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But don't you need a ridiculous balance of HKD1m before you can be upgraded to Premier status ?
You do. But not all branches have premier desks. When they are shutting branches down as they are and leaving certain areas with one branch for such large pockets of population then it causes a problem. They are also becoming a one stop shop, but the products they push are far from the best or the cheapest. But thats a problem with all the banks getting into areas where they have no previous experience. I have also found a problem with the internet side where I am unable to make transfers to other hsbc accounts although I can do it at the atm machines! Horses for courses really, if you want the internet banking side then HSBC, if you want personal service then go elsewhere
The service at Citibank has been going downhill for the past few years. The customer service and most of their backoffice jobs seem outsourced to a bunch of retards possibly in China. I recently had an issue with them and it ended up a blame game between the CS and the management. Eventually I demanded to speak with the GM, an Indian who took almost 6 weeks to return my call and yet the matter has not been totally resolved.
I recommend avoiding Citibank and Citibank cards as far as possible in HK. HSBC, StanChart and any large Chinese bank for that matter is still better than Citibank.
>> They closed branches purely because they had too many
Nonsense. IF you've tried to desposit a USD check into a business account and have had to wait 150 minutes to get service... you'll change your opinion.
Better than Citi for sure .. but nothing like the HSBC of 10 years ago.
i choose Citibank because i need to deposit USD checks very often.
i hate long queue at HK Bank and their higher deposit fees.
But i like HK Bank that i don't need to wait one month clearing time set by Citibank HK
But the time for the Citibank clerks to do those admin. work is very slow.
Last edited by Vrindavan; 01-10-2005 at 05:20 PM.
I cash in a lot of personal checks into my personal account. HSBC has some limits and after a while would not cash in my checks. Stan Chart has no limits and I use them for USD check cashing.
No I won't. Moving banks is not like moving mobile phone networks. Too much is already invested. Too many institutions to notify.Originally Posted by KnowItAll:
I've had bad experiences with HSBC enough to make me fume and complain to the manager. But at the end of the day it's the general level of service and not isolated incidents.
Originally Posted by KnowItAll:
Hmmm! I used to bring back large bank drafts from my work in the Middle East - and the only bank I could immediately deposit it into - to get interest from "Day One" was HSBC at Kai Tak. By the time I'd got back to my home in Taikoo Shing - my preferred bank would have stopped receiving cheques for that day's collection.
A few days later, I'd fill my pockets with the ca$h I'd then got out of HSBC and walk down the road to deposit it with my {THEN} favorite bank [Citibank].
Nowadays I use BEA who are far more responsive - and don't have huge queues at the ca$hier$.... Unlike the HSBC !!!
Bank at HSBC ?? As an old employee of Cadbury Chocolates was wont to state : "Man, I may be fruit, but I'm NOT Nuts!!!"
I hear a lot about BEA. Do they have enough branches (not that I go to the HSBC branch often), do they have enough ATM's and are their credit cards widely accepted ?
I am getting sick and tired of HSBC