HSBC - urgent notice!!!!
By gregturnbull •
Please note that the worst bank in the world, HSBC Middle East, now charges 50 riyals if your account goes below EIGHT THOUSAND riyals! I just transferred some money, leaving 7,000 in there, and got a text message on my phone. When doing the transfer by telephone the person on the other end never warned me about the threshold. I called back to complain they said they have sent out letters to everyone. Of course I didn't get mine. I suspect this is yet another scam by this most dire of banks. You'll probably get the letter in a few weeks, when they have made billions of riyals.
Tell everyone you know
I concur with JG, HSBC is much better in the UK than in Qatar, some of the customer service here is nothing short of shocking, however as a HSBC premier customer I have managed to find one of the better premier managers, who is able to resolve my queries promptly via email. I am never charged monthly account fees etc as I am also a UK premier customer.
Whilst HSBC is not the best bank Qatar (think Commercial Bank are ok), the reason I bank with them here is that it is so much easier using one bank for doha, offshore (HSBC international), and HSBC UK. Rather than a local bank here and then HSBC for everything else. I can also transfer money to non Qatar HSBC accounts for no charge and usually on the same day.
I tend to keep my interaction with HSBC in Qatar to a minimum and try to do everything online. I dont think I could cope with having to interact with HSBC Doha staff more than once every 6 months!
As for the responsiveness of the customer services department to any constructive feedback from customers - this is totally non existant.
I was very suprised to find that they were so poor in this country, especially since the head of HSBC retail banking is from the UK and so should appreciate the sub standard nature of the Qatar HSBC operation.
Im not even sure HSBC appreciate how disgruntled their customer base is, I guess many people bank with HSBC in the UK and so feel tied to them over here, which in a way will always prevent a great deal of customer churn.
I think I will stick with them whilst I am over here, albeit, I am always cognisant of my previous experiences with them and so use my Doha account for only essential transactions, with everything else done in the UK or offshore.
where i can open an account for internatonal, if ever i can go to another country like in europe, i will be able to use it... thankz..
i'll be coming to qatar soon and my current bank is HSBC, not terribly impressed with them for a number of reasons, who do you recommend to bank with over there?
HSBC is reputed bandits in the banking sector.. not in middle east alone every where... and India i had the pleasure of HSBC robbing me... so its our "WORLDS LOCAL BANK" robbers.. where ever you are.. they are there to rip u off.... all hidden cost make u go BANKRUPT....
Interesting responses. Thanks for the heads up anyway.
thats the results of the economic crises,bank policies are now income oriented...thats' a part of HSBC's economic strategy anyway...
Horrible!..
I wanted to activate the internet banking in my account so i called them up on their landline but nobody is answering. then i called their cellphone and a call center agent answered me and asked for my name and account number. to my surprised he couldn't find my account and ask for my passport number instead. But he still cannot find my account!!! i told him i have been their customer for almost a year now so thats impossible. that time i lost hope with HSBC.
_______________________________________________________
"You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back."
even me holding the Status Account in HSBC,, they provide crap service...they charge me everymonth for the Status account but provide service worse than any other other banks would provide their normal customers....
this banks if horrible...& iam planning to move since a week...! i will for sure...see some other bank soon..!
~noms~
"Before God we are all equally wise ' and equally foolish" - Albert Einstein
HSBC in the UK is a lovely bank to bank with. Being a Pilot, i dont get much time to go to the bank. The only person from the time I had opened the account, who could help me out with my account opening and cheque books was a Gentleman by the name of Anup, who was the Sales and Service Manager, way in 2007. Recently, I went to the branch and unfortunately I came to know that he had resigned. Do wish he was there to help out, because, he would take a customers call even in the middle of the night. Any ways, coming back to the topic, recently, my wife was issued a credit card and it didnt work. When we approached the customer service, they had given me a smile and said that it was because of bad plastic.
Comon, for goodness sake, dont make the customer look like a fool for banking with HSBC.
Yes, HSBC is the worst bank operating in middle east. My salary is transferred to HSBC but unfortunately they dont allow me to choose another bank. HSBC is making millions per month.
You can ask the bank specifically. HSBC has increased their minimum balance to Qr 8000 and will cut qr 50/- per month if you don't maintain it. They haven't informed anybody.
here is their contact info
[email protected]
____________________________________________
Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.
Karen Kaiser Clark
I have been with QNB (Sheraton branch) for the last 8 years and I have never had a problem with them... touch wood!!!
Commercial Bank is soooo much nicer. Customer service is good. I'm happy. As and when problems arise, as they invariably will, at least I know they will attend to my concerns. Yeah, sure nothing is free. There are charges but they are fair to me and at least I can get a straight answer.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
HSBC Charges you 50 riyal, in every change you do to your account... this bank really takes away some money from your account as long as your account is with them. You will end-up having depths later if you dont act soon.
