Thinking about getting a credit card?

DISCLAIMER: With this blog, I aim to give you my opinion about a certain "established" bank in the Philippines. The opinions and interpretations I have made here are based on my own personal experience with this bank. I am in no way related to any competitor bank. This blog was not meant to dissuade you from becoming a potential customer or cardholder, but rather to give you an idea of the possible kind of service you might be getting should you decide to do business with this bank.

It is now November 2005. I have been a primary cardholder of Standard Chartered Bank since 2000. From 2000 to 2003, I was a blue/silver mastercard holder. During this time, I was not an excessive credit card user, so my credit limit started at P30,000. I have never bought or paid for anything that was very expensive, so I had little bank interaction. I just waited for my bill to be delivered, then paid the full amount due for that month and paid my annual fees every year. I had little reason to call their customer service hotline, except for the rare times I had a question about my statement, or the two times I requested for a credit limit increase.

The two credit limit increases were granted without need for proof of additional income, and during late 2003, my credit limit for the card was P90,000. If I were to ask for a higher credit limit, I would need to upgrade to a Gold card, which I didn't feel the need to do just yet.

In late 2003, I had the privilege of joining a multi-national company, with part of the perks being that I could travel every now and then for business reasons. Of course, this means that I would need to be a more frequent credit card user. It was good to discover that my company provided us a company credit card, which happens to be SCB. Well, at this time, I realized that there were many other banks who had better service than SCB, but since I could not choose the company credit card, I had to go with the flow. Here's where my string of bad experiences with this bank started:

1. I found out that I needed to upgrade to a Gold card, but would need to fill out a new application form since it will now be a company credit card. OK, no problem with that. However, during the week I submitted the application, I was informed that I needed to head off to Thailand for one month, so I decided to take my existing SCB card with me, which had a 90K credit limit. Through the company, I requested for a temporary increase to P160,000 since I will be away for 1 month. The temporary credit limit increase was approved, and I left for Thailand without worrying.

While I was in Thailand, SCB called me to say that my Gold Card was approved and that it would be sharing a 100K limit with my existing card. I told them I was in Thailand and would not be able to get my Gold Card, so I asked them to check that the card I brought with me still has the 160K credit limit. They said yes, and that the 100K shared limit between my existing card and the gold card would not take effect until I activated the Gold card. They assured I wouldn't have problems using the 160K limit on my existing card.

The day I checked out of the hotel, I couldn't do so, because the card would not accept the amount the hotel was entering. I called long-distance via cellphone to SCB Philippines customer service and asked them to check the card. They kept me on hold for 30 minutes, without checking on me every 2 minutes (this 2 min. check with customer-on-hold is MANDATORY for all customer-service centers, I know this for a fact). And I even informed the operator who took my call that I am calling from another country before she put me on hold. I disconnected the call, and paid the hotel using my other credit cards. I ended up using 2 cards in order to pay for the hotel bill. In the taxi on the way to the airport, I called SCB Philippines customer service again and was able to get ahold of the same operator who previously took my call, and she told me that she was not able to get a reply from their credit care department.

Once I got back to the Philippines, I called again and it was found out that I *did* have 160K extended limit... 70K on the gold card (which arrived AFTER I left for Thailand), and 90K on my existing card. All this trouble even though I was guaranteed that my existing card would have the 160K limit.

I discontinued my use of the old card, and kept the Gold Card, which has a permanent credit limit of 100K. A 10K increase from my original card's credit limit... why did I bother to upgrade then?

2. Since SCB can only be paid by either: A) paying at SCB branches or B) pay OTC (over the counter) at certain banks on certain days (not everyday, I once tried to pay via Metrobank on a Monday, only to be told that I can only pay from Tuesdays to Thursdays, from 10am to 2pm only), I usually pay my SCB bills directly to SCB. One afternoon, I went to the Ayala Branch (near our office) and there was an extremely long queue for OTC payments. At the same time, the teller will usually point customers to their 24-hour payment facility (ATM drop box), so I just went there. There are 2 separate payment machines for cash and check payments, and only 1 machine for each of these. I was paying cash at the time, and found that I could not use the cash payment facility (out of service) and since there was only one other machine, and for checks, I decided to visit the Emerald Avenue branch in Ortigas on the way home. Quite out of the way, but in the same area I was heading. When I reached the Emerald Ave. branch past 7pm after enduring traffic and no parking spots, I parked with the hazard lights on and went to the payment facility, only to find that the one and only payment machine they have onsite was also out-of-service.

