Posted by: aviwriter on: August 25, 2009
This is the letter I wrote to ICICI customer care today to express my disappointment with their decision to charge NEFT funds transfers made online.
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Hi:
I’m unhappy with ICICI’s decision to levy charges for NEFT funds transfer made online. It makes me suspect if ICICI has motives like that of East India company.
I’d like to know why this fee is levied (why ask for a confirmation just before the transfer web page opens?) and why all these years the NEFT online service was offered free. This is not the first time ICICI has come up with this unethical western practice of tempting unsuspecting (and uninformed) customers to use their service by offering it free and then suddenly making it a payable service. Isn’t this what ICICI did with the”Account to Card Transfer” service, which initially was offered free? Now for each transaction the charge is Rs. 18 + service tax!
ICICI’s above mentioned ways of dubiousness match with that of the imperial powers who captured countries by offering natives things free and then confiscating even their right to live. ICICI, you are Indian company. Why do you want to follow the footsteps of inhuman colonial thugs. Think well your unfair trade pratices. You are doing this to your own people.
Suggestions:
If you are offering something free with the motive of moentizing in future, make it obvious to the customer when introducing the service.
Also, provide a reason for making automated services such as online funds transfer payable when you insist on huge min. balance for s/b accounts.
Be a responsible capitalist to the people of India.
Thanks,
Balaji.
August 26, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Well said. I wrote a feedback on HDFC charging in Twitter and eventually, it was waived from July 1st, 2009.
I doubt the strong headed ICICI folks would give a damn.
They don’t even follow the norms of banks having minimum Indian shareholders, while they themselves hold shares, through their Mauritian subsidiary!
Their customer service is so pathetic. They hardly bother. I have seen in BG Rd, people whiling away time, in front of customers, SMS’ing, having tea at desk, talking over mobile phone to their dear ones (!) etc.
At times, just bcoz of one need ( like salary deposit by co. or easy to transfer money to parents, who has ATM nearby home ) we might still hold ICICI a/c’s.
August 26, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Dear Vijay,
Thank you for your thoughts and comments. Yeah, it may seem strange I connect past with present. Should not it be an guidling light to the future? Elitist and ultra capitalist notions our companies should do away with. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m for responsible capitalism, not for extreme capitalism.
Thank you,
~ Balaji.