Yesterday I sent an email to the CEO of my ex UK bank asking for his assistance and help. This could have been done on day one when I first found out we had a problem, but you have to play the game and give them enough rope to hang themselves first. It would look bad from my side if I had not given them enough time to fix the situation even when you know deep down nothing will be done. You have to play the game of being the unlucky customer even though you know there are many more struggling to get problems fixed.
I have given the call center and whoever they emailed which was supposedly a "special team" 7 days to fix my problem which in my mind is enough time to have at least made contact. Making contact in my book is not an automated response and involves someone on the other end having read the problem and responding telling me they are going to help. How hard can that be in an organization as large as this bank which is the HSBC.
I was tempted a few days ago to email the CEO which i googled and found his contact details. On second thoughts I thought it best to let the 7 day window pass before reaching out. The first email from the special team stated it could take up to 15 days for contact and could take another 60 days to rectify any complaint or problem. This would take me into January and that is not a timeline I am comfortable with as I am the client and the client always comes first.
Finding the right balance and tone for the email is important as you do not want to hit them too hard from the get go. You are asking for help and reaching out so the right balance or right chords have to be hit being polite and genuine. Not that easy when you are just asking to fix what they have broken and transfer your money to your new bank account.
I informed the CEO politely how his team has messed up through sending a cheque to a country with a failed non existing postal system without any correspondence or communication on their actions beforehand. A security risk that is now in their side of the court and not mine as no agreement had been made and if somehow the cheque is cashed I have no part of this responsibility and is all on them. I then explained they need to transfer the funds to the new Revolut account at their earliest convenience as Reveolut are online and do not accept cheques. During the email I highlighted being their client for 31 years many times using the words loyal repeatedly and how terrible and shocking this treatment has been which is all true.
The email was sent yesterday afternoon and yes I already have a response from some executive who is now handling my complaint. I have his phone number and email if I need to contact him. This is what should have happened 8 days ago and not left me hanging for over a week with nothing but silence. Why should you have to go to the top dog to receive some help as all this highlights is their system is broken. I do feel better and more positive knowing this is now being looked into and will be rectified shortly. They have given me a new complaint number so this is no longer being handled by the "special team" which is really good news.
Last year I was fighting with DEI personnel at the insurance company who owed me a large payment when a policy became due. That again had to go to the CEO of AVIVA before anything happened and she got it sorted in a couple of days. She even compensated myself financially for the troubles her company had created which I never even expected and would never ask for.
I know what it is like when customers contact you directly for assistance as they have run out of ideas and you are their last hope. Been there and done that so I understand how this works and it does work using this route if you have exhausted all the other routes first. I have personally delivered items on kids birthdays, driven 600km to deliver to a store at 3am in the morning where the store manager and I off loaded the delivery. When you are the top dog you cannot let people down and why knocking on their door whether by phone or email will always work. All you have to do is be polite and explain your issues in a civil way and you are as good as gold as it will be resolved.