Which credit card for good customer service?

egyptiancotton

I'm looking to take out a credit card to build up my credit history. I don't have any aversion to a particular card because of cashback, interest-free spending, etc. I'd like a card backed up by good customer service, in case anything goes wrong with a purchase that I need support with - i.e. Section 75. Any suggestions?

Zellah

From my own experience over the years
Great customer service: American Express, First Direct, MBNA
Ok: Halifax, Lloyds, Santander, Nationwide
Poor: Barclaycard, RBS/Natwest

egyptiancotton

I've heard good things about American Express. They're a provider I'd like to go with, but the fact they're not accepted everywhere puts me off slightly.

jbrassy

I would also say Amex are the best when it comes to customer service. They tend to be accepted more than you realise. The only places they're not accepted nowadays are small shops and pubs. 

Although I don't have a credit card with First Direct, I would also suggest they have good customer service based on my experience with them through my bank account.

Maybe you could get an Amex and a First Direct credit card for places that don't accept Amex? 

p00hsticks

lloydyyy said:

I've heard good things about American Express. They're a provider I'd like to go with, but the fact they're not accepted everywhere puts me off slightly.

If you don't yet have much of a credit history, you may not be able to get an Amex card - I've heard they tend to be quite picky

egyptiancotton

p00hsticks said:

If you don't yet have much of a credit history, you may not be able to get an Amex card - I've heard they tend to be quite picky

Fair comment. The CC eligibility calculator reckons I have a 95% chance of being accepted. I've checked eligibility calculators on other sites and the chances of being accepted with Amex are high.

cymruchris

lloydyyy said:

p00hsticks said:

If you don't yet have much of a credit history, you may not be able to get an Amex card - I've heard they tend to be quite picky

Fair comment. The CC eligibility calculator reckons I have a 95% chance of being accepted. I've checked eligibility calculators on other sites and the chances of being accepted with Amex are high.

Have you checked the eligibility checker directly on Amex's website? That'll give you the most accurate indication. 

You'll have a string of people that have had good service with X and others that had awful service with X - and then you'll find those same people had the opposite experience with Y. 

I've had good dealings with Barclaycard and HSBC.

Terrible experience with Virgin.

Nothing bad to say about Amazon.

Not had the need to contact Sainsburys.

Capital One were indifferent. (and have been closed).

blue.peter

From my experience:

Good

• American Express
• Amazon (NewDay)
• First Direct

Acceptable

• MBNA
• Virgin
• Santander
• TSB
• Halifax
• Nationwide
  

Poor

• HSBC (which looks very odd when compared with First Direct, but is down to different call centres)
• John Lewis
• RBS
  

Lumiona

American Express and Amazon have been excellent imo. I've not really had issues with bank credit cards either.

coffeehound

Can one pay by Amex in places that don't accept it directly, when the Amex card is linked to say an Apple Pay account?

eskbanker

lloydyyy said:

I'd like a card backed up by good customer service, in case anything goes wrong with a purchase that I need support with - i.e. Section 75. Any suggestions?

That's a very specific scenario on which to base a selection decision!  Most credit card holders won't need to go anywhere near section 75 and I suspect that the majority of the replies above relate to subjective opinions about customer service in a much more general sense - even if they do involve service during a s75 claim they're not necessarily indicative of what you should expect, as such claims can vary massively between simple straightforward ones and hideously complex and protracted cases....