Thank you, mariam-mar.
/Aahh.. so lovely to get straight answers... CBQ charges QR25 per month if your average per month is less than QR3k. Not immediately when the amount in the account drops below 3k. Ie. If my balance drops to 1k and then I shore it up 2 weeks later, if my average is above 3k, I don't get charged. And they have not raised the threshold limit to 8k like HSBC.
//As for the "if you don't agree with the terms, don't open the account" Yes, I agree. It was a mistake on my part to take HSBC on trust based on my past and current good experience with the HSBC in Malaysia. I therefore take responsibility for my own actions (or omission, in this situation) and will rectify that error forthwith.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
me, I have some unsatisfactory encounters but still bearable. Weighing the prons and cons, I'll stay with HSBC!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
Another unhappy HSBC customer.. Well I have no complains at the moment..May be because I am a Premier Customer...lol Lets face it nothing is for free...lol
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
I really can not understand this fuzz about HSBC's charginges. All other banks have their own charges. Before, almost all my colleagues are with CBQ but when they charged 100 QAR if your maintaining balance falls down below 3K, they went to HSBC because HSBC promise no maintaining balance charges. Now since they announce it, then maybe, all my office mates and colleagues will again transfer to another bank. It will be a never-ending changing of accounts! Love this thread!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
I hope people should know that banks are not banks without charges. I have several other accounts aside from Hsbc, and nothing makes difference, it's only that some other banks like QNB,just keep on deducting the charges like if your account is inactive in a month, if your balance is less than the minimum, and my saving account, earned nothing for years...
All services rendered are charged,,,but make sure, you read and understand all these before signing an application to open an account, and if you don't agree, then don't open an account.
"There's nothing we can do to change the past, if it teaches you a lesson profit from it then, forget it."
Thanks, azilana7037. I got CBQ's officer's tel no this afternoon but shall bug him only tomorrow, his work day.
I'd like to find out from him what the minimum amount is. I'm pretty sure it's not as high as 8k. Hope not. I heard it's QR25 if amount in account is less than 3k.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
i hate this bank, really really sucks
The thing is that this rule was not there when i & many others had opened their accounts with HSBC. Similar is the complaint of many people who are keeping their account with them.
Is the QAR 50 deducted once a month?
------------------------------------------------------------
"Every adult of sound mind, should be able to choose to do whatever they want, as long as they cause no harm to others".
if your account balance is less than the minimum. I know, my account with them is still active (I think) coz i still receive SMS messages from them.
I must say I am extremely disappointed with the service we have received from HSBC. A transfer to my home country took over a month to reach there. HSBC said they would launch an investigation into it after I queried this for about 3 weeks. Naturally, HSBC debited my account with QR70 for the cost of their so called investigation. I, in the end traced the money myself by making numberous phone calls overseas. HSBC won't reverse the QR70 they took. I am looking at changing banks.
I had also very bad experience in some other county of HSBC. They dont know the real business. They have very attractive faces in service side to magnetize the customers that's it they do business.
i was well caught out with them also, and huge frustration taking time out to gain more frustration going to the branch to try and sort things out. theyre in some respects, incompetent. I didnt even get statements then bang.....loads of issues to try and sort on receipt of letters. iv changed banks thanks god but still having to try and address the problems caused.
HSBC: legal robbery attempts and if i did business like them, i would expect to be fired. oh, and HSBC qatar is the only HSBC ive had problems with. thyre fine in uk etc
I'm with Commercial now, but if/when they screw up I'm straight over to QNB as their Qmiles offer is better!
Did you Google it first?
dms, at first in part of my earlier post, I said to you, "Please don't think you are more patient than the rest of us" but then deleted it cos perhaps it might insult you. If you think you're a saint, please carry on.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
QIB ATM machine at Villagio swallowed my money and gave me just the receipt with the deduction from my account.
I've decided to stick to the QNB ATM machine at villagio. Hasn't let me down yet, despite the numerous times I withdrew $$ from there.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
but as I said, I have also a couple of bad experience with HSBC but for me, as long as it will not kill me, a little more patience will do. It's not only in the bank it happens, in all many places, you'll find dissatisfaction. Until the time comes that you are really fed-up, then step back a little more, think...... and as you wish, withdraw your money and go to another bank. Lol! Good day to you, Eagle!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
dms, no such thing as a perfect bank. We don't look for perfection but at least have proper customer service and meet us halfway. We know there are pros and cons to every situation but the cons outweigh the pros in HSBC's case.
HSBC Qatar is NOT balancing very well.
Having said that, my HSBC in MY is jolly good. Customer service good. Many pluses and minuses but generally good so I keep my business with them.
