Has anyone else noticed a drop in Amex customer service

[robtemt]

I think I'm going past the call centre staff on this one.... I specifically said:
"I want to speak to a senior manager. Someone who has the ability, authority, and vested interest to address, make decisions, and implement policy change regarding service improvement, service recovery, and staff performance."

Amex don't seem to place a great deal of value on your time. I've spent about 5 hours dealing with them so far trying to fix this travel credit issue and asked for what I thought was a reasonable 30,000 MR points. The Indian woman laughed and said "go ahead and complaint to the FOS and see how that goes".

 

[Blackswan]

Amex don't seem to place a great deal of value on your time. I've spent about 5 hours dealing with them so far trying to fix this travel credit issue and asked for what I thought was a reasonable 30,000 MR points. The Indian woman laughed and said "go ahead and complaint to the FOS and see how that goes".

I'd call her bluff, and lodge a dispute immediately with FOS. Would take less than 10 minutes. You'll get directed towards someone who has authority to get things sorted ASAP, and I think they get charged a fee.

 

[N860CR]

I'd call her bluff, and lodge a dispute immediately with FOS. Would take less than 10 minutes. You'll get directed towards someone who has authority to get things sorted ASAP, and I think they get charged a fee.

Yep. I've now actually lodged three seperate FOS complaints regarding three different issues.

The change seems to have been the removal of the secure messaging service and the change to online chat (which is all to Delhi). The staff in India clearly have a very odd agenda

 

[pauly7]

Yep. I've now actually lodged three seperate FOS complaints regarding three different issues.

The change seems to have been the removal of the secure messaging service and the change to online chat (which is all to Delhi). The staff in India clearly have a very odd agenda

How did you go with your complaints?

I got a paper letter from the AU Executive Customer Care with a paltry offer of 5000 MR points as their apology for my complaint. Not accepting it and proceeding further.

 

[N860CR]

How did you go with your complaints?

I got a paper letter from the AU Executive Customer Care with a paltry offer of 5000 MR points as their apology for my complaint. Not accepting it and proceeding further.

Still waiting to hear from them.

I'm really not sure if the online chat staff have actually lodged what they said they would, as there are lots of missing gaps in the "file". It seems that a lot of "alternative truths" are being handed out.

 

[wohoo]

Not sure if its going to take this long, but:

I have applied for AMA branded platinum edge card. Initially apporved on 27/04/17. I had to apply 8 times from 20/02/17 and 10 phone calls later, finally got approved on 27/04/17
called them 4 times since 27/04/17 to see if the card will be mailed out.

Still no card as of today. Hmmmmmmm.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Not sure if its going to take this long, but:

I have applied for AMA branded platinum edge card. Initially apporved on 27/04/17. I had to apply 8 times from 20/02/17 and 10 phone calls later, finally got approved on 27/04/17
called them 4 times since 27/04/17 to see if the card will be mailed out.

Still no card as of today. Hmmmmmmm.

Similar issue here. Applied for normal Platinum Edge card (late April) and was approved on the spot. Confirmation said cards would arrive within 5-7 business days. A week passed and no cards, so I rang up the new cards teams and they told me the application had been approved. They put me through to the existing cards team, and they told me that the account did not exist. Hmmm. Long story short, there was a batch of cards issued late April that have had an issue being created... or that's what they're telling people anyway. Been promised call backs which never happen. If they don't offer some sort of bonus as a result of this, I'll be cancelling the cards immediately when they arrive.

 

[N860CR]

Similar issue here. Applied for normal Platinum Edge card (late April) and was approved on the spot. Confirmation said cards would arrive within 5-7 business days. A week passed and no cards, so I rang up the new cards teams and they told me the application had been approved. They put me through to the existing cards team, and they told me that the account did not exist. Hmmm. Long story short, there was a batch of cards issued late April that have had an issue being created... or that's what they're telling people anyway. Been promised call backs which never happen. If they don't offer some sort of bonus as a result of this, I'll be cancelling the cards immediately when they arrive.

The biggest issue for me at the moment is the failure to follow through. I've been told several times that someone will get back to me, but it never happens. Given there are "no records" of some calls, I get the feeling certain promises are being made and not actually noted.

 

[glasszon]

As people noted the service seems to vary significantly, today I called the Platinum line and got someone from Australia. His service was brilliant and certainly 10/10, so it might be a case of hang up, call back if the agent you got is hopeless.

 

[N860CR]

As people noted the service seems to vary significantly, today I called the Platinum line and got someone from Australia. His service was brilliant and certainly 10/10, so it might be a case of hang up, call back if the agent you got is hopeless.

The issue seems to be out of hours.

It'd be great if we all had time to call them during limited EST business hours...

