packet out of the non complainers. Barclaycard are a nightmare! In August I went £1.29 over my credit limit, for which I was charged £12, which after a phone call to complain (India Arrrrggggg!) was told it would be waived as my payment history was excellent. I cleared the full amount on my account only to again receive my next statement and my outstanding balance was now £24 and this has happened twice since.

I duly wrote to the customer services director and got a letter back to confirm that my balance was now set to zero and would not not need to make any further payments. Horror of horror I receive a statement this morning for £54!!! The worst thing is that when you phone “customer service” you have a 2 in 3 chance of going through to India, they cannot and will not put you through to the UK and are not interested in your problem and If you get assertive they cut you off.

When you do eventually get through to the UK (after going through all the options on the phone - at my cost), they fully understand your problem but are as useful as a chocolate teapot at resolving it. They will not give you a direct contact number for the UK, their extension number or e-mail address, they just expect you to play russian roulette when you wish to phone again as to whether or not you get through to the UK. This all for going just £1.29 over limit! I am absolutley FUMING and contemplating my next move.

Barclaycard must be making a packet out of the non complainers.

]]> By: Simon http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-39888 Simon Fri, 24 Oct 2008 22:18:51 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-39888 That's quite a story Peter. I hope you get it all resolved. As I alluded to in my first comment, the method of contact BarclayCard used caused me cause for concern. I was called out of the blue and challenged with "security questions". I, of course, refused to answer them and asked for a number I could call back on to verify it was actually BarclayCard calling. Apparently, this department didn't have one. So I challenged them, a challenge which, worryingly, they passed. Just think about that for a second. They phoned me and asked me to provide some personal information to verify I was the card holder. This could have been a scammer for all I knew. So I refused and asked them to provide me with some of <em>my own</em> personal information to verify that they were BarclayCard. And they did. Now, if they had the wrong number, they would have given my personal information to someone else. And by definition, the sort of information a bank holds about you is at a level sufficient to be used for financial applications. There are two options, either you have to give up your personal information to anyone who phones and asks for it, or you can allow the companies you deal with to hand out your personal information. It's Win - Win! That’s quite a story Peter. I hope you get it all resolved. As I alluded to in my first comment, the method of contact BarclayCard used caused me cause for concern. I was called out of the blue and challenged with “security questions”. I, of course, refused to answer them and asked for a number I could call back on to verify it was actually BarclayCard calling. Apparently, this department didn’t have one. So I challenged them, a challenge which, worryingly, they passed.

Just think about that for a second. They phoned me and asked me to provide some personal information to verify I was the card holder. This could have been a scammer for all I knew. So I refused and asked them to provide me with some of my own personal information to verify that they were BarclayCard. And they did. Now, if they had the wrong number, they would have given my personal information to someone else. And by definition, the sort of information a bank holds about you is at a level sufficient to be used for financial applications.

There are two options, either you have to give up your personal information to anyone who phones and asks for it, or you can allow the companies you deal with to hand out your personal information. It’s Win - Win!

]]> By: Peter Hoare http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-39702 Peter Hoare Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:44:24 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-39702 Barclaycard, held for 30 years, suddenly Barclacard gone off the rails, for reasons known only to themselves withou checking back, they accepted a telephoned advice of a change of address …..result I get no statements, for a few months, as I pay off balances on receipt I didn’t think too much about it. It was only when they phoned me to ask if I got my new card that the alarms started ringing! When informed that no new card was requested they then asked if the transactions of £9000+ in one day were mine! Seems Barclaycard 1) changed my address without telephone confiming 2) they then issued a new card to the new address (telephoned request) 3) they then issued a new PIN for the new card at the new address 4) They then authorise multiple same day payments that are completely out of character with my spending record - again no checks. 5) Seems this is all my fault!! - How? Many Conversations later with Fraud Department and most of the balance is cleared away as not being mine. Result £9,000 approx was written off - wonder if a crime report was filed? I asked for clarification on balance remaining - about £220, and requested statements that were missing as a result of changed address, after many weeks of waiting for statements and further requests for same, I start to get calls from collections Department (Sunday morning text messages!) and phone calls at work - at home and on my mobile - amazing how they can suddenly find so many phone numbers for me. All calls include a veiled threat of what they are going to do to my credit record, and the procedings they may be forced to take. Further discussion of the circumstances surrounding the events elicits a sympathetic response from Collections and a cessation of calls. - Still no statements. Spend 1 hour on telephone to Customer Services - not their problem - they cannot give me the information requested - transfer to anoher department - Call cut off! Desperate - write explanatory letter to Managing Director Barclaycard UK c/o Northampton address asking for assistance - letter returned - Persons Unknown! - Do they not have a Managing Director? Spend 1/2 hour on phone to Fraud department, eventually uncover the account number of the card that Barclaycard asked me to destroy and the account number of the fraudulent account. Spend 1 hour on Telephone to Customer services -Armed with all the account details I can eventually get a verbal account of what makes up the charges they are chasing. Seems that they are charging me for late Payment and for overdue interest on amounts outstanding during the time they were sending my statements to the fraudsters. Paid outstanding balance and write letter to Customer services requesting they waive the late payment charges and the overdue interest charges as all of this occurred while I was not receiving statements and I was unaware of the balances. Result ZERO - no answer!!!! Seems with Barclaycard its only one way traffic - they talk to you about their demands and ignore anything you might request of them. Barclaycard best advice shred it!!! Barclaycard, held for 30 years,
suddenly Barclacard gone off the rails, for reasons known only to themselves withou checking back, they accepted a telephoned advice of a change of address …..result I get no statements, for a few months, as I pay off balances on receipt I didn’t think too much about it.

