My HDFC Saga...and the Revenge of the Customer Service?!

[Anshit]

***Long Post Alert*** *** Post may contain irrelevant details***

I got my first credit card back in 2015—the HDFC Times Platinum Card. Honestly, I chose it mainly because it looked good! At the time, I wasn’t too concerned about benefits or cashback; I just wanted to experience having a credit card. My usage was moderate, as I was cautious, thanks to all the credit debt horror stories I’d heard. Eventually, I switched to different cards, and this one fell by the wayside. I kept it only because it was my oldest card.

Over the years, I received several offers to upgrade the card, but I kept declining them. I wasn’t using it much and wanted to keep it simply for its age. Then one day, a HDFC rep called and falsely claimed that the Times card was being discontinued, urging me to switch to the MoneyBack card. I caved and took the upgrade, which turned out to be pretty useless. My usage dropped even further, though I did receive a few credit limit enhancements.

For what seemed like years, the only upgrade option available was the MoneyBack Plus, which I wasn’t interested in. A few days ago, I decided to try something different. I began the upgrade process to the MoneyBack Plus but stopped halfway through. On the same browser window, I searched extensively for the Millennia card, hoping that Google’s cookies or whatever would let HDFC know what I really wanted. To my surprise, my upgrade option changed from MoneyBack Plus to Millennia FYF! Over the next few days, I was bombarded with texts and emails about upgrading to the Millennia card.

I then thought, why not try to get the Millennia card as LTF (Lifetime Free)? I’d heard others had managed to get it that way. So, I wrote to customer service to see if it was possible. Seven days later, I received a reply saying my LTF was approved and that I’d get a confirmation in another seven days. Since my MoneyBack card was already LTF, I assumed the Millennia upgrade had been approved. But on the 15th day, I got an email saying they were happy to inform me that my MoneyBack card was issued LTF! Well, I already knew that! That wasn’t what I was asking!

Frustrated, not by the lack of LTF approval but by the sheer incompetence of the customer service, I responded with a disappointed tone and rated them very low in the feedback email. Normally, I would never rate anyone that low, knowing how much these scores affect agents, but it all happened in a moment of frustration.


Afterward, I received a generic email essentially saying they weren’t going to provide LTF. Fair enough, but to my surprise, they also withdrew the FYF Millennia upgrade offer! None of the links worked, and the option was removed from MyCards.

Now I’m left wondering: Did they withdraw the offer because I gave them a low rating? Did customer care retaliate? Or was the upgrade offer just a tech glitch that they’ve now fixed?

I need your suggestions on what to do next. Should I escalate this with HDFC or just stick with the MoneyBack card since it’s my oldest account? Or is there another option I should consider?

Thank you for your patience in reading through this!

 

[Nishan11]

You should have taken the Millenia upgrade instantly, and once you have got the card delivered, you could have contacted customer care for LTF or in the worst case scenario for FYF.

Just because many in forum got their card LTF, it doesn't mean you follow them blindly. Learn how to negotiate first and establish banking relationship with them if needed. You tried to play blind and suffered.

Wait for 3 months and then contact them through email for LTF/FYF upgrade to millenia and don't lose your composure while interacting, keep it professional. If you wish to strengthen relationships with them, open regular/savings max account with them, you will get pre approved offer for card after few months.

 

[vine]

"Seven days later, I received a reply saying my LTF was approved and that I’d get a confirmation in another seven days."

If you do have this e-mail starting explicitly that 'Millennia credit card is approved as LTF', then you can fwd this to grievance redressal and ask for Millennia cc LTF, if they don't budge , then escalate to nodal officer and then PNO, and then RBI ombudsman.

 

[Anshit]

You should have taken the Millenia upgrade instantly, and once you have got the card delivered, you could have contacted customer care for LTF or in the worst case scenario for FYF.

Just because many in forum got their card LTF, it doesn't mean you follow them blindly. Learn how to negotiate first and establish banking relationship with them if needed. You tried to play blind and suffered.

