E-crm.....the farce. Review on HDFC Bank

Have you ever applied for a Credit Card, tried to open an account in a bank, filled up forms for reserving a ticket on trains, or booked a ticket in any airlines. They all want to know your postal address including PIN number, telephone number, residence, office, and mobile, e- mail address, alternate e- mail address, and in some cases “land mark” while coming to your office or residence. But they will use it only when it matters to them. If it is going to affect you they will not get in touch with you at all.

Let me give an example. I hold a Standard Chartered Credit card since August 1999. I bought a return air ticket to Trivandrum on Indian Airlines in November 2001 using this credit card. The card statement is generated on 8th of the month and I should have received the statement by around 15th of next month through a designated courier and the due date is 28th of the month. All other credit cards I hold have standing instructions to debit the full amount on due date to my savings account except the Standard Chartered bank where I have no account. But I used to pay the full amount by dropping the cheque in a deposit box kept at a supermarket close to my residence. But in December 2001 I did not get a statement and I made my first mistake of not following the rule which is reproduced as below

“Your statement is generated every month on the “Statement Date” shown on the reverse. If you do not receive it within 7 days from that date kindly call your nearest Customer Service Helpline.We will advise you of the amount payable and arrange to send you a duplicate. This will help you in avoiding unnecessary charges”

This is printed on the back side of the statement in font size 4.

I made the first mistake of not remembering that I have not received the statement and calling for a duplicate. But I received a statement dated 8-1-2002 on 12-1-2002 which charged me Rs 75.00 as “Late charges” and Rs 453.55 as “Interest”. I called up the customer service helpline and explained that since I did not receive the statement I forgot to pay but I am sending the payment including the “Late Charges” and Interest immediately even before the due date. I deposited a cheque for the full amount ( Rs 8694.98) on 12 Jan 2002 in their collection box at the supermarket, and pinched my ear for forgetting to call them. On reaching home I went through the Standard Chartered credit card account and found that I have not any missed payment since August 1999 or made a partial payment anytime. Well that does not absolve me from my mistake of not calling for a duplicate statement.

While checking my saving account transactions through the net banking facility (HDFC Bank) on 12 February 2002 , I found that an amount of Rs 8694.98 has been debited and then credited to my account on the same day ie: 18 January 2002. I did not require the services of Mr. Sherlock Holmes to find that something has gone wrong with the payment I made to Standard Chartered Credit Card. So I called up the Customer Service Help line and after reading out my bio-data the woman at the other end said that my cheque was returned back by the bank due to a “technical error” which she was unable to explain. I asked if I could get the cheque back. “No Sir, we can not do that as the cheque is now the property of Standard Chartered”, OK, Can I have a look at the cheque?, “No Sir it is not with me and in is in a different office”. Understandable, I said to myself, but then why didn’t you call me and tell me that the cheque has been dishonoured?

No Sir, there are thousands of dud cheques and we can not call all of them

Ok, couldn’t you send me an e-mail?

No Sir, that is not our policy.

Hmm, what about a simple letter ?

It costs money and time to write a letter

Then how will you inform me that my cheque is returned

In the next month statement Sir,

So I should wait till 8th of February to know how much I owe you.

Yes Sir.

So I decided to check with my bank (HDFC Bank) where I am a “preferred customer” and have a “relationship manager” to look after my banking needs. He could not help since my cheque with “technical error” had gone to another branch where the clearance is done. I spoke to one of the “Clearing Officer” in that branch who said that a “mistake is a mistake” and I should not even speak to him as a back office person he is not supposed to interact with the customer. He explained to me that if there weren’t sufficient money in my account they would have definitely contacted me and asked me to arrange funds. ( This is when I have over Rs 125,000.00 overdraft facility). But the mistake in my cheque of 30 paise can not be condoned that is why the cheque was returned to Standard Chartered.

There was no difference between the customer support officers of Standard Chartered and HDFC. Both said they receive thousands of dud cheques and it is impossible to contact each and every customer. So the quantity makes the quality of service deteriorate. If this was true what could have happened to GM. Ford, Toyota and Daimler Chrysler????

HDFC also thought a telephone call, or an e-mail, or even a snail mail is not warranted in this case. Can you imagine what happens when you make these banks to pay your telephone , Electricity, and water Bills. ( It is another matter even after paying them directly standing in a queue for hours together you get the full utility of these services.)

HDFC claims that they are the biggest private sector bank. Best bank in 2001 and all that big claims. If this can happen to a preferred customer, what is in store for a normal customer?