It was only when they phoned me to ask if I got my new card that the alarms started ringing!
When informed that no new card was requested they then asked if the transactions of £9000+ in one day were mine!

Seems Barclaycard
1) changed my address without telephone confiming
2) they then issued a new card to the new address (telephoned request)
3) they then issued a new PIN for the new card at the new address
4) They then authorise multiple same day payments that are completely out of character with my spending record - again no checks.
5) Seems this is all my fault!! - How?

Many Conversations later with Fraud Department and most of the balance is cleared away as not being mine. Result £9,000 approx was written off - wonder if a crime report was filed?

I asked for clarification on balance remaining - about £220, and requested statements that were missing as a result of changed address, after many weeks of waiting for statements and further requests for same, I start to get calls from collections Department (Sunday morning text messages!) and phone calls at work - at home and on my mobile - amazing how they can suddenly find so many phone numbers for me.
All calls include a veiled threat of what they are going to do to my credit record, and the procedings they may be forced to take.

Further discussion of the circumstances surrounding the events elicits a sympathetic response from Collections and a cessation of calls. - Still no statements.

Spend 1 hour on telephone to Customer Services

- not their problem - they cannot give me the information requested - transfer to anoher department - Call cut off!

Desperate -
write explanatory letter to Managing Director Barclaycard UK c/o Northampton address asking for assistance - letter returned - Persons Unknown! - Do they not have a Managing Director?

Spend 1/2 hour on phone to Fraud department, eventually uncover the account number of the card that Barclaycard asked me to destroy and the account number of the fraudulent account.

Spend 1 hour on Telephone to Customer services

-Armed with all the account details I can eventually get a verbal account of what makes up the charges they are chasing.
Seems that they are charging me for late Payment and for overdue interest on amounts outstanding during the time they were sending my statements to the fraudsters.

Paid outstanding balance and write letter to Customer services requesting they waive the late payment charges and the overdue interest charges as all of this occurred while I was not receiving statements and I was unaware of the balances.
Result ZERO - no answer!!!!

Seems with Barclaycard its only one way traffic - they talk to you about their demands and ignore anything you might request of them.

Barclaycard best advice shred it!!!

]]> By: noel mc cann http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20741 noel mc cann Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:41:51 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20741 just another bit of info . i had a £50 fixed direct debit which suited my usage. then i spent a lot more and my minimum payment should have been £120 . However on the statement it says they will collect the appropriate amount . i assumed they would take £120 no not a chance they took 50 sent me a nasty letter and took £12 late payment fee................since refunded just another bit of info . i had a £50 fixed direct debit which suited my usage. then i spent a lot more and my minimum payment should have been £120 . However on the statement it says they will collect the appropriate amount . i assumed they would take £120 no not a chance they took 50 sent me a nasty letter and took £12 late payment fee…………….since refunded

]]> By: chittanjan http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20727 chittanjan Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:20:53 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20727 I had a very serious problem with my card my payment due date was 9 of june for 643£ and on 5th of June I deposited 340£ in barclays branch so the due amount was 200 something which has to be direct debit to my acct on 9th of June but, the barclays took the full 643£ again from my acct because of. That some other direct debit got affected and now I have to pay the fee for overdraft.I think it should not happen with me because they send me the paying slip with the statment which usually I dont get with other cards because of direct debit set up,barclays send me that creating confusion as if direct debut is not set up,and if I have paid more than minimum ammount they should have not took the the money from my acct atleast not more than I owe them I had a very serious problem with my card my payment due date was 9 of june for 643£ and on 5th of June I deposited 340£ in barclays branch so the due amount was 200 something which has to be direct debit to my acct on 9th of June but, the barclays took the full 643£ again from my acct because of. That some other direct debit got affected and now I have to pay the fee for overdraft.I think it should not happen with me because they send me the paying slip with the statment which usually I dont get with other cards because of direct debit set up,barclays send me that creating confusion as if direct debut is not set up,and if I have paid more than minimum ammount they should have not took the the money from my acct atleast not more than I owe them

]]> By: Chris http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20676 Chris Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:51:03 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20676 As far as I'm aware there isn't one. At least that's what they insisted when I asked. The only way I ended up dealing with someone in the UK was to lodeg my complaint with the Financial Industry Ombudsman and wait for Barclaycard to reply (which for the record they did and dealt with my complaint to my satisfaction - 0% promotional interest rate re-instated, late fee and interest refunded) Good luck - Chris. As far as I’m aware there isn’t one. At least that’s what they insisted when I asked. The only way I ended up dealing with someone in the UK was to lodeg my complaint with the Financial Industry Ombudsman and wait for Barclaycard to reply (which for the record they did and dealt with my complaint to my satisfaction - 0% promotional interest rate re-instated, late fee and interest refunded)

Good luck - Chris.

