ICICI Bank HiSAVE 5.40% AER

pin

http://www.icicibank.com/

This is the link to their global site. It seems the UK site is similar to that. As for the UK site, I wouldn't go as far as calling it "primitive", simple maybe.

Walletwatch

Well, considering I'll have to be at the mercy of the website and some folks back in India who cannot deal with your requests promptly and don't call back as promised, I cannot really give this one a vote of confidence. If opening the account itself is taking these guys three weeks, how am I to feel comfortable that I'll get my money in the three working days as they promise when I want to transfer it from this account?

Has anybody already opened an account and transferred money to/from it? I think I will write to those directors quoted earlier. It's a real pity, I was so looking forward to opening this account, especially as I can then link it up to my ICICI account in India as well.

Cheers
WW

Walletwatch

OK something to report at last. Spoke to someone at the branch here, and sure enough, the response was that they had been overwhelmed by the number of applications, and so they had a major backlog to process. She has said that because I had called in, she'd process mine ahead of the rest, and call me back once done. Sure enough, she called me, and confirmed the docs I had sent in were in order and followed it up with an email as well. Gotta send in a chq tomorrow, after which the account should be opened.

She's said she'd personally ensure that the account got opened promptly - will post further updates as and when any action happens on that front.

oldagetraveller

You are fortunate, Walletwatch, to have access to a "branch" contact. Do they have any in the UK? All I can do is either use their freephone number which must be diverted to an Indian call centre and not worth a carrot because they don't call back or seem able to provide information, or e-mails which are never answered. I'm past the cheque sending stage, it was debited from my bank on the 21st June. They should have known or expected there would be a large volume of applications and acted accordingly. So I'm afraid as far as I'm concerned ICICI Bank are about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. As the 5.4% interest rate on this Hisave account will, as suggested on other posts, be only temporary then personally I'll get my £5 deposit back from them sometime this year maybe and stick with ING.

Walletwatch

Hi

Try calling their board number on 02072011000. I got this after really letting myself go at one of the guys in India, at this lack of response.

When I spoke to them this morning, I had half a mind to do the same - put down the time wasted on this account to experience, and stick to my existing accounts, but these prompt call backs from the branch guys has given me fresh hope.

I asked them how I could be confident of getting my hands on my money when I wanted it, to which they replied saying that once the account was opened, it'd operate independent of manual intervention, as it is supposed to, the trouble is getting to that stage. Having said that, I surely am going to be cautious when it comes to putting money there - maybe not take a big-bang approach, but drip-feed into it, at least until I get as comfortable with it as I am with ING or egg.

I may have to forfeit having the 5.4% rate on the whole of my balance by this approach, but I think this is a more sensible one to take.

jimclark1967

Today I received the email from ICICI confirming my account details and was able to log in to the online banking where my £1 was waiting for me!

Set up a transfer of £9 from my current account to test the system. Now that it's free from human intervention it might just work

here's hoping...

JC

oldagetraveller

They must have sent a few out together. I also received an e-mail yesterday with account details but advising that a separate e-mail "HAS" been sent containing password - no it hasn't, so unable to access my £5. That's now over a month since initial application and still can't use account. Sorry to be so negative about this lot, but they are an absolute joke!

jimclark1967

oldagetraveller wrote:

They must have sent a few out together. I also received an e-mail yesterday with account details but advising that a separate e-mail "HAS" been sent containing password - no it hasn't, so unable to access my £5. That's now over a month since initial application and still can't use account. Sorry to be so negative about this lot, but they are an absolute joke!

My password arrived by post about a week ago - not great service but they're hardly the first to experience a backlog - keep the faith!

JC

deemy2004

I'm tempted but I can't imagine the 5.4% rate sticking beyond September.

oldagetraveller

jimclark1967 wrote:

So.... has anyone actually managed to open an account and access the online banking?

JC

So has anyone?