Inferior customer service for Imperia by HDFC

[financewizard]

By default, we all know that HDFC customer support doesn't discriminate between a customer with a basic account and a customer with a high NRV and treats all equally like garbage. This is my recent experience with HDFC.

I was having a salary account with HDFC (unfortunately I did not have any other choice from my company) and it was a Preferred Account. I recently upgraded my HDFC account to Imperia, expecting benefits like a new Inperia debit card and free locker access. But of course, HDFC had other plans. They didn’t bother sending me the Imperia debit card – because who needs a new card, right? Instead, they generously allowed me to keep using my old preferred account card because both are same sort of junk. (if you are not going to give a new debit card, why do you advertise it?).

Then I went to the branch near my home to open a locker. They asked for min of 1-5 L blocked FD (depending on the locker size and said the annual charge +GST will be applicable. I said that I hold Imperia account and hence open the locker free of charge for me & refused to give additional FD. Clearly, my Imperia status wasn’t enough to unlock the magical ‘free locker’ feature. The branch manager asked to to reach out to my RM or Home branch. (the salary account was at a different city where I work). Pissed off with these jokers I tried reaching to RM. Then I noticed that they had not assigned any RM & so, I did what any rational person would do: I contacted customer care. Two weeks later, still no relationship manager assigned. Maybe they’re busy trying to hire a RM exclusively for me?
Even after 2 weeks RM was not assigned & when I asked customer care they said they are not able to assign RM from their end and asked to to reach to home branch (Earlier I was having a RM who used to call every alternate day asking me to put FD / invest in Insurance. I got pissed off at one point and complained to HDFC that my RM is unnecessarily disturbing me and they removed the RM). Looks like they have made a note of this somewhere and now they are not assigning RM as I had made a complaint on the previous RM.

I’m just sitting here, twiddling my thumbs, wondering how to proceed with HDFC’s premium customer support. Any suggestions?

And they should change HDFC Imperia to HDFC Inferior.

 

[SSV]

so you are saying , Imperia = Inferia ..

 

[Trust Me]

I recently upgraded my HDFC account to Imperia, expecting benefits like a new Inperia debit card and free locker access. But of course, HDFC had other plans. They didn’t bother sending me the Imperia debit card – because who needs a new card, right? Instead, they generously allowed me to keep using my old preferred account card because both are same sort of junk. (if you are not going to give a new debit card, why do you advertise it?).

It's true that there is no functional difference between the Imperia DC and the Preferred DC.

Still, if it means that much to you, you could always "upgrade" to the Imperia DC (for the cooler look, if not anything else) for free, through netbanking.
.

 

[brucelee]

You just spoke my mind, RM should be renamed to MM (marketing mob). Good for nothing.

 

[vaibhav111vaibhav111 is verified member.]

By default, we all know that HDFC customer support doesn't discriminate between a customer with a basic account and a customer with a high NRV and treats all equally like garbage. This is my recent experience with HDFC.

I was having a salary account with HDFC (unfortunately I did not have any other choice from my company) and it was a Preferred Account. I recently upgraded my HDFC account to Imperia, expecting benefits like a new Inperia debit card and free locker access. But of course, HDFC had other plans. They didn’t bother sending me the Imperia debit card – because who needs a new card, right? Instead, they generously allowed me to keep using my old preferred account card because both are same sort of junk. (if you are not going to give a new debit card, why do you advertise it?).

