AMEX terrible IVR process

[Shinnok]

I normally use chat for any requests with Amex, but called the Platinum Services today, really terrible experience

• Initial disclaimers about recording drone on about recording for half a minute, fine, standard ignorable thing like the plane takeoff guide
• They will ask you to speak what you want, is it card services or travel or something else?
• The IVR will tell you to say or enter your 15 digit card number, as it seems they can't be bothered to look it up based on your phone number
• The IVR will studiously ignore whatever number you type in, and after you finish will politely tell you that they can wait until you find your card and to press # once you have it
• The # pressed is immediately recognized, and IVR again goes back to ignoring the number you type in
• The whole cycle continues a few times, then IVR suddenly asks for phone number and last 5 digits of card instead. Miraculously this works
• IVR asks for "secret number" of 4 digits. Is this the CVV? The security pin? Birth date/month? Doesn't really matter, as IVR ignores them anyway
• IVR finally will search for a representative and then patch them in

Why is this such a convoluted process?

• The details of the account are tied to the phone number - can the IVR not just look it up? What security is adding card number going to add? Multiple failures anyway redirect you to a representative who has full access to the account, and who doesn't do any further verification
• The IVR requesting full card number/security code to be spoken out is quite terrible security. And why does typing not work?
• IVR asks you to speak out your phone number??? Does it not have the number already? And if it can do 5 digits of card number there, why ask for full 15 digits before?
• Why is this redirection of card services/travel/etc necessary? Can't the representative redirect? Or have separate numbers?

Contrast with ICICI CC

• You call them, they give you a 10 second recorded call thing
• Connected immediately with CS representative

Why is AMEX call services sooo bad?

 

[helloworld]

Contrast with ICICI CC

• You call them, they give you a 10 second recorded call thing
• Connected immediately with CS representative

I waited 1.20 mins because call kept saying I'm in queue and my number around 40 first time, then after disconnect and call it comes down to 21 second time, but waited after 20 mins the number not going down, so disconnected and call and it went to around 60.

Tried next day same took 20mins. to just get queue number under 10.

ICICI call services not good for me.

 

[praful47]

I normally use chat for any requests with Amex, but called the Platinum Services today, really terrible experience

• Initial disclaimers about recording drone on about recording for half a minute, fine, standard ignorable thing like the plane takeoff guide
• They will ask you to speak what you want, is it card services or travel or something else?
• The IVR will tell you to say or enter your 15 digit card number, as it seems they can't be bothered to look it up based on your phone number
• The IVR will studiously ignore whatever number you type in, and after you finish will politely tell you that they can wait until you find your card and to press # once you have it
• The # pressed is immediately recognized, and IVR again goes back to ignoring the number you type in
• The whole cycle continues a few times, then IVR suddenly asks for phone number and last 5 digits of card instead. Miraculously this works
• IVR asks for "secret number" of 4 digits. Is this the CVV? The security pin? Birth date/month? Doesn't really matter, as IVR ignores them anyway
• IVR finally will search for a representative and then patch them in

Why is this such a convoluted process?

• The details of the account are tied to the phone number - can the IVR not just look it up? What security is adding card number going to add? Multiple failures anyway redirect you to a representative who has full access to the account, and who doesn't do any further verification
• The IVR requesting full card number/security code to be spoken out is quite terrible security. And why does typing not work?
• IVR asks you to speak out your phone number??? Does it not have the number already? And if it can do 5 digits of card number there, why ask for full 15 digits before?
• Why is this redirection of card services/travel/etc necessary? Can't the representative redirect? Or have separate numbers?

Contrast with ICICI CC

• You call them, they give you a 10 second recorded call thing
• Connected immediately with CS representative

Why is AMEX call services sooo bad?

Every bank is now using this recorded IVRs . They don't want us to talk with executive

 

[plastikman]

I normally use chat for any requests with Amex, but called the Platinum Services today, really terrible experience

• Initial disclaimers about recording drone on about recording for half a minute, fine, standard ignorable thing like the plane takeoff guide
• They will ask you to speak what you want, is it card services or travel or something else?
• The IVR will tell you to say or enter your 15 digit card number, as it seems they can't be bothered to look it up based on your phone number
• The IVR will studiously ignore whatever number you type in, and after you finish will politely tell you that they can wait until you find your card and to press # once you have it
• The # pressed is immediately recognized, and IVR again goes back to ignoring the number you type in
• The whole cycle continues a few times, then IVR suddenly asks for phone number and last 5 digits of card instead. Miraculously this works
• IVR asks for "secret number" of 4 digits. Is this the CVV? The security pin? Birth date/month? Doesn't really matter, as IVR ignores them anyway
• IVR finally will search for a representative and then patch them in

Why is this such a convoluted process?

• The details of the account are tied to the phone number - can the IVR not just look it up? What security is adding card number going to add? Multiple failures anyway redirect you to a representative who has full access to the account, and who doesn't do any further verification
• The IVR requesting full card number/security code to be spoken out is quite terrible security. And why does typing not work?
• IVR asks you to speak out your phone number??? Does it not have the number already? And if it can do 5 digits of card number there, why ask for full 15 digits before?
• Why is this redirection of card services/travel/etc necessary? Can't the representative redirect? Or have separate numbers?

Contrast with ICICI CC

• You call them, they give you a 10 second recorded call thing
• Connected immediately with CS representative

Why is AMEX call services sooo bad?

Amex is better than other banks. One gets to talk to an executive by the end of 2nd minute.

Try other banks IVR menu sometime, it'll take 10 mins to talk to someone, if you are able to talk to one in the 1st place !

 

[Shinnok]

The problem is not delay in talking with a representative, that can vary depending on queue, time, etc

But what is this song and dance asking for account details before it even starts looking for representatives?

Every bank I have tried (even government banks) can find your details from your phone number, and do not need you to type then in each time

It's even understandable to some degree if it's for entry level cards, but this was for the Platinum Services/Concierge number

 

[Shinnok]

At least, ICICI will keep on playing their stupid song and interrupting with "Your call is important to us, please stay on the line (for the next hour)", but the representative will know your details, whenever they connect

AMEX will ask you to enter card details every single time, which inevitably fails, and they they redirect you to a representative which knows your details anyway

 

[coolguy1]

As much as I like AmEx, this is indeed true and can be very annoying specially when you hold multiple AmEx cards.

There should be a better and faster system to connect to an exec specially when you're paying close to a lac annually holding multiple of their cards rather than running around for your card and typing in the numbers everytime you need to call them.

 

[Pissant]

In my experience, you can get connected to customer executive in under 1 minute with Axis. Sometimes even 15 seconds if you remember the exact numbers to press