ICICI Applicants feedback required

masonic

Dan, that is the e-mail that has been posted on their site and quoted in their automated e-mails all along - i.e. the very e-mail address that is being complained about in this thread! I tried e-mailing them using that address a couple of weeks ago and have given up on getting a reply.

Walletwatch

Well, well, while they don't exactly get an Oscar from me for prompt customer service, I must say, they have at least kept their promises in terms of clearing times - my first sample transfer for £5 just took 3 days (although the T&Cs say it could take eight working days), and my first serious transfer for £3000 just took three days as they promised - did the transfer Tuesday evening, and it hit my account Friday evening...

For me, it's been a so far so good story - am still watchful though, and it'll be some time before I get as comfy with them as I am with ING or egg.

masonic

Walletwatch wrote:

...my first sample transfer for £5 just took 3 days (although the T&Cs say it could take eight working days), and my first serious transfer for £3000 just took three days as they promised - did the transfer Tuesday evening, and it hit my account Friday evening...

That's interesting. I had exactly the same experience with my first two transactions (both relatively small sums). I then went on to transfer a larger sum and found that it wasn't credited until the 6th working day (and not debited from my current a/c until the 7th). Some money I'd shifted out of my ING account after the rate drop hit my current a/c on Monday and I set up another transfer, which is now showing up dated 8th Aug (another 6 working days).

I must admit, other than those two slow transfers and an R85 form disappearing into the ether, I've come through the experience of opening the account unscathed. It does worry me that the dd payments are so erratic. I don't see why this should happen - mine have all been processed on time according to my 'Manage Transfers' page.

murphydavid

Thats the email address (ukdirect@icicibank.com) I used on the 3/08/05 (5 days ago) no reply and waiting. Each time they don't deliver on what they say it adds to their lack of credibility.

oldagetraveller

Update on account closure fiasco. After no response to ukdirect e-mail, as usual, 'phoned London number. After explaining my problems I was told that there was nobody in the Hisave department available and that my request would be passed on. I refused to be "fobbed off" like this and asked when someone would be available. All the 'phone lines are busy was the reply - that's not what you said!? Anyway I advised I could wait all day if necessary (18866) to speak to someone. Eventually spoke to a very pleasant lady who promised to 'phone back. Result SHE DID - TWICE. Now transfer could be taking place £nil in Hisave account hopefully balance will appear in my current account after 3 working days, as promised. If so that will be two weeks from first request.
It would seem that the only way to get antwhere is to 'phone the London number and be firm and persistent.
The only problem now is, on looking at a mini statement, the closure has taken place but the net interest has been DEDUCTED from the balance along with the tax!!!
So another battle to get this £18.30 off them. Or write it off and put it down to bad experience and never deal with an Indian bank again.

anticlaus105

oldagetraveller wrote:

the net interest has been DEDUCTED from the balance along with the tax!!!
So another battle to get this £18.30 off them.

This bank never ceases to amaze me.

Still no password btw. Phoned London and was told delay is due to floods in Bombay (apparently they are heavily based there). This happened at the end of July on checking and so doesn't explain the delay up till then. Will call the lady back I spoke to (Jasmine) if PW doesn't materialise and ask her why she used an event like that to try and excuse their poor service when as far as I can see they are in no way linked.

spellinn

Applied online on the 7/7/05 after reading MSE
Got the email confirmation asking for a cheque on the 8/7/05
Sent £1000 cheque on the 9/7/05
Cheque was cashed on 20/7/05
Not heard anything since.

Sent an email start of August asking for progress report. Wasnt responded to.

Rang their freephone number last week and was told someone would call back in 2 days. Noone did.

Rang again today to be told the same.

Will try the London number now.

Not at all happy with the process, and am now looking elsewhere for my savings to live. I'm a firm believer of not giving companies second chances - when my bank messed up an application for a further advance on my mortgage, I immediately switched banks and took the whole lot elsewhere.


Cheers,


/Neil/

Ported

Ported wrote:

I'm still getting no response to e-mails. I'm now writing to Sonjoy Chaterjee, the MD & CEO. His address is:

Mr S Chatterjee
Managing Director & CEO
ICICI Bank UK Ltd
21 Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7LY

I'll report back if I ever get a reply.

That did the trick!!
Three days after my letter would have arrived I had a call from the London HiSAVE team and my login error was corrected. The lady who called me gave the London number (020 7201 1000, which others have now referred to in this forum) to call back to if I had further problems.
So it took me a total of 6 weeks to get the account opened and working satisfactorily - AND THE ONLY THING THAT GOT A RESPONSE WAS A LETTER TO THE CEO.
Umpteen other telephone calls and e-mails were ignored.
I shall wait to see how reliable the site is before depositing any more funds.

murphydavid

I’m somewhat amazed at the size of some of the first time cheques sent to a virtually unknown savings bank. Especialy when ICICI say they will open your account if you send them a cheque for £1.00. Like swimming in an unknown pool first dip in your toe not dive straight in off the HiBOARD. If all you stand to gain is 0.5% (£0.32p per 1000 invested per month – standard tax payer) then you can afford to try out the system with say £10.00 for a couple of months surely.

oldagetraveller

Balance, LESS net interest, now arrived in linked account. Since my 'phone call to London which got things going it's taken less than three days for the transfer. However the total time from first closure request has taken two weeks to the day.
I wrote a letter of complaint directly to Mr CEO on Monday, if I have problems getting my £18.30 interest he'll get another.