 

[robtemt]

I had a call today from a manager of lifestyle services regarding the multitude of issues I had with concierge services, including bookings that were never made , resulting in us being turned away (despite sending our list of bookings to Amex in January for our trip this month). I had already replied to our concierge telling her not to bother having her team leader call me, I wanted it escalated higher.

Anyway, he basically recapped every problem we had, showing that he had not only read every email on my profile between lifestyle services and myself, but also had listened to the call recordings. He knew the name and date of every missing booking, the date I originally made our requests, etc. He made no excuses, admitted the service was unacceptable, and talked about the processes they are already reviewing, changes already being made, etc. to improving services, processes, etc. and internal communications.

He started to ask if I would be interested in any tickets to events, etc. to make up for the lapse in service, and I stopped him there. I explained that causing this level of inconvenience to me on my holiday, when in fact their sole purpose is to make things easier, the time I had to take out to email back and forth with them while on holidays, and the embarrassment and stress caused was beyond free tickets to a concert. When asked what I had in mind, I told him no less than 150K MR points as a good will gesture to get me to keep my 3 Amex cards (we charged $30K on amex alone just while on this holiday), and a refund of my annual fee for the year as compensation for their failure to provide the services which the $1200 is supposed to be paying for.

Well, he wasn't expecting that. He advised he has to talk to someone more senior in customer care and get back to me, as he doesn't have authority to make monetary compensation, or issue MR points. I took my cheap shot (although honest), and said "well, being how your staff has failed multiple times to follow up, return calls, or do as they promised on multiple occasions, when might I expect to hear something back from you?".

I'm told a senior manager will contact me by friday.

 

[Daver6]

I think what you've requested is quite reasonable and that you've handled the situation rather well. Keep us posted and good luck.

 

[foggy]

Very reasonable compensation. Highlight that being turned away at the restaurants is not just embarrassing but also ruins the night(s). Taking your experiences public without a positive outcome will look very bad for them.

 

[wohoo]

Wish me luck as I try to fix my account.

Trying to get $400 credit applied to my reserve card as it has been missing from the account for 2 months.

 

[oh_lol]

Following up with my lodged complaint with FOS.

Got an email from FOS that the complaint has been rectified.
Immediately emailed FOS back saying that AMEX has NOT contacted me at all, so not sure how they came about this. They replied saying AMEX has spoken to me and we had come to a resolution. Whole bunch of bullshxt, so they FOS has reopened the complaint.

I wonder if I can lodge another complaint to FOS, where AMEX has lied to them saying they have resolved my issue when they haven't even contacted me?

 

[N860CR]

Following up with my lodged complaint with FOS.

Got an email from FOS that the complaint has been rectified.
Immediately emailed FOS back saying that AMEX has NOT contacted me at all, so not sure how they came about this. They replied saying AMEX has spoken to me and we had come to a resolution. Whole bunch of bullshxt, so they FOS has reopened the complaint.

I wonder if I can lodge another complaint to FOS, where AMEX has lied to them saying they have resolved my issue when they haven't even contacted me?

Very interesting... something is clearly not working at Amex right now.

I had TPG pull that cough with the TIO. TIO closed a case stating it had been resolved. TPG told them that id had an onsite meeting with some person and had come to an agreement. Never happened of course. That saga drags on 12 months later... the ombudsmans move slowly.

 

[v1nce007]

Amex don't seem to place a great deal of value on your time. I've spent about 5 hours dealing with them so far trying to fix this travel credit issue and asked for what I thought was a reasonable 30,000 MR points. The Indian woman laughed and said "go ahead and complaint to the FOS and see how that goes".

The problem is FOS don't have jurisdiction to force the FSP to make that sort of compensation.

 

[N860CR]

The problem is FOS don't have jurisdiction to force the FSP to make that sort of compensation.

Of course they don't, but they can work to fix the underlying problem (which is still outstanding) and subsequently cost the FSP time and money in the process.

 

[robtemt]

Amex called me back this arvo, with an offer of 1/2 the $1200 annual fee, and 25K MR points.

I replied no. I explained that there is a value to my time, and the time I spent having to communicate with Amex while overseas was roughly 10-15 hours of my time, as well as the embarrassment and the frustration caused by the direct actions of their employees, that this was not a reasonable offer of compensation ad service recovery.

Interestingly enough, he stated the total value of compensation was $800, so they value 25K at $200?

Anyway, I said to forward me the contact of someone who I can escalate this further with, and in the meantime I will review what other options of resolving this I have.

They really have no concept of what s&!t company they have become.

 

[mini2]

I've emailed the concierge last night, got a call first thing at 9am sharp acknowledged the request but said oh your requests are for December so it's too early to book. Will make an attempt to book it in August...let's hope I won't be robtemp 2.0.