To the clients of the worst bank in Qatar? Some of them have no choice because the company has corporate accounts with HSBC. Owner of company probably has an account with HSBC and salaries of all staff go there.
And as UkEng said before, the premium account holders have no problems and as you said before as well, you're not a premium account holder but you're lucky to not have so many problems with the bank. You just have a different experience. Good on you. Stay with HSBC. Those of us who have bad experiences just move.
/You think to give me time and you'll see me posting the negatives about my next bank? You may or you may not, depending on how the bank performs. The customer is actually one of the bank's most important stakeholders not just its shareholders. As long as a bank does not realize that, they will lose in the long run. But hey, to each its own.
****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
Oh yeah B2D. I already opened an account with another bank but just haven't closed my HSBC one yet. Still thought I'd give them a chance. But with this latest bit of news, that's the point of no return.
Being the loyal type, I usually take a long time to decide to walk and keep giving warnings, hoping they will take notice and do something to rectify the situation ... but if unheeded after countless warnings, then I will make a decision. Once I do, I won't change it, come what may.
//Edit - my earlier statement "because I really cannot afford to have QR50 deducted every time" ... confession time (without going into RP's booth) ... Actually, what I meant was I can't afford to have my saving whittled away by a chunk of QR50 every time. They add up in time. But strictly speaking, I can afford it if I really wanted to but I don't like being forced to keep that amount (if it was 1k, that's not so bad)... and what I don't like, I guarantee the other party will have a problem.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
that is completely nice? I think it depends on one's view of how will he/she handle his/her account. All banks have its +'s and -'s. It's just balancing it and make it beneficial to you. Is there a perfect bank here? Please!
To the poster, what do you call the clients of the "worst" bank in your view? Before you answer, I just want to tell you, "they" are not few in numbers but....
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
I went through about half a dozen banks in UK before settling for .... HSBC! I had a SABB account in KSA (Also HSBC owned) without issue too. It's only Qatar where they suck!
For me, if a bank cocks up once, I'm out of there. There are so many clamouring for your money, especially right now ;o)
Did you Google it first?
I had a QR50 deduction seen on my latest HSBC bank statement which I didn't understand, is this maybe the amount they're deducting if your balance is below QR8K?
I guess I have to inquire from them and if it's true, definitely I'll close my account with them and shift to other bank, maybe Doha Bank coz QR500 only is the maintaining balance.
Hmm.. as usual, can't get a straight answer from anyone.
Apparently, if balance is under 3k, they will charge QR25. But the person who told me that is not sure. This is normal. Nobody knows anything.
Apparently also other banks like CBQ also charge for having amounts under 3k. As for the 8k threshold question, I can't get any answers. Nobody knows.
/Edit - aah.. ok. Anything under QR8K - HSBC charges QR50 now. They have apparently raised the threshold - it was QR4k before. Other than QR70 they charge for tt transfers, QR50 for any small requests that you ask for even though it's their fault eg. new pin number because all of a sudden the pin number you have been using for months with no problems suddenly gets declined, basically any requests etc.
//Now checking if CBQ is likewise. I have to close my HSBC account because I really cannot afford to have QR50 deducted every time, even if it's once a month or the triggers are every time the amount is less than 8k, the QR50 gets charged.
//Thinking further, I suppose this is one way for HSBC to ensure that depositors keep more money here instead of expatriating it back home to pay bills and support the family. I can see the business sense in it. But on the other hand, from a customer's PoV, we DO NOT like to be held over the barrel of a gun by our bankers, even if we can afford it. Therefore, I'm taking my business elsewhere. The next bank better watch it because pissing me off is usually a very bad idea.
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
Protest with your feet. I quit that bank over 6 months ago due to their poor service, excessive charges and plain old LIES!
Did you Google it first?
Is this only for premier account holders? I'm checking and will close account if they're charging QR50 every time cos my balance is always less than that. QR50 is my lunch cost for 7 whole days, with 1 riyal to spare for sweets. Time to say tata to the stewpid bank.
/For personal matters, I don't bug my HR much but if this is true, then ...
*****************************************
Don't want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama
I was going to open an account with HSBC once. I went into the bank and there was a huge queue of people, I was asked to take a number ticket and wait my turn.
I told the clerk that I wished to invest MY money in THEIR bank and that I was not prepared to wait for hours in order to so.
I walked out and found another bank who did not require me to wait and who were very helpful.
HSBC, no thanks...
we already received a notice couple of months ago....tomsware ur right thats how they do business:-(....
btw, even other banks have a maintaning balance QNB i think is not lower than 5k or so......better check w/. ur banks rather than caught off guarded....
...this is how this bank does business.... but, we should not let it just walk away after doing these unfair business...