STD bank - on a different subject

[olilau]

i had to duke it out with card division and my private banker yesterday (and matter still not concluded) card division phoned my private banker to inform her that my card has been blocked due to non-payment. i have been a STD bank customer for 25 years and have never not paid my account ! - including this time. i normally pay in more than required and carry a positive balance for most of the month. at the end of nov i owed STD bank 2300 bucks which they wanted payment on by 26 dec. on 06 dec, a vendor gave me a refund on my card for 2400 bucks. i figured, cool - account settled. apparently NOT ! they went on to explain to me that a refund does not count as a payment. WTF? its still a credit any which way you turn it and if it had come in before the statement closed, STD bank would have owed ME 100 bucks. can you believe they would cancel/block not only my master card, but my wife's secondary card and both our petrol cards. NOT IMPRESSED - and sorry, yes, not share related, but had to vent...

[#2]

Next time, just draw the money out and then deposit it back into your credit card. It's useless entering into a debate with them, you won't win!

[dbm]

I had a similar experince with the call centre. They know absolutely nothing about you or the business of banking. They are told what to say and to cancel cards. They do not know anything about secondary cards or the hassle they create. I avoid speaking to them altogether and that is a risk when you have misplaced your card.

[john_1]

ya I understand mate..

[#5]

Make a nasty complaint at hellopeter.com it helped me a few times

[olilau]

well, it wasn't a question of not being able to make a payment. it was a calculated move on my part NOT to pay because i considered payment to already have been effected. what if you transact with a vendor, your statement then closes, you go back 2 days later because what you bought is broken, they refund you, it comes through on the next statement, cancelling the purchase, but because the bank does not view it as a "payment" you still have to pay the bank at the end of the month ? - ya, right. i'll fight this one on matters of priciple alone.

[#7]

I have had a few issues with banks and Standard in the past. Best solution I found was to actually compile a report, indicating their error in thinking, outlining the problem and how I found the entire debacle a complete waste of my time. With this I sent them a bill for slightly more than they buggered me around with, in your case say R2,350-00. Takes them a few days but my banker calls me often to advise payment is being made for the invoice I submitted..... Works every time and I seem to get less and less hassels. When I do they seem to have me flagged or listed or whatever but these days I dont have to waste time with excuses, they just fix it and move on. Try it and see how quickly your personal banker takes your business to whole new level. Matter of fact I dropped the personal banker and now communicate directly with the manager at branch level or occasionally I get peeved enough and CC Mr Maree into communications. Be creative and avoid the call centers where possible.

[#8]

Personal Banker? I have been with Standard Bank since 1997. I get a letter or an email almost every 6 - 9 months to please come into the branch to meet my newly appointed "Personal Banker". At the risk of sounding sexist, usually some young Poppie - relationship manager etc. By the time I have explained to them how my accounts all work as they are interlinked (something she should know just by taking a quick squizz at my file) she has either fallen pregnant, left that branch, transferred to Home Loans or Resigned from STDBANK all together. I decided a while ago that the manager (who is also only a glorifed HR manager) is, as he is usually male, less likely to fall pregnant, get engaged (as most of them are grey haired already), be moved to Home Loans as a consultant etc - So I appoint him as my personal banker & deal with him solely. Works like a charm. Also a good idea to CC Mr Maree & teh rest of teh directors when required. :)