Flabbergasted by HSBC Customer Service

Posted Sun May 24, 2009 12:00 pm, by Alex B. written to HSBC Bank USA

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I am flabbergasted. I have been an HSBC customer for at least 15 years. At my prompting, my partner switched to HSBC about 6 years ago. He is an HSBC Premier customer, and I am not (most of my assets are with JP Morgan Chase, and therefore don't qualify me for HSBC Premier status). In any case, about a month ago, my partner and I decided to open a joint checking account, we chose the HSBC Direct payment account. I initiated the application—which I must say, was horribly designed, and terribly unclear. No where on the application is there an option to add a joint account holder, until the VERY end. As you know, the system indicates that an e-mail will be sent to the joint account applicant. Unfortunately, no such e-mail was received. We checked spam filters, and as I found out later, no e-mail was ever even sent!

Because my partner and I are both HSBC account holders, we assumed the process to add him as a joint applicant would be simple. My, were we ever wrong. I'll spare you the intricate details, but after 12 separate BankMail messages, I finally received a set of generic forms (application form, and signature card) via regular e-mail. The forms were horribly unspecific, and the instructions in the e-mail were different from the instructions on the form itself. Despite the fact that we are both current HSBC customers with signature cards on file, we complied with the request to complete new signature cards, and provide picture identification. We sent the forms to the address on the form.

Then... nothing happened. My partner was never added to the account.

So, on Friday, May 8, I phoned HSBC customer service. I was informed that my forms had been received but not processed. I was also told that someone would call me back the following Monday morning at 10am. My partner phoned HSBC Premier customer service on the same evening, again, he was promised a return call by 10am the following Monday. No one phoned. No one phoned him, no one phoned me.

So, on Tuesday, May 12, I phoned again I spoke with someone in the Philipenes. He was unhelpful, but nonetheless promised a return call by 10am the following morning, which allegedly is after the HSBC Direct "branch" opens. My partners phoned HSBC Premier again and again spoke with C. He too promised a return call by the following afternoon between 3.30 and 4.00pm. Not surprisingly, he never called. My partner phoned C. and left a voice mail at 4pm on Wednesday May 13. We still have not received a return call.

It strikes me that as an online-only "branch" that HSBC Direct my want to have customer service hours that are longer than standard hours -- I would imagine that customers that are willing to forgo branch service might find it reassuring to be able to reach a customer service representative after hours.

Yesterday, I received a BankMail indicating that the problem had been resolved, and apologizing for any inconvenience. About an hour later, I received a regular e-mail outlining a number of deficiencies with the paperwork that I sent, none of which apply to the type of account I'm opening or to the paperwork that was provided to me. My partner still does not have access to the account. The HSBC BankMail system is offensive. The scripted reply format simply does not impress me, and does not address my issues. You may wish to reconsider this format -- I'm left to question, is it even answered by a human, or is it simply automated? My guess, it's automated.

I can’t help but be left wondering: if we were a "traditional" married couple, would this process have been different? My guess is that it very well may be. The disattention and disinterested attitude conveyed by HSBC employees clearly reinforces this perception. I’m sure you can understand that until this issue is resolved I simply cannot recommend HSBC services to my colleagues, students, friends, or family. Over the past four weeks, I’ve been sure to share my horrible HSBC experience with them. It’s clear that HSBC customer service representatives are trained “by the book” not to handle problems, but to read disassociated scripts. I now better understand why my colleagues, family, and friends all have such a horrible impression of HSBC.

I'm stunned at the confusing and poor quality service my partner and I have received from HSBC, HSBC Direct, and HSBC Premier. This issue and the poor handling of it clearly demonstrates to me that the problem is systemic, and not isolated to one office or one division. This is not the first time I have experienced less than stellar service from HSBC, but it certainly will be the last. We've begun the process of moving out assets to another bank, and I plan to cancel my HSBC Credit Card, HSBC Checking Account, HSBC Direct Savings Account, Line of Credit, and our new—oh wait, MY new (as my partner still does not have access to this account) payment account.

