Jan 30, 2006 07:25 PM
3168 Views
(Updated Jan 30, 2006 07:32 PM)
A year or so back I wrote a review about ICICI bank and there was no other bank to compare ICICI, with the exception of HDFC.
And man what an experience that was - ICICI was terrible and all the things that could go wrong with a bank's customer service - were a de facto standard at the ICICI.
I was all praises in that review [albeit, I have forgotten my user id and password on Mouthshut to revive it] for HDFC Bank Ltd.
I think that a lot of other customers like me praised HDFC and that praise has gone to their heads - now a days they switched places with the ICICI Bank.
About a month back I ordered a cheque book thru online banking, earlier such a request use to take just a couple of days and the cheque book would reach your address, but this one has not reached me even after a month.
Call them up and the reply is - we sent it, but since nobody was present at the time of delivery - it was returned to the branch and you will have to come to the branch to collect it.
But I stay 20 kms away from the branch that I opened and account with [I have shifted] - well in that case we will arrange to send it to the branch nearest to your present location and they will call you.
Thank You - I hang up the phone and after a day or two, when nobody calls me I call them again - We will forward the request once again! BS - what were you doing the first place? What are guys and gals doing at the branch?
Just visit any of the branches and nobody is interested in attending to you.
The situation is the same with their credit card department - I was erroneously charged 2 EMIs and later reversed.
I bought an electronics appliance using their credit card, only because the merchant informed me that I will not have to pay a single paisa in advance and all the amount would be spread in 18 easy EMIs.
All my happiness vanished, when I saw that I have been charged 7 EMIs in advance!
I picked up the phone and gladly dialed HDFC's tollfree number, which no longer worked - How will it work? They must be paying a fortune answering all those compliant calls!
I finally dialled the chargeable number and after listening to that awful answering machine and keying in 3s and 2s I finally hit the 9 to speak to a banking officer - once again I was put on hold for at least 7 minutes [they are not paying the phone bill any longer - remember, they disconnected their tollfree number].
Well after a long wait I hear someone on the other end - barely audible, but what the heck I don't want to waste another 15-20 minutes calling, keying in and holding.
I explain my dilemma and I was informed that this will have to be reported and investigated by the head office - I will have to call back again [Oh God - NO, Not Again] after 4-5 days to have this matter sorted out.
I wait for a week before I could finally summon my courage and wait for those free MTNL phone calls that I get every month to waste on calling them again.
To my dismay - the banking officer was new but he had the same pathetic reply 'We have to forward this complaint to the Head Office - kindly call back after 4-5 days.
Well I had to take 2 tablets, instead of 1 that night to keep my blood pressure in control - well after a good weekend and my pulse normal, I again gathered my strenght to call them up.
My God - I get the same reply once again!
Believe me - HDFC Bank now compares only with the run of the mill, low end government institutions like State Banks and MTNLs.
ICICI bank has left them far behind - they now have uniforms for their staff, an electronic waiting system, plenty of seating arrangements in their branches and favorable timings.
I guess its about time to make a switch to the better establishment.
At least they know the meaning of Customer Service - anyhow it reminds me of a saying: 'Ando Mein Kaana Raaja'.
Cheers.
