good_old_times
TF Buzz
I had a very interesting journey with HDFC.
I had using HDFC salary account since 14 years now. I started using HDFC credit cards in 2012 or 2013 and since then have taken all offers extended for Limit enhancement or card upgrades. Started with a money back+ and then I had a regalia first credit card for a verg long period of time. EVen though I got offers to upgrade to Millenia for many months I didnt take it as I was unaware of credit card advantages and hence didnt pay much heed to it.
Once I read about efficiently utilizing credit cards, I kind of felt bad about all the opportunities that I lost of getting maximum benefits during the early days of credit card revolution. Then came 2022. By then I had a 15 lakh limit on my LTF regalia first credit card, 10k reward points and almost 15 lakh FD. I went to HDFC branch and asked them to upgrade my card to Infinia. They told me that I dont meet the criteria and the upgrade is not possible but somehow I convinced them to take my request and let the bank management decide based on my relarionship with the bank. When he asked about the current reward points I just told him to adjust it against my statement balance ( such a dumb decision I still hate it when I remember).
Few days later I got a message that I am approved for DCB international card with 15 lakh limit and FYF. But when I saw the annual fees of 10k, I panicked and I thought why would a sane person get a 10k paid card in exchange of existing LTF( 2nd dumb credit card decision). Even without looking at the benefits I immediately called HDFC customer care and argued how can they do this with me. Why would I pay 10k fees when I already had an LTF card and asked them to immediately cancel my DCB international card with 15 lakh limit.
By this time I had gained a bit more kmowledge on credit card usage and benefits. However, post cancellation of my DCB card, bank denied to issue the old regalia card back to me. I tried hard by sending multiple mails to priority redressal, grievamce redressal and any mail id I could get hold of to kindly issue me an HDFC card. I tried to reason with them that its not my fault that the issued me a paid card and hence I had to close. So I want my old HDFC card back. At one point I was just pleading with them 😂😂 . Finally after numerous back and forth I was issued an HDFC millenia card with 75k limit. Imagine getting a limit of 75k from 15 lakh. This was in 2023.
Then came 2024. After almost a year( I dont remember exactly how many months I had used it) of using millenia card, i again mailed priority redressal about limit enhamcement on my millenia. I also attached my ITRs along with it and wrote about my existing relarionship with the bank. Boom!! I got an offer of Limit enhancement from 75k to 7.65 lakh. 😄😄 Then again after 4-5 months of usage I got another pre approved offer to upgrade to Regalia gold around April 2024. I kept delaying it as my millenia was an LTF card and Regalia gold had 2500 annual fees ( I was again repeating my old mistake). I somehow had a huge education fees to be paid around Jun 2024 hence I thought I can easily get the Regalia gold annual fees waived off with this education payment and I took the offer for card upgrade. I continued making good transactions with my Regalia gold for rest of 2024. Meanwhile I again got an LE offer from 7.65 lakh to 8.72 lakh and gladly accepted it. By Dec 2024 I might have done close to 9 lakh transaction with my Regalia gold card and thats when I thought of trying my luck again.
I wrote a mail to priority redressal stating my wish to upgrade to Infinia based on my relationship, salary account and transactions on my existing card. At this time I didnt had any FD with the bank. I just took my chance and voila... got a mail back that I am offered Infinia metal card as FYF. I mediately responded back with my acceptance of terms and conditions and got the infinia card delivered within a week.
To sum up in I got 2 LE offers, one pre approved card upgrade offer and another card upgrade via request in 2024. Hence, I can say there is no set criteria on the banks end when they can give a pre approved offer or card upgrades. It all depends on case to case basis.
By the way apologies for the long post, I wished to share my experience hence wrote such a lengthy post and I took lpt of help from ChatGPT for my mail communications to HDFC credit card team.
I had using HDFC salary account since 14 years now. I started using HDFC credit cards in 2012 or 2013 and since then have taken all offers extended for Limit enhancement or card upgrades. Started with a money back+ and then I had a regalia first credit card for a verg long period of time. EVen though I got offers to upgrade to Millenia for many months I didnt take it as I was unaware of credit card advantages and hence didnt pay much heed to it.
Once I read about efficiently utilizing credit cards, I kind of felt bad about all the opportunities that I lost of getting maximum benefits during the early days of credit card revolution. Then came 2022. By then I had a 15 lakh limit on my LTF regalia first credit card, 10k reward points and almost 15 lakh FD. I went to HDFC branch and asked them to upgrade my card to Infinia. They told me that I dont meet the criteria and the upgrade is not possible but somehow I convinced them to take my request and let the bank management decide based on my relarionship with the bank. When he asked about the current reward points I just told him to adjust it against my statement balance ( such a dumb decision I still hate it when I remember).
Few days later I got a message that I am approved for DCB international card with 15 lakh limit and FYF. But when I saw the annual fees of 10k, I panicked and I thought why would a sane person get a 10k paid card in exchange of existing LTF( 2nd dumb credit card decision). Even without looking at the benefits I immediately called HDFC customer care and argued how can they do this with me. Why would I pay 10k fees when I already had an LTF card and asked them to immediately cancel my DCB international card with 15 lakh limit.
By this time I had gained a bit more kmowledge on credit card usage and benefits. However, post cancellation of my DCB card, bank denied to issue the old regalia card back to me. I tried hard by sending multiple mails to priority redressal, grievamce redressal and any mail id I could get hold of to kindly issue me an HDFC card. I tried to reason with them that its not my fault that the issued me a paid card and hence I had to close. So I want my old HDFC card back. At one point I was just pleading with them 😂😂 . Finally after numerous back and forth I was issued an HDFC millenia card with 75k limit. Imagine getting a limit of 75k from 15 lakh. This was in 2023.
Then came 2024. After almost a year( I dont remember exactly how many months I had used it) of using millenia card, i again mailed priority redressal about limit enhamcement on my millenia. I also attached my ITRs along with it and wrote about my existing relarionship with the bank. Boom!! I got an offer of Limit enhancement from 75k to 7.65 lakh. 😄😄 Then again after 4-5 months of usage I got another pre approved offer to upgrade to Regalia gold around April 2024. I kept delaying it as my millenia was an LTF card and Regalia gold had 2500 annual fees ( I was again repeating my old mistake). I somehow had a huge education fees to be paid around Jun 2024 hence I thought I can easily get the Regalia gold annual fees waived off with this education payment and I took the offer for card upgrade. I continued making good transactions with my Regalia gold for rest of 2024. Meanwhile I again got an LE offer from 7.65 lakh to 8.72 lakh and gladly accepted it. By Dec 2024 I might have done close to 9 lakh transaction with my Regalia gold card and thats when I thought of trying my luck again.
I wrote a mail to priority redressal stating my wish to upgrade to Infinia based on my relationship, salary account and transactions on my existing card. At this time I didnt had any FD with the bank. I just took my chance and voila... got a mail back that I am offered Infinia metal card as FYF. I mediately responded back with my acceptance of terms and conditions and got the infinia card delivered within a week.
To sum up in I got 2 LE offers, one pre approved card upgrade offer and another card upgrade via request in 2024. Hence, I can say there is no set criteria on the banks end when they can give a pre approved offer or card upgrades. It all depends on case to case basis.
By the way apologies for the long post, I wished to share my experience hence wrote such a lengthy post and I took lpt of help from ChatGPT for my mail communications to HDFC credit card team.
