American Express (USA) replaces Email (SM) with Chat
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
The chat reps you got have huge degree of difference in terms of their knowledge levels as well as ability to understand your questions to say the least. If you are lucky you get a rep that is experienced, well-trained and has some brain power. If you are unlucky you got a rep that only knows how to work by the scripts and that would turn your chat session into a 30 min virtual torture.
I urge everyone to complete the survey that is sent upon each contact with AMEX to voice the frustration and disappointment of the chat service and request AMEX to bring back the secured message feature.
Unless you voice your comments thru the Survey, your feedback is not going to reach AMEX.
I know the surveys work with almost every company when you put in some meaningful words in the comment sections. Sometimes even a phone survey would work when you took the time to explain what was undesirable. Recently I had a phone survey from Wells Fargo on a particular branch visit. A week later I got a phone call from the District Manager of Wells Fargo wanted to know how they can do better to improve the experience.
So please use the survey as the tool intended and give companies feedbacks. While they most likely use software to detect words, if you use key words your survey would eventually reach a pair of human eyes and hopefully enough of bad feedbacks would make AMEX reconsider.
I urge everyone to complete the survey that is sent upon each contact with AMEX to voice the frustration and disappointment of the chat service and request AMEX to bring back the secured message feature.
Unless you voice your comments thru the Survey, your feedback is not going to reach AMEX.
I know the surveys work with almost every company when you put in some meaningful words in the comment sections. Sometimes even a phone survey would work when you took the time to explain what was undesirable. Recently I had a phone survey from Wells Fargo on a particular branch visit. A week later I got a phone call from the District Manager of Wells Fargo wanted to know how they can do better to improve the experience.
So please use the survey as the tool intended and give companies feedbacks. While they most likely use software to detect words, if you use key words your survey would eventually reach a pair of human eyes and hopefully enough of bad feedbacks would make AMEX reconsider.
#48
Moderator
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Agreed, I recently received a telephone followup call from American Express in response to an online survey. I regret the call reached me during a power outage and I didn't take the opportunity to mention this change.
#49
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS/PVD/BDL
Programs: PC Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,HHonors Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite
Posts: 726
I was trying to follow up on an account inquiry and got a chat agent that he was a comedian trying to tell jokes to try to cover up the fact that he had no clue what he was doing. I quickly ended the chat and used the survey to give low marks.
#50
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: PDX/AUS
Programs: AA-UA-AS IHG-SPG-Carlson
Posts: 4,562
I only noticed this today, well actually last night
...couldn't compose a secure e-mail, that was annoying,
but yielded today and went in via chat.
To my surprise, it worked well.
Cancelled my Plat after 8-9 months,
they credited me $150 back of the fee,
and they cleaned out some old dormant prepaid cards.
I didn't expect it to work well, but it did.
...couldn't compose a secure e-mail, that was annoying,
but yielded today and went in via chat.
To my surprise, it worked well.
Cancelled my Plat after 8-9 months,
they credited me $150 back of the fee,
and they cleaned out some old dormant prepaid cards.
I didn't expect it to work well, but it did.
#51
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS/PVD/BDL
Programs: PC Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,HHonors Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite
Posts: 726
Is the chat supposed to be available 24/7?
My experience is that the chat button only pops up very randomly. It would be nice if they had a dedicated area where the chat button is.
My experience is that the chat button only pops up very randomly. It would be nice if they had a dedicated area where the chat button is.
#52
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Plat, SPG & Marriott Gold, CC Silver
Posts: 541
Just got my shot. I was closing my BCP. Other than "Rick" being far too chipper (Happy Thursday!) and putting an ! at the end of every sentence, he didn't attempt any kind of retention at all. He asked why I was closing it, then said okay, I'll close it.
I attempted to print the chat, but it wasn't possible to print more than the last few lines and I accidentally closed the chat window when I canceled the print job. If I get a survey, I will definitely give them feedback on that part. If I am forced to use chat for all transactions, I need a chat log available to me.
ETA: I notice they phrase it as "we now offer chat as an alternative to secure messaging" as though there is a choice.
I attempted to print the chat, but it wasn't possible to print more than the last few lines and I accidentally closed the chat window when I canceled the print job. If I get a survey, I will definitely give them feedback on that part. If I am forced to use chat for all transactions, I need a chat log available to me.
ETA: I notice they phrase it as "we now offer chat as an alternative to secure messaging" as though there is a choice.
