Westpac is capping rewards points monthly from June 17th 2013

[deluxeflyer]

Call me pessimistic, I'm not even mildly reassured of receiving black.
Another b@ll$ up seems increasingly likely.
Please prove me wrong Westpac.

I've been proved wrong.
Received the Black cards yesterday, activated today and ready to go,
in the time frame as indicated in my last call to them (1st week of June).
And I'm on the same fee as I was on for the Alt Plat Plus.
Thank you Westpac.
Now can I have the bonus points too ?

 

[prozac]

Activated the new Black cards. Incredibly disappointed that supplementary cards stopped working immediately! They are meant to keep going until new supplementary cards are issued and activated.

 

[BadgerBoi]

Activated the new Black cards. Incredibly disappointed that supplementary cards stopped working immediately! They are meant to keep going until new supplementary cards are issued and activated.

I don't have supplementary cards but I'm sure they said that they'd keep working for a month, something along those lines.

 

[prozac]

I don't have supplementary cards but I'm sure they said that they'd keep working for a month, something along those lines.

I phoned up the hotline and asked why they had stopped. Answer: We don't have any errors for non-acceptance logged against the card number. Fact is I checked when mrsprozac said it wouldn't work online and sure enough it didn't. I have sent her out into the retail unknown to test it again. Hopefully her new ones will arrive within a day or so and it won't be an issue anymore. Damned annoying though.

 

[fully6mps]

I phoned up the hotline and asked why they had stopped. Answer: We don't have any errors for non-acceptance logged against the card number. Fact is I checked when mrsprozac said it wouldn't work online and sure enough it didn't. I have sent her out into the retail unknown to test it again. Hopefully her new ones will arrive within a day or so and it won't be an issue anymore. Damned annoying though.

Wow that is pretty bad, the letter I got definitely says that the additional cardholder can keep using the old cards for 30 days from the date of activation. Did you get an error with both cards or just one? Because we had a problem with our Amex a few weeks ago where online purchases wouldn't work (MasterCard only) and it was an Amex issue not Westpac (or at least that is what they told me on the phone).

 

[prozac]

Wow that is pretty bad, the letter I got definitely says that the additional cardholder can keep using the old cards for 30 days from the date of activation. Did you get an error with both cards or just one? Because we had a problem with our Amex a few weeks ago where online purchases wouldn't work (MasterCard only) and it was an Amex issue not Westpac (or at least that is what they told me on the phone).

Issue was with Visa. That became my issue as well....why were'nt you using your Amex?

 

[N860CR]

Well.. yet another Westpac screw-up to add to the list.

I hadn't heard a thing about these Black cards (I have Platinum Plus at the moment and will be badly hurt by the changes), so I emailed customer service and received a template response advising to visit xx_ link to "activate" my invitation. Of course, said link had no method of activating . Replied to the email... this has been ignored (over a month ago now). Called about 3 weeks ago to ask what was going on. I was advised that I hadn't been "put on the list" (good to see customer service emails work!) however the person on the phone did it for me and said they're a bit slow at the moment but I should received them in about 2 weeks. 3 weeks later, nothing.

Called this afternoon and spoke to someone who, after much of a battle, said he had no record of me every emailing or calling and my name wasn't on the list. Wonderful. How about you fix that up, I suggest. 10 minutes of holding... "you're ineligible". So why have I been told I am? "don't know... let me transfer you to the Black department". So after spending half an hour with this twit, I'm transferred back to the main menu, answered eventually by a "Black" person who has no idea who I am or what I want. "Sorry, there are no notes". Eventually battle through this woman and am told I'm "on the list" (I'm suspecting this actual list is a pad of paper with names jotted onto it) however they're having delays printing at the moment however they're supposed to be sent out by the 17th. It's the 12th, I say, and there are 2 business days before the 17th, how's that looking?. "Oh yeah... let me checking". More holding... "actually, we're having delays and nobody is getting them. It will take another 8 weeks".

Yes... ANOTHER 8 weeks!

"So i'm guessing the 17th date for changes to the program is being extended?" I ask. "Umm. That hasn't been decided yet".

