sam007

folks - I usually need to call customer service but suddenly my card is getting rejected. I did an online chat from their portal first and they could not even see transactions. Next I called the 800-297-1000 spg amex number and the voice recognition IVR just didn't recognize what i was saying and I failed to get a customer service person to talk to

Anybody else experience similar things with Amex? They seem the worst when it comes to comparing to likes of Chase, especially the Ink cust service

Thanks

mhdena

I've never had an experience like yours.

garykung

Voice recognition can be challenging. A know secret is voice recognition also recognizes keypad entry as well.

LondonElite

Just call back and get an agent. Not that difficult. Amex generally has excellent customer service.

mia

This is usually an indication that the problem is at the merchant or the merchant's acquirer, rather than at the card issuer, but if it happens at several merchants you still need to go through the process.

wonderbret

If they don't see the transaction, as mia said, the problem isn't likely on their end but rather the merchants. If they aren't processing the charge they aren't making money - it makes no sense for them not to at least evaluate the charge.
As for the IVR, I tell my clients who have an accent and have my firms co-branded card to just press 0 - it will usually get you to a rep pretty quickly.

javabytes

+1 on if Amex can't see the transactions, they didn't decline them.

Never knew this until a few weeks ago, but you can also see recently declined charges online if you go to Account Service --> Credit Management --> Recently Declined Charges... it lists the reason for decline.

And I've never had anything short of great customer service with Amex... can't say the same regarding Chase...

jhartvu

This exactly reflects my experience. I've never called Amex and been disappointed with the outcome of the call.

KENNECTED

Sounds like you had the worst time connecting to a live agent, as opposed to the worst customer service.

As others have stated, hit "0", I haven't had any issues with services via phone or email.

Gig103

Amex customer service is why I'm a proud member since 2004 (since I graduated college). Plus, I trust them to honor their warranties and insurances (I dunno if I would say that for all my credit cards).

krazykanuck

Nope. I'd rank Amex the best customer service of all the cards I hold. That being said, Amex chat reps are pretty helpless. Always call.

mikesyr18

I wouldn't say "excellent" customer service. It's strictly YMMV because most online chat reps don't know squat, and neither do the typical ones from India that you get if you aren't lucky enough to reach a U.S customer service agent.

It's excellent if you get a U.S agent though (in my experience anyways), but you'd have to call back 5 times just to find one.

In my experience Citi has the worst customer service of any bank I've dealt with (which is many). I like to call their customer service "100% India based" sorta like how Discover points out their 100% U.S based customer service. I think it would be funny if Citi put that in their commercials because it's true. You literally have to ask for a supervisor to get someone who speaks fluent English and actually knows what they're talking about.

Again, everyone's had a different experience. AMEX couldn't even overnight my Everyday Preferred card even though I have a Premier Rewards Gold card already; thus, still a member.

TheMadBrewer

I actually had to deal with Amex CS for the first time in a long time (member since '77 as it says on the card) and I was less than impressed. I've had the Platinum card off and on (currently on) since the late 80s' and the Delta Plat since shortly after the NW merger (now mainly for the MQD waiver).

So I am sitting in seat 3A, about to fly SEA-AMS (on my way to CPH for a week) just before departure when I get a text "Suspected Fraud - is this your purchase?" on the Delta Plat. Well, it wasn't. So I reply "No" to the text and call. By the time I got thru to a person they have closed the door. Needless to say, we don't get very far in the conversation when a sharp (but not unfriendly ) stare from the FA before I have to hang up.

Luckily, I had a Global GoGo pass in my account so as soon as I can get my laptop I'm connected to GoGo, logged on to the Amex website and starting a chat. After some false starts (GoGo kept dropping) I finally get the situation explained and what I basically get is "call us when you get home and we'll send out a replacement card." I ask if I can have a replacement sent to my hotel and was told nope, have to call. OK, part of that I can see but I can type in the answers to all the security questions just a well as I can say them, but I don't argue the point.

So I land in AMS and first thing get on the phone to the Fraud Dept. This is now Wed morning (8am). Now I have other cards to us (but I left my Plat charge card at home) So I ask about a replacement card. The guy hums and haws and says well, maybe we can get you one by Monday -- Tuesday at the latest. I said I fly home Wed so that really doesn't do any good. Now I am starting to get a bit perturbed -- its not an emergency but he doesn't know that. After he bit, he finally says "well, I probably could get you a temporary card to you by tomorrow, but it would only be valid for 3 months." Dude, you said you were sending a replacement to my home, why do I care about only 3 months on the temporary?

Anyway the temporary card did come DHL the next day (but boy did it look fake ). So I got what I needed but it was like pulling teeth. I guess I expected more of "Wow, that is a problem, let's see what we can do to help." I didn't expect I guy to land by parachute and hand me my new card, but you would have thought that was what I was asking.

Or maybe I'm just getting crotchety in my old age (Hey you kids -- get offa my lawn).

Thanks for letting me rant...

mikesyr18

I agree with you. They need to bend over backwards for their customers like they used to do. Part of the reason people choose American Express is because that's what their customer service has been known to do.

Why are they giving a long time, Platinum customer a hard time about a replacement card? They pay an annual fee of $550/year and from that should come butt kissing customer service. Just ask security questions over chat like Capital One does, send the card to the hotel room, and be done.

Whoever is in charge of customer service---where the reps are located, and how good they're trained should've been laughed at and kicked out of the corporate building. Customer service should be 100% U.S based and the lazy people should be fired.

TheMadBrewer

Actually it was the Delta Plat that had the issue -- $195 AF, but they knew I had both.

It is interesting, I get fraudulent charges on the Delta Amex about every 12-14 months and can't remember the last time I had any on any other card. Granted, it is the card I use the most but the Barclay Arrival gets almost as much use (in turns of number of transactions) and I've never had fraud on that.