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

[DC3]

I tried to get some retention bonus as my annual subscription is now due and went through the cancellation dance but was flatly told due to change in change in Australian Law Amex (and others) are forbidden from offering retention bonus points ...

This would have been in relation to a credit card?

Manila once tried that for my charge card, but backed off when I reminded them.

Anyway, it’s easier to just HUACA. I believe that sometimes they are reading from the wrong script.

 

[h10]

This would have been in relation to a credit card?

Manila once tried that for my charge card, but backed off when I reminded them.

Anyway, it’s easier to just HUACA. I believe that sometimes they are reading from the wrong script.

Yes I only have one AMEX card...the explorer credit card....& its proving difficult to get more cards and advantage of sign up bonuses due to the banking Royal Commission....
btw what you mean "it’s easier to just HUACA"?

 

[Matt_01]

btw what you mean "it’s easier to just HUACA"?

Hang up and call again

 

[h10]

Hang up and call again

Cheers Matt....did try that to obtain retention bonus but did not work...however was successful in extending expiry of my travel credit by about 3 months till end of March 21, which was due to expire early January...they weren't budging on giving a longer extension. With the current situation i am unlikely to travel by March, so will have call again for another extension.

 

[Poojou]

I tried to get some retention bonus as my annual subscription is now due and went through the cancellation dance but was flatly told due to change in change in Australian Law Amex (and others) are forbidden from offering retention bonus points. But I think if have a charge card then there is a good chance of getting bonus points.
Did you by any chance get her name? Were you talking to an Australian or Filipino call centre?

I always get mapped to offshore due to the odd times i call them - they play very coy when it comes to bonus points - you baically have to cancel the card for them to determine if there's any sort of offer sometimes - as was the case in this instance. Talking to them 'pre-cancellation' is a violation of the new regs as they pointed out - it's a weird one definitely.

It's like your cancelled card goes into a 'holding zone' where they can re-instate it immediately... but you've gotta play chicken with them!

And no I can't remember her name sorry - best of luck!

 

[foggy]

Just called to cancel my explorer card legitimately (I call every year and the past 3 times for this card I have had 1 out of 3 retention points offered) and was surprised to be offered 80k points to keep the card

 

[Poojou]

Just called to cancel my explorer card legitimately (I call every year and the past 3 times for this card I have had 1 out of 3 retention points offered) and was surprised to be offered 80k points to keep the card

Excellent news foggy! Great result. I honestly think there's a steadfast push to keep quote 'higher value' members - especially those who have held a higher-fee-paying-card for a long period of time.

Seems also that literally trying to cancel the card, to the point where they read you the statement etc is the trigger.

 

[h10]

Just called to cancel my explorer card legitimately (I call every year and the past 3 times for this card I have had 1 out of 3 retention points offered) and was surprised to be offered 80k points to keep the card

Nice one foggy...i tried that last week but was unsuccessful on my explorer card....so you managing to get 80k retention bonus is brilliant...so was your call routed to Philippines or Australia? did you get the name of the person you spoke to by any chance?

 

[foggy]

Nice one foggy...i tried that last week but was unsuccessful on my explorer card....so you managing to get 80k retention bonus is brilliant...so was your call routed to Philippines or Australia? did you get the name of the person you spoke to by any chance?

Australia call centre, called just before I posted. Name was Liam I think, but I doubt the operator has any "pull". They are just offering whatever is on their system.

 

[samh004]

January is 'my month' for AMEX, but I really don't want to have to play chicken with a card that I view as my primary card. If it doesn't work and I ended up cancelling a card with a stash of unused points and nothing else lined up in this climate I would be mortified. I truly wish it were simpler.

 

[TheRealTMA]

January is 'my month' for AMEX, but I really don't want to have to play chicken with a card that I view as my primary card. If it doesn't work and I ended up cancelling a card with a stash of unused points and nothing else lined up in this climate I would be mortified. I truly wish it were simpler.

Um, it’s called pay the money.

 

[samh004]

Um, it’s called pay the money.

I'm happy to pay, just wish I could get some points too

I realise that there's a high chance of a retention bonus being offered considering the climate, but it's also a risk.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I'm happy to pay, just wish I could get some points too

I realise that there's a high chance of a retention bonus being offered considering the climate, but it's also a risk.

Call and threaten them with exposure on AFF!

 

[Daver6]

I'm happy to pay, just wish I could get some points too

I realise that there's a high chance of a retention bonus being offered considering the climate, but it's also a risk.

There is no risk. If you close and still no points on offer just re-instate immediately. No harm done.

 

[SOPOOR]

There is no risk. If you close and still no points on offer just re-instate immediately. No harm done.

I have to make the dreaded call to amex for 2 x annual fees coming up in 2 weeks,
do you guys recommend Aussie staff during biz hours or philipino during after hours?

my initial thoughts have always been philipines because they follow a script

 

[Daver6]

I doubt it makes any difference. It's all about what the computer says.

 

[SOPOOR]

I doubt it makes any difference. It's all about what the computer says.

got any recommendations for what to say?

i tried a year ago, and each staff gave me different stories, ranging from , I can cancel and see if you have any incentives to once its cancelled it wont be retrievable
tried 3 times last year without success

 

[Daver6]

got any recommendations for what to say?

i tried a year ago, and each staff gave me different stories, ranging from , I can cancel and see if you have any incentives to once its cancelled it wont be retrievable
tried 3 times last year without success

My conversation for credit cards goes something like this. I'm reconsidering my credit cards and wanting to know if there is anything you can do for cards xx_X to be more appealing like a reduction in annual fee. Amex will tell you that isn't possible and offer to downgrade your card. I then ask about points and get the story they can't give inducements if you want to cancel. I then say let's do the cancel and check dance, confirming that I can re-instate straight away. They've always said no problem. We do the dance and get the result.

If they say you can't re-instate then ask to speak to a supervisor.

 

[SOPOOR]

My conversation for credit cards goes something like this. I'm reconsidering my credit cards and wanting to know if there is anything you can do for cards xx_X to be more appealing like a reduction in annual fee. Amex will tell you that isn't possible and offer to downgrade your card. I then ask about points and get the story they can't give inducements if you want to cancel. I then say let's do the cancel and check dance, confirming that I can re-instate straight away. They've always said no problem. We do the dance and get the result.

If they say you can't re-instate then ask to speak to a supervisor.

thanks for that, gave it a shot with my 2 cards, no luck, no offers,
spoke to aus staff, who was very nice

I did ask if we can reinstate after cancelling, and she just ignored me, cancelled the card, and then said "sorry nothing is being offered"
sounded like she knew what I was trying to do, but was willing to, and quickly reinstated

might try again next month

 

[Fatcat]

In case anyone is wondering if the retention offer improves after you actually cancel...

Annual fee due soon on Plat Charge so I called a week ago and inquired about retention incentives, was offered 25k pts (nothing offered last year and my spending dropped 33% this past year). Rang and cancelled it today wondering if the offer would improve. Cancellations seem to be handled by a team in Oz; once the card was cancelled I asked if there were any offers to reinstate it and was told no - from the tone of the operator it sounded like they've had a lot of people cancelling and then asking about offers and are slightly annoyed.

I called back later to reinstate the card and was told the same story, nothing offered. But once the card was reinstated I was informed oh wait there is 25k on offer - points haven't posted yet however.

I had some MR points left in my account when I cancelled, they were still intact when the account was reinstated. Probably would not try it with a huge balance but...