Experience with HDFC Bank: 'Within' and 'After' is same for Customer Care

This is a about my complaint and action from HDFC bank on a non-HDFC Bank ATM/Debit Card which got retained by an HDFC Bank ATM machine:

16 Mar 2013

I tried to use my ATM/Debit Card with HDFC Bank located at Bommanahalli, Hosur Road at around 4 PM and the card got retained by the ATM machine. Or if we speak in a different way HDFC ATM just ate my card without any reason to show.

Regarding this, I raised a complaint with HDFC Bank Bangalore Customer Care (080 61606161) at around 5 PM same day from my mobile number. The reason for retaining the card as I was able to know from Customer Care person then was that may be some security reason (Though I don’t understand the security reason there on simply using my ATM/Debit Card with HDFC ATM to withdraw money).

The complaint was registered and the card was agreed to be dispatched to the HDFC Bank, Koramangala Main Branch.

18/19 Mar 2013 (one among the date – not sure about the exact one)

I got a call from HDFC Customer Care to confirm the complaint regarding the same and confirmed the branch to dispatch the card as Koramangala Main Branch again.

I asked whether the card was already obtained by the bank from ATM machine already and they answered as not obtained yet and the process is going to start

20 Mar 2013

I got 2 SMSs with the following content:

First SMS: “Msg-HDFC Bank Ref comp # XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ,Retained Card.has been dispatched to Koramangala – Branch on 20/03/2013.Visit Br during biz hrs after 3 working days.(1/2)”

Second SMS: “Msg-HDFC Bank Ref comp # XXXXXXXXXXXXXX ,Carry an original identity & address proof to collect the Retained Card from the Branch.(2/2)”

23 Mar 2013 (after 3 working days as per SMS)

At Bank:

With this information I reached HDFC Bank, Koramangala Main Branch at 10:25 AM and requested for my ATM/Debit card by producing my identity proof and address proof.

To my dismay I came to know from the help desk there that my card is destroyed already. To know the reason behind that, I approached the Operations Manager at the branch and the answer I got is:

“The card is destroyed by following audit rules. You are supposed to collect the card within 3 working days. 20^th March 2013 is counted as the first working day for that.”

There was no intimation regarding this destroying of card to me in any way before I reached the bank. I suppose this is a general courtesy to inform the card holder before that is being destroyed because HDFC Bank already has my mobile number attached to the complaint.

When I had shown the SMS from HDFC Customer Care, which is stating, I should collect the card after 3 working days from 20 March 2013, Manager told that they could not do anything regarding that and asked me to contact Customer Care.

Interaction with Customer Care:

I contacted HDFC Bank Bangalore Customer Care again at 10.44 AM and informed the same and he hanged the phone (at 10.55 AM) with the promise of calling me back to my mobile number after 5-10 minutes after checking the same with the concerned team.

The same Customer Care person called me up again as he promised at 11.02 AM and confirmed that what I told was correct and all he could offer me at that moment was a wonderful “Sorry” (That is no way compensating the loss for me).

Funny thing is that, the reason for retaining my card is now according to this Customer Care person is a Technical Problem (I don’t understand how it changed from the first Security Reason to this. Is the HDFC Bank system totally confused?).

Questions?

Is the HDFC Bank Customer Care person is aware of the difference between ‘within’ and ‘after’ while they send the SMS to me?

Why HDFC bank retained my non-HDFC bank ATM card in their machine? Why was it destroyed? Because it is not a property of HDFC Bank and it does not have the right to do so I suppose.