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Can Citibank’s Customer Experience Be Saved?
Posted by Luis Serpa on September 4, 2006 - 2:40 AM
It all began when I received an offer to open the new Citibank e-Savings Account. Already a Citibank customer, I thought that this new savings product with 5% APR would fit me perfectly.
I went online but couldn’t find any way to sign up through my internet banking account. So I called my account manager to see what I was doing wrong. She told me that my account wasn’t considered a domestic account and, as such, not eligible for an e-savings account. To qualify, I should open a new checking account.
I explained that this account is a remnant of my wife’s relocation benefits package and it is linked to it several other Citibank products (investment brokerage account, CD account, normal savings account, credit cards, bill payments, etc). Reconfiguring everything to a new checking account would be a tremendous hassle. I mentioned that I could easily open an e-savings account with several other institutions and link it to my current one with no hassle.
My Citibank account manager’s opinion? I SHOULD GO AHEAD AND DO THAT!
I wanted to prove myself a loyal customer, so I reconsidered opening a new checking account. To my surprise, I found out that with my balance, investments etc, I was entitled to a more beneficial financial package than I have with my current checking account.
Of course, instead of being happy I am now very upset.
What did I learn?
1. I am a better client than I knew but never got any recognition.
2. They seem to value the acquisition of new customers over retaining the current ones.
3. They are willing to let me go to another bank without even trying to accommodate my needs
4. Their internal bureaucracy and inconsistencies are getting in the way of a good customer experience
So, now that I know I am more than they deserve, what do you think I will do?
*see original post at Customerspective
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This Post Categories: Banking, Customer Experience.
This Post Tags: Banking, customer experience.
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Comment from Dom
Time: 10/22/2007, 7:14 pm
Just tryed to open the online account during 1 month at citibank. well it s true it s horrible and that s scary, they ask you for your social security number, a signature sample, the home address,the landline phone number. But the things is that I don t need a landline phone number so I sent my electricity bill instead and my cellphone number. After sending everything I got a fist call for somebody asking for my address after few days, I gave it again over the phone, few days later another guy called me again asking for my address again I gave it again… few days later I got a letter asking me for my signature and all the informations again (I already sent it by fax) but I sent it again… few days later an indian called me to ask for my landline phone number, I said I dont have it and I tryed to explain him what I was going trough and he hang up on me I called back the customer service, asked for a manager, I got a guy and he told me he his not responsible for new account and was not nice at all. I got another woman, she said sorry about that, was nice and said give me your business phone number and somebody will call you in the next 48hours. 2 days later, nothing… I called back another person asked me the same questions I gave again everything, nobody called… I I received a second letter asking me for this informations again. I sent everything by fax. I got another person calling asking me if everything was ok (LOL) I said no, I explained the situation and she told me… oh it s ok it can take between 6 or 7 days to be processed and as of today… 1 month later still nothing. I just wrote them an email to cancel my citibank account request because if it s that hard to be customer at citi, I don t want to know what happen when you have a issue to solve. I did my account with a competitor and guess what… it took few days… don t waste your time, just hope they improve the customer service and the process. Citi bank employees forgot they have to work probably.
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