Wait for 3 months and then contact them through email for LTF/FYF upgrade to millenia and don't lose your composure while interacting, keep it professional. If you wish to strengthen relationships with them, open regular/savings max account with them, you will get pre approved offer for card after few months.

Thank you for replying...I want to confirm that I was not demanding an LTF offer, I was just checking to see if there is a option as I am technically more than eligible for Millennia and I would have been perfectly fine if they said they are unable to process it and I was professional with all my interactions but it's the way HDFC handled it...It should not take 15 days to tell me it's not possible, from the reply it was clear that they did not read my email correctly or worse they did not comprehend it and is it Professional to retract the offer to pointing out their incompetence instead of taking the feedback seriously and improving on it...I was happy with my paid Times Card but I was lied into taking this useless card, After this treatment I am doubtful If I want any relationship with this bank, This is not how customer service of one of the largest banks of India behave we definitely deserve better!

 

[Anshit]

"Seven days later, I received a reply saying my LTF was approved and that I’d get a confirmation in another seven days."

If you do have this e-mail starting explicitly that 'Millennia credit card is approved as LTF', then you can fwd this to grievance redressal and ask for Millennia cc LTF, if they don't budge , then escalate to nodal officer and then PNO, and then RBI ombudsman.

It did not day say Millennia was approved LTF, it just said ' You got LTF approval ' As the Moneyback already LTF I assumed they are indicating Millennia was approved LTF, their email responses are weirdly constructed don't know if that is on purpose!

 

[Anshit]

The thing is, offers are generated by their back end system randomly and I guess after 15 days they disappear.

In your case customer care was only talking about your current card and not about any offers specifically (I think they have no idea about anything to do with offers), but if you had taken the offer they would have understood correctly and would have confirmed about LTF status accordingly. You also should have instead called them instead of writing email since that always take a while to get proper reply.

Next time if you see any offer, dont rely on their CS and first apply even if its FYF, after that confirm the LTF status and then u can decide if u wanna keep it or not in case they say it isnt LTF.
I still think its a general misunderstanding and you should understand how their system works and go ahead opening a savings account for pre-approved offers and their rewarding Debit Cards. You can check other threads regarding everything to do with HDFC for better insight on how they operate.

Thank you for replying...I am not sure about the 15 days thing, I always had the Moneyback plus upgrade for years and also this Millennia offer was also available for more than 15 days

I believe the Customer have access to the offers when the check the customer's profile on the CRM, all they need to do is check my profile to see If I qualify for LTF , a really good rep would check with his Manager to see all available options

I would prefer calling the customer care only to get information which may be readily available for them as Reps on Calls have to achieve an Average Handling Time(AHT) that is they have wrap a call in certain minutes which includes talking tou you, looking for info and logging the call in the system and move on to next call so they may not be interested in assisting you while an Email rep gets more time to research and revert back but seems like they don't care read the emails properly may be in that case calling them is better

This behaviour of their customer Service does not encourage me to avail any of their other products

 

[Trust Me]

.... If you wish to strengthen relationships with them, open regular/savings max account with them, you will get pre approved offer for card after few months.

Inspite of already holding a CC? My personal experience doesn't inspire confidence in this regard!
.

 

[Trust Me]

You can check other threads regarding everything to do with HDFC for better insight on how they operate.

Reliable insights into how HDFC really operate? Somehow I seriously doubt it ! 🙂
.

 

[Nishan11]

Inspite of already holding a CC? My personal experience doesn't inspire confidence in this regard!
.

I just have hdfc CC for offers. Their customer care is pathetic to the core.

 

[Anshit]

UPDATE: I did not do anything further, HDFC called me today and informed me that they looking into my request and checking if the LTF can approved and requested me to ' hold on'...No TAT, Upgrade links are activated again...Now this is something I appreciate but was unexpected of HDFC!

 

[Anshit]

Inspite of already holding a CC? My personal experience doesn't inspire confidence in this regard!
.

I think to get a Card or to get things done everyone is settling for medicoricity which is encouraging this abysmal service but now they have proactively reached out to me which gives me a glimmer of hope...