Absolutely useless! I hate to say it, but every single dealing I've had with Westpac over the last few years (I still have these cards and a home loan with them, previously had absolutely everything) has been stuffed up through total incompetence. I really think they tell their staff to straight out lie if they don't know the answer to something (I've caught a few of them doing this). I've just referred it onto the FOS, Westpac is far too hard to deal with.

 

[kpc]

Yeah....I'm still waiting for both the Black Earth and Altitude cards...Didn't get the initial invite and have rung twice and have been assured I have been added to the invite list, and will get them before June 17th....I recently paid the annual fee for both Platinum Plus cards as well:evil:

My Altitude Black cards finally arrived today...I expect my Earth Black cards are not too far behind. A distinct "ho hum" moment as Westpac should have just kept the old Platinum Plus cards as all I'm interested in is the 1.5 pts per $ spent on the Amex (not even interested in the ancillary Black benefits). The Altitude Visa has been changed to a MC...the MC has been filed away in my draw never to be used!:shock:

So my Earth Black cards finally arrived today (Had to ask for replacements as originals were lost; apparently sent out on May 23rd). The Earth Black MC has been put away in the draw, never to be used!

So after nearly 4 months of angst (Thanks Westpac:evil, I now have 2 Black AMEX (Earth and Altitude) cards earning 1.5 pts per $, one crediting to QF, and the other to SQ, VA, MH, TG etc. What a monumental waste of your customers' time!! (not to mention your costs!!)

 

[Newk]

Sorry to hear of everyone's bad experiences. Sorry to recount that mine just arrived in the mail one day. (I had given my RM some rather heavy hints)
For those putting the MC away I think they do earn a bit more overseas. Plus I think use might be associated with claiming SPG gold? That said I have my Select packed as my primary international card
As they say:YMMV

 

[Princess Fiona]

Sorry to hear of everyone's bad experiences. Sorry to recount that mine just arrived in the mail one day. (I had given my RM some rather heavy hints)
For those putting the MC away I think they do earn a bit more overseas. Plus I think use might be associated with claiming SPG gold? That said I have my Select packed as my primary international card
As they say:YMMV

My experience was pretty similar in the end.
Will investigate the SPG Gold. Heavily using the Amex here with the Woolies card as a MC backup

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

So my Earth Black cards finally arrived today (Had to ask for replacements as originals were lost; apparently sent out on May 23rd). The Earth Black MC has been put away in the draw, never to be used!

So after nearly 4 months of angst (Thanks Westpac:evil, I now have 2 Black AMEX (Earth and Altitude) cards earning 1.5 pts per $, one crediting to QF, and the other to SQ, VA, MH, TG etc. What a monumental waste of your customers' time!! (not to mention your costs!!)

This sounds very familiar. I call BS on them actually being sent in the first place. They mentioned the same date to me!

Still waiting on mine, now they are sending them to a branch for collection. Apparently they disappear from my PO Box?!?

 

[sarvowinner]

Just spoke to Earth Black last night, they said the deliveries have been delayed until mid July. No existing platinum holders (I'm Qantas Altitude Platinum Visa) would be disadvantaged by the delay and would be credited points at the EB rates post June 17th. I explained we are heading OS in early August for six weeks and this would make it difficult for Mr Sarvowinnner to get his supplementary card. She told me to call Earth Black as soon as I receive mine and they will courier the two replacement cards within two working days. I must say I am a little leery about this option but not sure what other alternatives I have.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Finally received my cards on Friday, it appeared they can only successfully deliver to a branch. All activated and working now, but what a drama.

Apparently the card manufacturing delays have passed, so should be fine from now on.

I need a WBC relationship manager, anyone have ideas how to get one?

 

[fully6mps]

Finally received my cards on Friday, it appeared they can only successfully deliver to a branch. All activated and working now, but what a drama.

Apparently the card manufacturing delays have passed, so should be fine from now on.

I need a WBC relationship manager, anyone have ideas how to get one?

If it is similar to BankSA I would imagine you either need to have business banking with them, or be a private bank client (BankSA criteria was minimum annual income of $250K or net assets of $2m, something like that anyway).