]]> By: Andy http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20675 Andy Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:49:09 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20675 I'm also having a night mare with BarclayCard. I'm fuming after one call to an Italian call centre (apparently), 2 to India and a 1 to a barclays call centre in Manchester. The Indian call centre people are something else. Could you perhaps share the number for the people you go through to in the UK? I’m also having a night mare with BarclayCard. I’m fuming after one call to an Italian call centre (apparently), 2 to India and a 1 to a barclays call centre in Manchester. The Indian call centre people are something else. Could you perhaps share the number for the people you go through to in the UK?

]]> By: Simon http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20292 Simon Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:49:20 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20292 Be sure to let us know how you get on, Chris. As I said in a previous comment, my complaint got escalated several levels (dare I say it had to be escalated back into this country?) before it was resolved. The strange, and frustrating thing about the whole episode was that I got absolutely no joy until it reached a certain level, from which point on they were completely understanding, admitted their mistake, refunded all charges and reinstated the offer. I even had the name and direct number of a representative. It's just a shame it had to go so far and the customer service was so bad initially. I'm tempted to agree with you about Barclay Card using this tactic to break people out of the interest free offer. It's telling that the letter you receive saying you've missed a payment doesn't actually mention the fact you've lost the promotional rate. Be sure to let us know how you get on, Chris. As I said in a previous comment, my complaint got escalated several levels (dare I say it had to be escalated back into this country?) before it was resolved. The strange, and frustrating thing about the whole episode was that I got absolutely no joy until it reached a certain level, from which point on they were completely understanding, admitted their mistake, refunded all charges and reinstated the offer. I even had the name and direct number of a representative. It’s just a shame it had to go so far and the customer service was so bad initially.

I’m tempted to agree with you about Barclay Card using this tactic to break people out of the interest free offer. It’s telling that the letter you receive saying you’ve missed a payment doesn’t actually mention the fact you’ve lost the promotional rate.

]]> By: Chris http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20279 Chris Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:09:45 +0000 http://www.oakinnovations.co.uk/blog/2007/12/08/how-to-do-customer-service-on-the-cheap-shocking-barclaycard-shocking/#comment-20279 I am just off the phone to the financial industry ombudsman, to whom I have lodged a formal complaint about the same thing. I have just come back from a 2 week holiday in Australia, all the while using my Barclaycard (BC) safe in the knowledge it was all 0% interest. Uh Uh... not so, BC failed to carry out my direct debit instruction also, despite confirming receipt. As soon as I realised the money I had set aside for the first payment was still sitting in my account, I called and made a manual payment. This was 6 days after it was due however, and I am therefore in default of the agreement through no fault of my own. AT NO POINT did anyone I spoke to, either while setting up my direct debit, or when I rang to make a manual payment, inform me I had lost the promotional reate. I AM FURIOUS!!! I have found similar stories on the web, others who tried to make first payment by cheque. I tried to speak to someone but could only get call centre staff in a particular country where its cheaper to house call centres. I was escalated to a team manager who confirmed he was not able to re-instate my promotional rate and flat out refused to transfer me to, or give me details of his supervisor, claiming it was personal information. Its my suspicion that BC rely on this and make a lot of money on the people who never bother to complain. Welcome further comments, I'll be checking back!!! I am just off the phone to the financial industry ombudsman, to whom I have lodged a formal complaint about the same thing. I have just come back from a 2 week holiday in Australia, all the while using my Barclaycard (BC) safe in the knowledge it was all 0% interest. Uh Uh… not so, BC failed to carry out my direct debit instruction also, despite confirming receipt. As soon as I realised the money I had set aside for the first payment was still sitting in my account, I called and made a manual payment. This was 6 days after it was due however, and I am therefore in default of the agreement through no fault of my own. AT NO POINT did anyone I spoke to, either while setting up my direct debit, or when I rang to make a manual payment, inform me I had lost the promotional reate. I AM FURIOUS!!! I have found similar stories on the web, others who tried to make first payment by cheque.

I tried to speak to someone but could only get call centre staff in a particular country where its cheaper to house call centres. I was escalated to a team manager who confirmed he was not able to re-instate my promotional rate and flat out refused to transfer me to, or give me details of his supervisor, claiming it was personal information.

Its my suspicion that BC rely on this and make a lot of money on the people who never bother to complain.

Welcome further comments, I’ll be checking back!!!

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