Amex "I'm going to cancel my card" - bonus points given thread.

[Chicken]

Never had a response to any email from anyone at Amex, ever -- but I like your style.

In each of your e-mail, is a link for you to click, to see your e-mail from a web site / web browser, instead of your e-mail program. You can log in to your AmEx internet banking, then go to online chat, give them the link, and say that your loved one is stuck in UK / Italy, and can't get out, and this e-mail is not nice at all.

I have done the exact same thing, with the previous AmEx mass e-mail stuff up, when they addressed customers as Dear 123456789012345, are you missing out on points? Went on chat, told the operator that, yes I understand I am just a number to AmEx, but please don't make it so obvious, and they re-sent apology later.

The most drastic one was from a gift company, which sent me an e-mail: 'Hi Chicken, do you know, today last year, was when you sent this gift [insert photo of the gift] to Hot Chick? If you have not given a gift for a while, maybe it is time you send one!'. I replied back, saying Hot Chick was my ex, we broke up already, I am upset, but not too depressed as yet, but imagine if someone else was depressed and were to jump off Sydney Harbour Bridge (yes, I really did say this). They replied back in under 24 hours, fully apologised, and said they would be more careful, and would not contact me again.

Instead of being assertive, you would be surprise how much responsive if you could play a drama queen appropriately.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Urban myth from 1993. From New Scientist
”
The National Westminster Bank admitted last month that it keeps personal
information about its customers – such as their political affiliation –
on computer. But now Computer Weekly reveals that a financial institution,
sadly unnamed, has gone one better and moved into the realm of personal
abuse.

The institution decided to mailshot 2000 of its richest customers, inviting
them to buy extra services. One of its computer programmers wrote a program
to search through its databases and select the customers automatically.
He tested the program with an imaginary customer called Rich cough.

Unfortunately an error resulted in all 2000 letters being addressed
‘Dear Rich cough’. The luckless programmer was subsequently sacked.”

 

[Spongbob]

At about that time there was a well known Mr Alan B'Stard:

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Great idea. What email address did you send this to?

I hit reply to their email.

Been trying to call Amex for over a week now.
Phone lines go to mailbox error messages or technical problem messages.

The online live chat link is broken [loops to re-login] - hasn't worked for a long long time.
Also, it appears the 'live chat' function has been removed from the latest Amex app update.

I honestly don't know how it's legal to charge customers, while intentionally cutting off the lines of communication.
Amex is a disgrace right now.

 

[Chicken]

The online live chat link is broken [loops to re-login] - hasn't worked for a long long time.

I just go thru, no wait time.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I just go thru, no wait time.

The in-app live chat has previously worked before today. Now there is no link inside the app.

Website: I've tried multiple web browsers. Web and mobile. Always loops to re-login.

 

[Daver6]

I've got through very quickly when calling the number on the plat charge card. It recognises me based on the number I'm calling from.

As for just replying to the market emails, have you got a response? I just assumed it was an unmonitored email alias.

 

[Chicken]

Website: I've tried multiple web browsers. Web and mobile. Always loops to re-login.

Have you tried logging in again? I did get kicked out the first time, but it worked when I logged straight back in. I am using Opera + in built ad block.

Thank god you mentioned, I just checked my travel credits, expiring Oct, so I won't think about them for now.

 

[blacksultan]

I didn't get the promised call back from a manager yesterday so I followed up today. Got through to an Australian working from home. Long story short, they aren't willing to budge. Told it's their long standing policy to not reduce annual fees. I did point out that we are in different times now. No points. Willing to extend me travel credits to December. I pointed out they're actually only due to expire after Dec 2020 anyway.

Not sure what reality Amex are living in at the moment. Logic dictates I should just close this and re-apply once the world returns to a more normal situation. I won't get a future sign-on bonus as I'm not likely to get rid of my other (QF Ultimate) Amex card. The other downside I see of closing now is I'm forced to select where I send my current stash of Amex points, rather than warehousing them.

or you could open a free essentials card and have your MR points stored there .

 

[Daver6]

Seems like Amex have come to the party in the US - Amex Has Lucrative Premium Card Retention Offers

 

[TheRealTMA]

Seems like Amex have come to the party in the US - Amex Has Lucrative Premium Card Retention Offers

So what’s that mean for us? Any comments from amex Australia?

 

[Daver6]

So what’s that mean for us? Any comments from amex Australia?

I've not had a response from my "complaint" yet. They gave me a two week time frame, which would be by CoB on Thursday. I'll follow up on Friday if I haven't heard back.

 

[robbo135]

Went to cancel my Charge card this morning, no bonus points offered only the option to go down to a Gold/Green charge.
The Platinum reserve companion card which comes with it has its annual fee due in June so will cancel this then as I still have an unused travel credit.

 

[Daver6]

I've not had a response from my "complaint" yet. They gave me a two week time frame, which would be by CoB on Thursday. I'll follow up on Friday if I haven't heard back.

Surprise surprise, Amex didn't really get back to me. I did receive the following email on Wednesday from the so called complaint that I didn't actually lodge...