This has happened on more than 3 occassions since 2004.

3. SCB announced in 2004 that they will grant subscribers 1 point for every P30 purchase on their card, instead of the original 1 point for every P200 purchase. They did not send a catalogue or anything that will inform users of what they get in exchange for the points. Early this year, after much searching on their internet website to no avail, I called their customer service to ask for a copy of the points brochure. They said they need to request for a copy of it and will get back to me. My first call was at 8am, with followups at 10am and 2pm. I finally got an email at 5pm.

The same waiting time holds true if you are trying to request for your unbilled charges statement. It has to go through another department, so if you call at 8am, even with priority status, you get the reply at 5pm. If you're unlucky, your request will not be processed till the next banking day.

4. SCB does not have an online banking website for credit card holders. There is no way for me to view my statements, pay for utility bills, etc online using my credit card. Nothing!

5. The SCB website has a "Contact Us and give us feedback" feature. It's an online form with an SCB email address. I used it and put down some improvements for their site like posting the rewards points redemption, online banking services, etc. After 2 days, I get a non-computer generated reply (I know it's not an auto-reply, because auto-replies do not take 2 days, and there was a signature at the end) telling me that this "Contact Us" feature is no longer being used, and that if I needed customer support, please call their customer support number. So why the heck is it still on their website??? Without even acknowledgment of the improvements I wrote down.

6. I have recently called SCB customer service to ask where I can send a request for a credit limit increase, and that I already have the necessary papers they need (certificate of employment or ITR) for this. The response of the customer service operator: "Sorry but you're not on the list of the people qualified for a credit limit increase." I told her I already have papers to prove I can afford the credit limit increase, and she tells me it's no use to apply since I'm not on the list, regardless of whatever papers I have to prove income.

7. Finally disgusted (I've been disgusted with SCB's service many times before as you can see above) beyond reason, I forwarded a complaint to Mastercard International regarding SCB. Within 2 weeks of sending that complaint, I received a call from SCB's Service Excellence Department (not Customer Service Dept), who told me that my complaint was forwarded to them by their Marketing Head. Well thank goodness Mastercard International knew how to get their member banks' attention!

After spending 1 hour on the phone with this person, I was told that I was justified in my complaints (hah!) and that she would escalate my request for a credit limit increase to their Credit Management Team -- it was the least they could do, she said, in atonement for the past grievances done to me.

While I was not really interested in using my SCB card anymore, I decided to let her do that and see what happens. I asked her if she needed documents like proof of income and she said "No need, if another card company has recently approved your request for a credit limit increase." Okay. My most favored bank (if you must know, it is Citibank) has approved my request for a credit limit increase 2 days after I was denied at SCB. They gave me 100% credit limit increase. So I gave my Citibank card number to this person and waited.

Waited for a whole month, with no feedback.

Since she gave me her direct line, I called her to check on the status of this. And guess what she told me? That yes, she forwarded the escalation to the Credit Management Team the same day she called me, and that I was denied. Again. Due to insufficient income.

Based on what??? Now this is just plain stupid. Wasn't I the one who asked her if I needed to show proof of income and she said no? So, after apologizing for the Nth time, I told her to tell their Credit Management Team quote and unquote "You guys do a f*cking lousy job."

Then I just hung up.

I discontinued the use of my card, of course. Why bother to keep it, even if it's the company credit card? I certainly don't want their business, seeing as they don't want mine.

Damn, I really hate this bank. IMEHO, they are the lousiest bank I have come across.

DISCLAIMER number 2: I would like once again to remind all readers that I am in no way dissuading you from being an SCB cardholder, and that I am in no way disssuading you from using your card, if you are already a user. I am just sharing to you my personal experience, which is obviously a very lousy and disappointing one.

If you wish to know what to look for in a credit card provider, I can give you some tips:

1. Mode of payment - Do they offer 24-hour atm machines where you can pay bills, or do you always have to pay OTC? How many machines? Is it easy to use?
2. Location - pick a bank that is easy for you to access.
3. Convenience - Aside from items 1 and 2, does the bank offer online services? Mobile services? Telephone services? I can pay my credit card bills by transfering money directly from my Savings Account to my credit card account via the internet or a telephone call.