Politeness = A- Efficiency/Knowledge/etc. = F
I am an American who lives overseas. I use my friend's phone number for my Capital One credit card file. I cannot access my account online w/o disturbing my friend due to CO's two-step verification process. As a result, I had my statements emailed to me once a month until recently when I was told that this service now requires a two-step verification process as well effective January 1. So CO has effectively shut down any avenue for me to get my credit card information - without disturbing my friend in the US - other than asking a c/s agent to read me all my activity line by line. But it gets worse. Two days ago I was told that I could use my foreign phone for my file. This was exciting and welcome news. I was told it also was effective Jan. 1 by no less than four c/s agents. In fact, a supervisor, who should have known better, said it was fine so she deleted my friend's number and inputted mine. However, today I noticed my overseas number did not include the last digit and long story short, I found out that all that talk about being able to use my overseas phone number was utter nonsense. I spent four hours a few days ago simply trying to get my statement sent to me via email; I spent another three hours today trying to figure out what was going on. I'm a 20-year customer who can't access his own info by himself.
I've had disappointing experiences with CO before, too may to count actually. Many hours on the phone. But my experience this week is a new low, I think. It's remarkable how many people told me that I could use my overseas phone number for my file. I went from frustrated, to elated, to nearly apoplectic when I found out I couldn't. How can these agents be so poorly trained? Well, I received one answer from a supervisor I spoke to. He told me that first line agents are a disaster (his words). He said that sometimes they will lie in order to pass the problem to someone else. I find that revolting. Today, one agent told me over and over that a supervisor will be able to input my overseas number and I asked him three time to make sure. At another unrelated time one agent insisted any purchases I make online will show up immediately on CO's system. That was an untruth. He tried to convince me that my hotel room purchase was declined when it actually was accepted but confirmed the next day on their system. I honestly don't understand how I can know more than some of these agents.
Capital One's customer service is shockingly poor. Unfortunately, they don't care. If they did, 88% of their ratings on this site wouldn't be one-stars. They have set up a system where you cannot complain to someone directly who will respond. All you could do is complain to an agent or supervisor, both of whom are often under-trained, and they will pass complaints to...who knows? I was told they won't reply either. You could also send a letter but that's it. So if you use CO be prepared. You will get different answers from different agents. Moreover, you will be placed on hold frequently. It is truly one of those situations where decision makers train their agents like identical robots mostly on etiquette but not on problem solving. In my opinion, some customers either overreact or not honest about c/s situations. However, if you read a poor review on CO, believe it. Thank you CO for wasting so much of my time this week. You remain in my hall of shame of truly terrible customer service.
Update: Because they inputted a bogus number onto my account, I can't revert back to my friend's number which I used for years. You heard me right...to get my friend's number onto my account again like before, it already has to be on account so they can send the number a verification code. Catch-22. According to them, they can't simply change the number even though they verified me six ways till Sunday. All they can do is send the issue to the back office where I'm sure it will disappear. Wow, just wow. Words cannot adequately describe how poorly run this company is.