Dear Mr Daver6,
We refer to your recent feedback regarding your American Express Platinum Card Account.
Your matter has been forwarded to the Global Customer Research & Solutions Team to
assist you.
We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in disruptions to business and as
a result you are unable to utilize the benefits associated with your American Express
Platinum Card Account. You have requested for a reduction in your $1,450.00 annual fee
that was applied to your Account on XX March 2020.
We are aware of the impact that this is having on your ability to use some of the benefits in
the short term. As you can appreciate this is an unprecedented situation that is rapidly
evolving. We are working internally and with our partners to determine the appropriate
course of action as quickly as possible. As soon as we have an update, we will let you know.
Referring to the Travel Credits, we confirm that the $450.00 Travel Credit associated with
your Platinum Card does not expire until XX March 2021, similarly the $400.00 Travel Credit
associated with your Platinum Reserve Credit Card does not expire until XX February 2021.
In the event you are unable to use these benefits by the dates above, please contact the
number on the back of your Card, so we can discuss options with you.
We are unable to compensate you with Membership Rewards Points or apply a credit to
offset the $1,450.00 annual fee. If you wish to change your card type to a lower fee card,
please contact the number on the back of your Card, so that alternate arrangement can be
made.
If you wish to cancel your Account, please contact the number on the back of your Card
prior to XX April 2020 for a full fee refund.
We trust the above adequately addresses and resolves your concerns. We thank you for
your feedback and regret any unintended dissatisfaction caused. We want you to know that
if you have any new information you would like us to consider, or you are unhappy with our
position, we would be happy to keep working with you. However, in the event that that we
can’t resolve this issue together, we need to tell you about the Australian Financial
Complaints Authority (AFCA) of which we are a member.
AFCA offers an external dispute resolution service which is free to use. AFCA will ask if
you have tried to resolve the issue with us first then they will review our actions to determine
if we have fulfilled our obligations to you. If you need to contact AFCA, please contact them
on 1800 931 678, through www.afca.org.au or at GPO Box 3, Melbourne, VIC, 3001.
Yours sincerely

So a letter telling me nothing new. There was a direct contact number (Sydney) for the person who sent me this as well as a general number. Neither number gets answered and voicemails to call me back were not actioned.

So I called the regular number today. Blah blah blah, we still don't have a response even though we promised you one. I clarified that if one cancels after the 30 day grace period there is no pro-rata refund on the annual fee. I specifically asked for an extension of the grace period until Amex actually responds with an answer. This was granted.

So the waiting game continues. Amex really need to work on their PR here. Using the lines that they never offer an annual fee reduction doesn't fly during these extraordinary times. If airlines and hotels will refund non-cancelable fees, Amex needs to come to the party.

 

[muppet]

No way I’ll be paying $1,400 for this card this year. I won’t hesitate to close it. It’s essentially worthless, the benefits are almost solely travel related and even then virtually all internationally based.

 

[Chicken]

We are working internally and with our partners to determine the appropriate course of action as quickly as possible.

They would not say this if they were not doing anything. I wonder where they are at with this. Having said that, everyone (as in their vendors) would be doing their financial models, so everyone is probably still trying to figure out where they are at, especially with Commonwealth government announcing so many new policies.

 

[Daver6]

No way I’ll be paying $1,400 for this card this year. I won’t hesitate to close it. It’s essentially worthless, the benefits are almost solely travel related and even then virtually all internationally based.

Best not tell you the fee is actually $1450 then

They would not say this if they were not doing anything. I wonder where they are at with this. Having said that, everyone (as in their vendors) would be doing their financial models, so everyone is probably still trying to figure out where they are at, especially with Commonwealth government announcing so many new policies.

To me there wording just sounds like not taking ownership and shifting the blame elsewhere. Now that I can cancel later and get my annual fee back, I don't care how long they take to sort it out. If what they offer isn't to my liking I'll just leave without penalty.

 

[Chicken]

To me there wording just sounds like not taking ownership and shifting the blame elsewhere. Now that I can cancel later and get my annual fee back, I don't care how long they take to sort it out. If what they offer isn't to my liking I'll just leave without penalty.

Yes, AmEx is clearly trying to reduce their loss. Having said that, people in AmEx do have to do financial models. Also their vendors. And everyone else.

If you have any contact with anyone who works in finance / 'commercial' teams (commercial means revenue for those who don't know), you would know that, they have been trying to read government policies while re-doing their financial models from scratch, in the last 2 to 3 weeks.

Nobody could make any decision, until these models are done.

This probably explains where AmEx is at.

 

[ajd]

Just called to cancel my Platinum Edge, on which I have spent a grand total of $35 (extra payment when redeeming my $200 travel credit!) since I got my Citi cards back in December. Before that, an average month for me would be about $500 spend on Amex.

Mentioned that I wanted a retention offer straight up, as soon as he'd done the cancel/reactivate rigmarole he gave me an offer of 30,000 MR Ascent points, which I duly accepted.

Now to have these flexible points sit there and wait out the worst of COVID-19 before figuring out which airlines are still solvent!

 

[jules.]

Do you have to go through the whole 'I want to cancel' rigmarole, or will the outcome be the same if you straight up ask for a retention offer?
My travel credit has been extended for 12 months so actually cancelling my card isn't an option for me unfortunately.