If HSBC would like to keep my partner and I as customers, prove it. Show us what our business means to you, it’s simple: get our account linked. If not, expect us to move our banking business elsewhere, Chase has been beating down our door to get us to move our assets and banking there. I’ve been reluctant to do that, because I enjoy supporting a “hometown” bank. After this experience, as you can imagine, I’m less reluctant to do so.

I'm going to post the details of this problem on my blog and on my Facebook page. I'll post the outcome of your response as well. I look forward to your very prompt reply.

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Re: Flabbergasted by HSBC Customer Service by iknowwhoiam Posted Mon February 15, 2010 @ 3:40 PM the ability to make the online application a joint account is at the very beginning of an application Reply Move to a new bank? by Donno Posted Mon May 25, 2009 @ 10:02 AM I read this as closely as I dared, because it is lengthy. But I saw divergent terms such as "hometown bank" and "online only". It sounds like you were doing everything over the phone or internet. I would deal with a bank where you walk in, get it done in a half hour, and leave with your welcome documents in hand. I don't think this has anything to do with traditional or nontraditional relationships. It sounds like this outfit is woefully inefficient. Reply Re: Flabbergasted by HSBC Customer Service by RedheadwGlasses Posted Mon May 25, 2009 @ 1:27 AM HSBC sucks. When I was married and my mortgage was sold to them, I couldn't do ANYTHING regarding the mortgage b/c they recorded only my spouse's info -- name, social security number, etc. We were "traditionally married" (god help me) and yet when they bought our mortgage, they recorded only his info. He wasn't the "primary" anything. His last name (different from mine) just came first alphabetically. There is no excuse for this lousy computer programming. Reply Alex, be aware that in the future, your partner may not be able to even by olie Posted Sun May 24, 2009 @ 11:52 PM speak to someone at HSBC about your joint account, since you initiated the application. You are considered the "primary" account holder. Mr. olie and I have several joint credit cards, as well as individual ones. Mr. olie's name also comes first on the home loan and vehicle loan. So if *I* answer a "courtesy" call from one of those entities--they won't talk to me, because I am not the "primary" account holder. My name is on the app. I can recite Mr. olie's SSN, mine, our income, both addresses in the past 10 years(and two more beyond that), all 4 kids' dates of birth, and if I'm in the kitchen near my purse, all 4 kids' SSNs. You may have better luck actually walking in to a local bank with your partner and your info, and seeing what a local bank is willing to do to get your business. Reply Re: Flabbergasted by HSBC Customer Service by sueflgator Posted Sun May 24, 2009 @ 10:26 PM I don't think that marriage, traditional or not, has any bearing. Many people (bussiness partners, parents and children, etc.) have joint accounts and may be of the same gender. It seems that HSBC has botched this start to ... well, not even finish since they have not yet done what was asked of them. I'm finding more and more problems with online banking and megabanks over the past year or so. I've recently moved my general checking account to a local credit union and have been more impressed with the customer service I've received than I have with the big banks in years. Reply i hope you're right by PepperElf Mon May 25, 2009 @ 2:37 PM Re: Flabbergasted by HSBC Customer Service by ♫Venice♫ Posted Sun May 24, 2009 @ 8:14 PM I don't know what sex or marital status have to do with anything. People open joint accounts all the time. I can't imagine why not being a traditional married couple would cause any of these problems. Reply Re: Flabbergasted by HSBC Customer Service by Chadg Posted Sun May 24, 2009 @ 8:05 PM DISCLAIMER: I am not making any derogatory remarks in this posting, i am leaving my personal opinions out: by stating you are not in a "traditional marriage" i assume you are in a homosexual marriage. Perhaps the state in which HSBC is based does not recognize same sex couples, nor would the phillipines where your call was routed. perhaps the process was as confusing to them as it was to you. again, no offense, just trying to find a resonable explanation. Reply