Then I went to the branch near my home to open a locker. They asked for min of 1-5 L blocked FD (depending on the locker size and said the annual charge +GST will be applicable. I said that I hold Imperia account and hence open the locker free of charge for me & refused to give additional FD. Clearly, my Imperia status wasn’t enough to unlock the magical ‘free locker’ feature. The branch manager asked to to reach out to my RM or Home branch. (the salary account was at a different city where I work). Pissed off with these jokers I tried reaching to RM. Then I noticed that they had not assigned any RM & so, I did what any rational person would do: I contacted customer care. Two weeks later, still no relationship manager assigned. Maybe they’re busy trying to hire a RM exclusively for me?
Even after 2 weeks RM was not assigned & when I asked customer care they said they are not able to assign RM from their end and asked to to reach to home branch (Earlier I was having a RM who used to call every alternate day asking me to put FD / invest in Insurance. I got pissed off at one point and complained to HDFC that my RM is unnecessarily disturbing me and they removed the RM). Looks like they have made a note of this somewhere and now they are not assigning RM as I had made a complaint on the previous RM.

I’m just sitting here, twiddling my thumbs, wondering how to proceed with HDFC’s premium customer support. Any suggestions?

And they should change HDFC Imperia to HDFC Inferior.

View attachment 59697

yeah, i had couple of RM who always try to sell me something, so it took 6 months for family group so yeah keep on trying every 2-3 weeks. when RM failed to do this Job i must have called at Imperia CS. and then RM called again. so now i have 2 RM hehe. one for saving an current and one more RM got added on it own for current a/c to sell me loans for my business.

 

[Yugi]

Just write a mail to HDFC PNO, with branch details who is not giving you locker. The manager himself will call you and give you locker after that.

 

[_deb_]

Your expectation from HDFC is too high

 

[Lorddiesel]

This bank is slowly and steadily becoming trash since Mr. Puri stepped down

 

[Yugi]

@financewizard also do go by smart statement, check your account whether it is imperia or not. Sometimes account will still be preferred if not upgraded.

 

[financewizard]

@financewizard also do go by smart statement, check your account whether it is imperia or not. Sometimes account will still be preferred if not upgraded.

Its imperia only. Have checked smart statement, net banking login etc. You can see the screen shot attached in the initial thread - and the fun fact as per the smart statement my RM name is X

 

[atx]

HDFC does not send upgraded debit card by default. This is true for classic, preferred & imperia atleast. Not sure about Wealth. This is part of their cost cutting. You have to explicitly request. However, do remember that in case your account is downgraded to preferred or classic, then imperia debit card will become chargeable for you. So that time you again have to manually ask for blocking that imperia dc & request for new dc of your new account category.

With HDFC, locker availability is the biggest issue. They usually don't have lockers available at any branch. So this 'complimentary locker' is a type of deceptive benefit that most imperia users can't avail anyway. And those rare places where lockers are available, bank managers are not giving without big investment, which is completely illegal (termed as 'restrictive practice' by RBI).

So, as per RBI guidelines, banks CAN ask to create an FD while providing a new locker, but only upto the amount of 3 years of rent. Anything above this limit is considered as 'restrictive practice' by RBI. These managers just lie to our face by quoting any random no like 1.5L etc. High chances, if you throw facts on their face, they won't give you locker citing unavailability of the same. However, you can request a written response citing the same, and they will tremble.

So if your desired locker's annual rent is ₹5000, bank can force you to make linked FD of max ₹15000. If they're asking you to make a ₹1.5L FD, high chances are they'll create 2 FDs, one of ₹15000 (which will be linked to locker), and other of ₹1.35L which will be totally separate.

Here is the link to RBI instructions for Safe Deposit Locker facility, in case you need:

Reserve Bank of India - Notifications

(Look for Section '2.2')

 

[mj01]

I have been getting Imperia upgrade emails for several months but have just ignored them. It is not worth it. Don't want to be bothered by more loan and investment offers!

 

[Deleted member 26954]

My personal experience....Imperia is just a tag similar to a tag on dead body in mortuary....It invite unnecessary and pesky ULIP/Insurance sales pitch from RM and nothing more than that.....Till date didn't receive any value addition....Moved all my funds and patiently waiting for downgrade
1. Rejected Locker Request
2. No favorable rates for foreign remittance
3. No help in opening current account
4. No favourable rates in demat account
5. Rejected credit card upgrade request...Only system generated upgrades
6. Many more rants