Too much red tape, waiting on hold, repeating my message over and over and over...
Written: Nov 04 '03
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Pros: Cashback is nice but now every credit card company offers it.
Cons: Calling Discover is a nightmare, the annoyance of a store not accepting it.
The Bottom Line: Avoid Discover, it's not as appealing as it once was. Cashback awards have been weakened, competition has improved, their phone system is HORRIBLE.
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| wangarific's Full Review: Discover Card |
I have a Discover Platinum card and I have been faithfully using it for the better part of four years. I've seen my credit line increase and I've taken great pleasure in getting my Cashback doubled into gift certificates that I can parlay into cash or use at my own discretion. I personally liked Staples because I can always find something to buy there or someone who needs to buy something there. 1% quickly becomes 2% and quickly I find myself very happy to have a Discover Card... even if every so often it isn't accepted at a particular establishment.
Tonight, when I logged into my account, I noticed a few card designs available. All I wanted was my boring 'clear' but really opaque but really just plain hideous card, to be replaced by one with a Bulldog on it. It's a cute looking card and I applaud Discover's ingenuity in using card design as a product discriminator in such a fashion. So I called up 1-800-Discover, navigated the message maze for about 5 minutes, and managed to talk to a representative.
I told her my account number, name, birthday, mother's maiden name and eventually they believed me. I told her I wanted another card design, she told me that my card, the Discover Platinum, was different than the OTHER Discover Platinum (she conveniently threw in some world like infinity or something between discover and platinum) and so in order to get the new design I would have to apply for another card. I had two options: retention or new application. I chose retention.
Wait 10 minutes. Retention picks up. I explain my request again. Apparently retention can do nothing, I need to talk to new application to see if I can get a transfer. At this point I'm still cordial because I've waited only 15 minutes and I've only explained my story twice.
Then I wait 25 minutes. New application, after hearing my story, says I will need to apply for another card. That is the precise moment in which Discover has forever lost my business and I will never speak well of them again. At that point I became rude, I admit it, and I said "What a complete waste of time." to which the representative hardly seemed to care, not that I blame her.
What started as a desire for a new card design and ended as another lost (and four year loyal) customer is something that amazed even me. The 25 minute wait was the last straw, repeating the story for the THIRD time just simply covered the grave so that no hope of rescue would be possible.
The story continues in fact. I went to see what my Cashback award was at so I could cash out and cancel my card... apparently the awards have been changed. Staples, and many other stores, now offer $25 for a $20 cashback bonus. A reduction of 75% without any mention by Discover. I'm glad I cashed out whenever I hit $20 otherwise I would have been very very angry.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
wangarific
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Member: jim
Location: Elkridge, MD
Reviews written: 53
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
I'm a software guy for a government contractor who thought writing reviews would be fun.
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