Bank incompetency

[Allibert]

For those new expats looking for a bank, here an ongoing story you might be interested in.

My (current, but possibly not much longer) bank (DBS) received an application form for a credit card on January 25th. After 10 days without any further notice, I received my application for back telling me a copy of my employment pass was missing.

This was handed in the same day. Again, no news until yesterday when I made a complaint about this. Today they got back to me asking me for my passport number (they couldn't even find my name in their computer - there are obviously thousands of expats in Singapore with my quite rare name).

So having provided them with my passport number, I have just received an email saying my application for a DEBIT card has been approved and I should be getting it next week.

I have now informed them that I was actually applying for a CREDIT card and not a DEBIT card. At this rate I should be hearing from them again in March asking again for my name or date of birth.

To be continued .......

[Robin Hood]

Same situation here with another bank.
I applied for a specific service offered by the bank. Go to their headquarters seats in front of a bimbette who could not even answer my querries and had to go back to ask her "supervisor" for answers...
Long story short, she gives me the form, I sign it. 15 days (fifteen!!!) I receive a letter form the bank saying I filled up the wrong forms.
I made countless of call, spoke to 15 different persons, finally 3 months (three!!)later I receive a call form a "manager' telling me the service was not available yet.
It does not end here. 2 weeks after the manager tells me that, another bimbette calls me and ask me if I wanted to apply..
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH\
Don't you want to go out there and slap them all?
The banking system here is still very old fashioned, provincial, not at all service oriented...

[Olly]

Ah, DBS! Yes...

A long while ago (before e-mail and things were invented) I wanted to get some money transferred from Lloyds in London to Singers.

There was/is a Lloyds bank here, so I asked that the money go there.

The reply came back that Lloyds here was an investment service - my cash had been sent to DBS instead.

I called DBS; no record of such a thing.

Letter to Lloyds. Reply said here's the relevant transaction numbers, etc.

Back to DBS. Nothing known.

Lloyds repeated the information.

Back to DBS. Yes, the money was here all the time! Okay, I said, what's the best way to handle it? Open an account with you?

Maybe, said DBS. But you need to bring two letters of reference.

Aaaagh! Never mind. I'll collect the cash tomorrow.

I turned up and got the runaround for an hour or so. Then the cash arrived. I was expecting something over a hundred thousand; I got eighty nine.

What is this? I cried. The exchange rate on the day it was sent (three weeks earlier) was such as to give me twelve thousand more.

Tough, says Mr DBS (or rather Mrs DBS) - you get today's rate.

But, but, but, I cry, if you hadn't lost your records of the transaction I'd be twelve thousand dollars richer!!!

Them's the rules, mate. Now naff off. (Well different words, but I got the drift).

Never, ever, have anything to do with DBS.

And now I feel much better. Cheers,

Ol.

[Arbee]

Ihad the same prob when applying for my credit card.Applied a total of 3 times before they  acknowledged receipt & i got the card .That was after agood strong worded letter to them

[bs]

One of my bank is standard chartered. In HK I had no problems whatsoever. Here it is one nightmare after the other. Rude and arrogant staff, incompetent, slow and worst of all you need to constantly call and double check that your instructions are being carried or will be carried properly! Truly amazing for such a place....
Am I in Singapore or Burkina Faso?

[makanaka]

Burkinapore is rather the norm for banking transactions here.

Ref DBS, I have found that sadly the only way I can get them to listen to me is to consistently ask for a "superior officer" until I reach some person who understands what I'm asking for without going into a rehearsed pitch about insurance-linked-deposits while I'm actually asking for a demand draft.

It seems to me that what you find at DBS is what you find, +/- 10 per cent, anywhere else. It appears that the frontline customer service staff are given various role playing scenarios to deal with, and that they do so with the help of a script they commit to memory. In most cases, if the customer deviates from the script they are rendered clueless, and if a senior / superior officer is not immediately available, you are left to forage for yourself in the grisly wilds of Burkinapore.

Sad but true.

[Maybe]

banks are wary of giving credit cards to expats because of their past bad experience of expats chalking up huge bills before doing a runner!

[new credit card holder]

I recently applied for a credit card with Citibank. I went to the branch in Orchard and filled in the form, stood in the queue for a few minutes. The teller photocopied my payslip, Income tax form, passport and employment pass and checked i had completed the forms correctly. I received the card approximately one week later without any problems. I was expecting it to be a real process but was pleasantly surprised when all in all it took about 5 painless minutes!

[IanK]

There I was getting all annoyed at HSBC, thinking they had a personal vendetta against my application for a CC.

The story so far.............opened an account on 3 Jan. including CC application. About 15 days later called to enquire about the promised cheque book, ATM card, etc. 10 days later reveived cheque book, another week ATM card, another week ATM code. Still no sign of the CC, which I had made a new call to enquire about. Application mislaid lah!
Another few days go by and they call me saying more docs required. Duly handed in same day. Two days later I get a letter asking for the same docs. New call..... "I will check with the HV branch immediately and call back" Never received that call.

A week later I visit the branch who make a call and it is blatantly obious from the conversation that:
a. they are still not happy with the docs received (according to request)
b. The application will not be approved (this was not told to my face)
c. I would be advised sometime the following week

Last Thursday I got the dear John letter.

Called HSBC yesterday and they would not tell me the reason for the non-approval.

The jist:
Waited 7 weeks for an answer. Got totall p***** off with the terrible service, lack of interest in keeping me as a customer, etc, etc.

From what you all say it seems no better elsewhere.

Saw the full page spread in the ST this morning seeking applications. Gold card members are welcome with salaries well below half of mine.

One good thing...the CC bills have never been lower! Always look on the bright side.

Ian