Bit off topic but for those who have received these cards have you noticed any difficulty in using the amex for overseas purchases? Have had mine rejected multiple times now while trying to book flights and trains which is quite frustrating, had to resort to the mastercard.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

If it is similar to BankSA I would imagine you either need to have business banking with them, or be a private bank client (BankSA criteria was minimum annual income of $250K or net assets of $2m, something like that anyway).

Bit off topic but for those who have received these cards have you noticed any difficulty in using the amex for overseas purchases? Have had mine rejected multiple times now while trying to book flights and trains which is quite frustrating, had to resort to the mastercard.

I had more trouble with the previous card to be honest, seems ok thus far, but I've only done a few hotels and Trenitalia train tickets so far.

Considering the OS points earn on the MC is now the same, it's less of an issue than it was on platinum plus.

 

[prozac]

I had more trouble with the previous card to be honest, seems ok thus far, but I've only done a few hotels and Trenitalia train tickets so far.

Considering the OS points earn on the MC is now the same, it's less of an issue than it was on platinum plus.

Which then would you consider the cheaper to use overseas? Is the travel insurance cover equal for each?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Which then would you consider the cheaper to use overseas? Is the travel insurance cover equal for each?

The MC and Amex are the same product, just with two different cards. Cost is the same either way.

 

[sarvowinner]

Just spoke to Earth Black last night, they said the deliveries have been delayed until mid July. No existing platinum holders (I'm Qantas Altitude Platinum Visa) would be disadvantaged by the delay and would be credited points at the EB rates post June 17th. I explained we are heading OS in early August for six weeks and this would make it difficult for Mr Sarvowinnner to get his supplementary card. She told me to call Earth Black as soon as I receive mine and they will courier the two replacement cards within two working days. I must say I am a little leery about this option but not sure what other alternatives I have.

Just called WBC, the Earth line bounced me through to the general cards area, and now the due date is mid August. Again I was assured I would be credited at the EB rates. I then called back to discuss a discrepancy and was emphatically told my cards would be capped until the new ones were activated. She checked with her supervisor who backed her up. I was gobsmacked. After 22 minutes she finally put me through to a senior cards person named Tim. He confirmed I will not be capped, the last personwas wrong, but I will need to follow up on my return from Europe in September to request a reconcilation between the old earnings rate and the new earnings rate.

 

[N860CR]

This entire debacle with Westpac has been a joke. I ended up wasting (I'm guessing) 5-6 hours on the phone with these idiots. I had the same issues as sarvowinner with one person telling me one thing and one telling me another. The entire operation looks unprofessional and I find it hard to believe they are a major bank!

To cap it off... they agreed to waive my annual fee for this year as a "sorry" for screwing it up so badly. Annual fee is due in August... it was charged in July and the person who said to contact him to organise the refund has ignored 3 emails and 2 phone calls over the space of a week.

 

[greenfrog86]

The MC and Amex are the same product, just with two different cards. Cost is the same either way.

Not quite...

Each scheme charges different fees so it is 3% for MC and 3.5% for Amex

From the website...

Westpac Processing Fee
We charge a fee of 2% of the Australian dollar value of any purchases or cash advances/withdrawals when the applicable credit card scheme converts the transaction from a foreign currency into Australian dollars.

Westpac On-Charged Scheme Fee
The credit card schemes also charge fees when processing transactions made in foreign currencies. The fees are either charged during the process of converting the foreign currency amount into Australian dollars , or are charged separately to Westpac and passed on to you by us.

The fees vary depending on the applicable credit card scheme:

MasterCard® Issuer Cross Border Assessment - 0.8% of the transaction amount where a transaction is made using your MasterCard and the merchant or financial institution accepting the card is located outside of Australia. We pass this on to the account holder.

MasterCard®Currency Conversion Assessment - 0.2% of the transaction amount for converting foreign currency transactions made using a MasterCard into Australian dollars. We pass this on to the account holder.

American Express®Foreign Exchange Conversion Fee - 1.5% charged on the transaction amount for converting foreign currency transactions made using an American Express card into Australian dollars. We pass this on to the account holder.