When your bank asks for annual fees, here’s why you say goodbye (yeah, rite!)

That phrase got me attracted in the first place. Just didn't want the hassle of calling back the respective banks just to get my annual fees waived, so I applied for this bank's credit card. After a couple of years, everything was fine. Suddenly, end of 2005, I was shocked to see the annual fee charged in my bill. Eh? Kata FREE FOR LIFE? My call to the careline was answered by a rude Malay guy, saying that I needed to make a minimum of 12 transactions using the card annually to qualify for the free annual fee. Hah? This was not informed to me when I was applying for the card? Of course I got angry, and told him if he did not waive the the annual fee, I wanted to cancel the card. He said (kononnya doing me a great favor lah), "This time I can help you to waive, but after this you must you the card at least 12 times for next year ok?" Told him, "Lecehla kalau nak kira 12 kali buat transactions. Jadi obligation la pulak, padahal masa mula2 apply tu ingatkan nak buat spare in case of emergency jer. I nak cancel la this card." Mamat tu terus naik angin and said "Kan saya dah kata kali ni saya boleh tolong? Next time you buat je la 12 transactions. Kalau you nak cancel jugak, up to you lah!" Wah! Itu sudah mencabar namanya. So I paid the balance, tapi asyik terlupa je nak cancel kan card tu. Lagipun, I wanted to redeem my bonus points first before cancelling the card. Nak pilih barang pun punyala leceh, last-last terlupa terus.

Since it's coming to end 2006 already, I suddenly remembered that I need to act fast before they charge me again. So, I checked out their website, browsed the catalog for redemption, printed out the form, filled it up and faxed it to their office. Rewards dia pun bukannya best sangat, tapi bolehlah daripada tak dapat apa-apa langsung, kan? Chose something beneficial for Baby Daniel lah, apa lagi? (priorities have changed, kan?)

A few days after that, I received an SMS, asking me to call their careline to confirm my redemption request. Called them last Friday, and duh! They informed me that the catalog that I chose the reward from had expired! Cheh! It was from their official website, ok? It stated Redemption Catalog 2006- I couldn't be THAT stupid not to understand that, right? Anyway, malas nak cerita banyak, I asked the rep on where could I get the latest catalog? She said I could get it from any of the bank's branches. Since I was on the road that day, teruslah pergi Taipan punya branch, tapi tak ada parking pulak.

I went again this morning, and alhamdulillah ada pulak parking depan bank. Masuk je, pergi kat customer service punya desk. Ada 2 desks, tapi tak ada officer. Tunggu dekat 5 minit, tak ada siapa entertain. Nampak ada orang tinjau-tinjau from Counter 7, tapi nobody approached me. So, pergi tanya security. Dia kata pergi Kaunter 7. Cheh!

Ler... Kaunter 7 ada seorang lagi security lepak. Asked for the catalog. Dia tanya officer kat belakang dia. Without even looking up, the officer said she didn't have it. Encik Security ni pulak selak-selak a few leaflets, then he said, "Takdelah Cik. Kitorang punya catalog ni dah expired." Told him about my conversation with the phone rep, then he said, "Agaknya diorang belum hantar lagi lah" Saw the catalog expired in July 2006. Whaddaheck? Do they expect me to go to ALL branches to check which one has the latest catalog? BLARDYFUL!! Malas nak waste my anger energy, I asked the Encik Security how to cancel my card. Terus cancel there and then. Slashed the card, and I felt a great satisfaction washed over me.

Balik office, buka website bank bodoh ni, terus lodge online complaint (as if they maintain the website and care about your complaint pun? Nombor telefon careline dah tukar pun tak update kat website!) Tapi takpelah, janji puas hati dapat complaint.

Itulah tahap profesionalisme bank tempatan ni.. Kang tak support kata tak respect product/service negara sendiri...Dah lah tak transparent. Bagitahula customer kena buat 12 transactions to get the annual fees waived! Penipu!!!

"When your bank asks for annual fees, here’s why you say goodbye" Familiar tak dengan iklan ni? Jangan Tipah Tertipu macam saya ya?