Subject: Extreme Disappointment in UOB’s Marketing Practices
| From: | Daphne Yeo |
| Sent: | 09 January 2009 02: 16AM |
| To: | taryn.foocy@uobgroup.com |
| Cc: | stomp@sph.com.sg; myviews@sph.com.sg; stforum@sph.com.sg |
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Dear Taryn
I am writing to express my utmost disapointment in your bank.
I used to be a loyal UOB VISA Campus Debit Card holder since 2004 and in these 4 years, I have never encountered any problems with the card. I used it very regularly, thus earning UNI$ and was extremely satisfied with the redemptions that you were offering.
Then a few months ago, I received the UOB NOW Platinum Debit Card, which I NEVER applied for and was informed that it was to replace the Campus card that I was holding because your bank was phasing out the old card.
With that notice, I cut up my old Campus card and started using the NOW card, without being informed that the NOW card does not accumulate UNI$. So for the past few months, I have been charging thousands of dollars to this card, without getting any benefit in return.
Once I found out about this I called your Call Centre immediately, hoping to find some alternatives but was told very coldly by your staff, Richie, that there was nothing she could do for me except to cancel this card and apply for another card that had UNI$ entitlements. I reiterated once again to Richie that I DID NOT apply for the NOW card. It was the bank that was phasing out the Campus Card, thus forcing customers to use the replacement card.
As one of the larger banks in Singapore, I believe that all adequate measures should have been taken to ensure that all previous entitlements of the old card be brought forward to the new card, or otherwise, it should have been made known clearly to the end-user that the old entitlements were no longer valid.
In the brochure that accompanied the NOW card, you only focused on the new benefits that came with the card but totally ignored and hid all other changes such as the fact that UNI$ are no longer applicable. Had I known that UNI$ are no longer applicable for this card, I would have charged all my expenses to my other DBS and Citibank cards which would have given me better redemption benefits!
Interestingly, just yesterday, I received another replacement card for the old Campus Card. This goes to show that you have not actually phased out the old card, which means I could have continued to use my old card and continued to enjoy my UNI$ redemptions. Could this be an internal miscommunication between departments at the expense of the consumer or could the bank have intentionally misled us into accepting the useless NOW card as a marketing gimmick!
In times of such current economic situation, I am shocked and extremely disappointed to see that your bank is not making any effort to retain your customers. Especially so when I have been such a loyal customer of UOB. The level of service provided, or rather, the lack of it, is simply disappointing.
I look forward to your response and a convincing explanation to the above, if not, I would gladly terminate all accounts with your bank and take my business elsewhere.
Regards,
Daphne Yeo
XXXX-XXXX (my phone number)
cc: Stomp, MyPaper and STForum Editors – I have related my experience to my friends and the people around me. It appears that I am not the only one who has been misled. I believe there are many more out there who are probably still unaware that they have been equally misled by this marketing gimmick. I hope you will publish this and keep the public informed. They have the right to know of such unethical practices!
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Dear Taryn
I am writing to express my utmost disapointment in your bank.
I used to be a loyal UOB VISA Campus Debit Card holder since 2004 and in these 4 years, I have never encountered any problems with the card. I used it very regularly, thus earning UNI$ and was extremely satisfied with the redemptions that you were offering.
Then a few months ago, I received the UOB NOW Platinum Debit Card, which I NEVER applied for and was informed that it was to replace the Campus card that I was holding because your bank was phasing out the old card.
With that notice, I cut up my old Campus card and started using the NOW card, without being informed that the NOW card does not accumulate UNI$. So for the past few months, I have been charging thousands of dollars to this card, without getting any benefit in return.
Once I found out about this I called your Call Centre immediately, hoping to find some alternatives but was told very coldly by your staff, Richie, that there was nothing she could do for me except to cancel this card and apply for another card that had UNI$ entitlements. I reiterated once again to Richie that I DID NOT apply for the NOW card. It was the bank that was phasing out the Campus Card, thus forcing customers to use the replacement card.
As one of the larger banks in Singapore, I believe that all adequate measures should have been taken to ensure that all previous entitlements of the old card be brought forward to the new card, or otherwise, it should have been made known clearly to the end-user that the old entitlements were no longer valid.
In the brochure that accompanied the NOW card, you only focused on the new benefits that came with the card but totally ignored and hid all other changes such as the fact that UNI$ are no longer applicable. Had I known that UNI$ are no longer applicable for this card, I would have charged all my expenses to my other DBS and Citibank cards which would have given me better redemption benefits!
Interestingly, just yesterday, I received another replacement card for the old Campus Card. This goes to show that you have not actually phased out the old card, which means I could have continued to use my old card and continued to enjoy my UNI$ redemptions. Could this be an internal miscommunication between departments at the expense of the consumer or could the bank have intentionally misled us into accepting the useless NOW card as a marketing gimmick!
In times of such current economic situation, I am shocked and extremely disappointed to see that your bank is not making any effort to retain your customers. Especially so when I have been such a loyal customer of UOB. The level of service provided, or rather, the lack of it, is simply disappointing.
I look forward to your response and a convincing explanation to the above, if not, I would gladly terminate all accounts with your bank and take my business elsewhere.
Regards,
Daphne Yeo
XXXX-XXXX (my phone number)
cc: Stomp, MyPaper and STForum Editors – I have related my experience to my friends and the people around me. It appears that I am not the only one who has been misled. I believe there are many more out there who are probably still unaware that they have been equally misled by this marketing gimmick. I hope you will publish this and keep the public informed. They have the right to know of such unethical practices!
I have been busy watching my DVDs the last week sohavent got time to blog. But after the call from them yesterday evening, i just have to do this immediately and blog about it!
kk will be back to update more on yesterday’s Dinner with the UUAS later tonight or tomorrow!
Life is too short to remain stagnant 