#53
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 454
I have had four successful experiences in chat. I have used chat to "voice my frustration" that I had a financial review - and couldn't use my card to make purchases. I received 3,000 Starwood points all four times. (2 for my wife, 2 for me).
#54
Join Date: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,746
No Longer Able to Email/Message Customer Service, Stuck with Chat
I noticed that it is no longer possible to email customer service on the website.
Instead, they force you to use a chat function which means you sit there for long periods of time while the person at the other end is doing god knows what (probably chatting with other customers.)
Although I have to say the silences are shorter than some other chat customer service experiences I have endured, leading me to believe that Amex chat reps have fewer simultaneous sessions than some others.
This is a waste of customer time. For a premium product, we should be able to email customer service.
Instead, they force you to use a chat function which means you sit there for long periods of time while the person at the other end is doing god knows what (probably chatting with other customers.)
Although I have to say the silences are shorter than some other chat customer service experiences I have endured, leading me to believe that Amex chat reps have fewer simultaneous sessions than some others.
This is a waste of customer time. For a premium product, we should be able to email customer service.
#55
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: DL 2MM PM;VSGld;EKGld; HilDia; HrtzPC; AvisPC; PP; AmbPlt; JumeiGld; MeliaPlt; TajPlt; ShangriDia
Posts: 953
I've often wondered is the US card market so massive and the potential for fraud so prevalent that AMEX can't by necessity harvest all this new technology to create a stellar customer service experience? If one in a prior age sent letters by mail, why can't one now simply send an e-mail? In fact, in some of the European AMEX card markets, it is possible to simply e-mail customer service directly from a home account. Better yet, it is even possible to contact specific customer service representatives by e-mail.
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Another useless chat session and being instructed to call
Last Friday I saw offers in both my HHonor and BRG cards but when I returned to try to save it under HHonor on Monday, the offers disappeared despite the expiration dates were Nov 15 and Dec 10 respectively.
Got online to chat, asking the rep if he could manually put them back. He found the offers alright after lengthy time passed but said I needed to call Online Support team. Meanwhile he said he put notes in the account so I did not have to explain what was going on again. It took 20 min to get to the outcome that the online chat rep had no ability to help.
Called the Online Support Team and being transferred to 2 different reps only to be told they would open a ticket to investigate it and someone would call me back in 24 to 48 hours.
No survey email has come yet. I could hardly wait to get the survey email to voice my frustration.
Got online to chat, asking the rep if he could manually put them back. He found the offers alright after lengthy time passed but said I needed to call Online Support team. Meanwhile he said he put notes in the account so I did not have to explain what was going on again. It took 20 min to get to the outcome that the online chat rep had no ability to help.
Called the Online Support Team and being transferred to 2 different reps only to be told they would open a ticket to investigate it and someone would call me back in 24 to 48 hours.
No survey email has come yet. I could hardly wait to get the survey email to voice my frustration.
#58
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PEK
Programs: SPG Plat, A3 *A Gold, HH Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
They have not ability to transfer or interact with the Membership Rewards team, so can't resolve any issues with Membership rewards.
In general they are powerless.
A complete waste of time.
Bring back American Express Secure Email.
#59
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Nashville, TN - BNA
Programs: Hilton Gold, WN RR
Posts: 1,818
Waited over a half hour for a chat agent to become available. NOT AT ALL happy I'm being asked to provide personal information via a service that I can't verify for myself - there's a lock saying 'secure connection' but I notice the chat window stays open when I'm not logged into my account.
No way I'm using this. Thanks for the thoughts on letting them know how awful it is!
No way I'm using this. Thanks for the thoughts on letting them know how awful it is!
#60
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PEK
Programs: SPG Plat, A3 *A Gold, HH Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
Waited over a half hour for a chat agent to become available. NOT AT ALL happy I'm being asked to provide personal information via a service that I can't verify for myself - there's a lock saying 'secure connection' but I notice the chat window stays open when I'm not logged into my account.
No way I'm using this. Thanks for the thoughts on letting them know how awful it is!
No way I'm using this. Thanks for the thoughts on letting them know how awful it is!
Since I'm in a charitable mood I started another chat session, asked for a supervisor, and shared a keyboard full of my opinions of the removal of secure message and the new chat support.
Not a bad idea for a little feedback is to start a chat session regularly, only to provide them some constructive feedback and request that secure message be returned.