ICICI Applicants feedback required

z1000000

I seem to be lucky. I've got an account number and password and it all seems to work. I've transfered money in and out, and it doesn't seem to take any longer than my other banks. Reading other peoples problems, I'm taking it easy, just moving small amounts about until they either mess up, or I feel confident to move larger sums into ICICI. Fingers crossed!

dave2986

got my password through today 12 working days after they sent me an email with my account number in

Jim_B_3

Today TWO passwords arrived in the same post, both franked with the date 19.VIII.50 (i.e. fifty five years ago; perhaps their franking machine needs looking at). I opened the account almost three weeks ago. I have not once eMailed or phoned.

The first password I tried worked so I changed it to something else; I've no idea whether the other one would have worked, and later on I'll try it, just to check. I have requested money to transfer into the account tomorrow, so I will start the stopwatch at midnight tonight. I'll then transfer money back out and see how long that takes. Right now I'm willing to put everything down to unforseen problems involved in opening a high-interest savings account to the UK from scratch, but I'll keep everyone posted on any further problems.

Alfie_E

That's better than my two emails. The second one I received is below. (Slightly reformed to keep the quoting in order.)

On 27 July 2005, I wrote:

> > > I applied on 21 June. I received an email requesting a cheque on
> > > 23 June. I posted a cheque for £250 in favour of "xxxxxx xxxxxx
> > > 10001xxx", to the address given. The cheque was processed before
> > > 5 July, with the money being debited from my account on the
> > > 5 July. On 4 July, I received a second copy of the email
> > > requesting an initial cheque. Since then, I have received no
> > > further communication from ICICI Bank UK.

On 28 July 2005, ICICI Bank UK wrote:

> > We confirm opening of your Hi Save Account. Following are
> > your account details.
> >
> > Customer Reference Number and Login ID: 75000xxxxx
> > Account Number: 7515xxxx
> > Sort Code: 30 00 81

On 4 August 2005, I wrote:

> I am still to receive a password, so still have no access to the
> account. It has been forty-four days since I started opening the
> account, and the opening process still is not finished.
>
> Can you please send me my password.
>
> Thank you.

We confirm opening of your Hi Save Account. Following are
your account details.

Customer Reference Number and Login ID: 75000xxxxx
Account Number: 7515xxxx
Sort Code: 30-00-81

It looks like: when it goes right, it goes slowly; when it goes wrong, it's impossible. Last Friday, I sent a letter to the CEO. Like oldagetraveller, I explained my frustrations. I'll let you know what any reply says.

Edit: Maybe my letter is getting me somewhere. I got a third email today. The first two made no mention of a password. At least this one mentions that a password will be being sent to me. So, do I only have another twelve days to wait? :rolleyes:

ianfancourt

Martin

Your comments on there being some issues with trying to open the above account are correct! I applied, then submitted additional ID by post as they requested (I'm in the military, so my address changes frequently), consisting of documents that I had to have verified by a solicitor. These were despatched to the bank by recorded mail. I then heard nothing for 2 weeks, received no replies to e-mails subsequently sent to their customer services team, and 'phone calls to their customer services desk resulted in promises of a return call that never materialised. I have now given up and will put my money elsewhere, as ICICI's service does nothing to inspire confidence in the competency of the company. It would seem that if they wish to become established in the UK, they have some work to do on their administration procedures!

Regards

Ian Fancourt

terrierlady

right stop watch on applied today at approx 3.15 will await outcome, seems to me reading these threads that some good some bad only time will tell.....

marcopolo_3

Applied for HiSave on 27 July, immediately received email saying it would take two days to process. On 9 August, two weeks later, ICICI finally emailed details regarding where to send initial deposit with no explanation for delay. After hearing of numerous mistakes with payment transfers have decided that it would not be a good idea to do business with ICICI bank.

Sent email complaint regarding time for processing on 3 August, received telephone call from customer services in reply to email a week later on 10 August. Customer services informed they have been unable to deal with the response.

When it comes to depositing significant amounts of money any sensible person requires a high degree of confidence in the level of competence of the bank to which you trust your funds. The final decision was a no-brainer and I shall certainly not deposit any of my funds with ICICI Bank. Why take the risk for just 0.3% more than B&B who are paying 5.1%, particularly if you are planning to deposit more than the amount which carries some form of basic protection?

Paul_Herring

Applied: Monday July11th
Emailed Confirmation: Monday July 11th
Email with account number and request to send cheque: Monday July 25th
Cheque sent 2nd class: Tuesday July 26th
Money deposited to account Monday 1st August
Email with login ID: Tuesday 2nd August
Money withdrawn from checking account: Weds 3rd August (£5 loan for 2 days then..)
My reply to above, asking how/when I'll get password: Weds 3rd August
Posted password for account: Fri/Sat 12/13th August (I was away for the weekend)
Logged on to account: Sunday 14th August.
Response to email sent on 3rd: 18th August.

So 5 weeks basically.


Edit: Added note about reply to email

oldagetraveller

It's now 10 days since I wrote to ICICI's CEO (Chucklebutty?) pointing out calmly and pleasantly, his bank's appalling customer services and inefficiencies. Including praise for a lady in the Hisave department, I spoke to in London. Why am I not surprised that he, or one of his underlings, has not had the common courtesy of a reply?

Alfie_E

I got a response to my letter. On Wednesday evening, Christian from the Knightsbridge office telephoned. He apologised for my poor experience with ICICI Bank UK, and that a written response to my letter would be being sent.

In that day's post, I too had received two passwords. As I was busy when he called, Christian offered to have Madhu, who specialises in the HiSAVE account, call me back in half an hour, and guide me through my first log in. In half an hour, I got the call. She was very helpful. I failed to log in with either password, but she was able to reset the password, and I was able to log in. Madhu is quite probably the same person whom oldagetraveller spoke with. It appears that, as well as the central London number, the line for each member of staff has its own number. If you get someone calling you who's helpful, you might like to make a note of their number.

It seems the UK staff are doing their best. This doesn't mean that there isn't still the potential for significant problems with using ICICI Bank UK, but blame must lie with either the MD and/or the parent company.

(Someone at ICICI really needs to look at their franking machine. Two people have already pointed out that the date's wrong. What's worse is, they're franking envelopes with 28p postage, when the cost for first class franked items is 29p. This means everything's technically being sent out second class. And, how did we get to be calling the CEO Icky-Icky's Chucklebutty?)