Lufthansa exploiting customers with their outrageous prices for date change & rigid approach

Lufthansa has been exploiting customers with it"s outrageous prices in the name of so called date changes and rigid policies. Please think twice before choosing to fly Lufthansa specially from U.S to India .

I for one am thoroughly disappointed with their services and policies. There has to be some flexibility in rules regarding cancellation credit specially when it involves a medical reason that can be proved. My TA also felt that the Airlines could manage that in some cases as an exception if they so desired. But Lufthansa is not even open to talks. After all who would want to waste their money and cancel at the last moment unless there is a genuine reason. But Lufthansa is so rigid and does not empathise at all even to make efforts in resolving the matter with alternatives. 

Their managers are not reachable even to discuss matters like these. I asked to discuss this matter with the Manager on duty but I was not allowed to.  I worked as a Manager in States and I would always try to work with the customers to retain them as loyal customers. Here I have spent money, time and energy on calling Lufthansa U.S and Delhi several times but to my immense disappointment they were not even open to discuss the matter. While I respect policies there still ought to be some loopholes in exceptional cases.  

I am sure that Managers must be given some powers to make exceptions in such cases and give back some amount of credit even if the ticket may be non refundable or a customer must be allowed to claim the amount later if one can prove that there was a medical reason to change or cancel flight.  If not then  Lufthansa could easily issue an open ticket for even a restricted period for the same fare in medical cases where the customer cannot provide a definite date of travel as it all depends on the recovery process. 

 Leave alone that, Lufthansa is charging outrageously for date changes lately which is coming to $900 and above which is as good as buying a new ticket ! ANA on the other hand works with the customers to reach a mutually suitable resolution if a customer is flexible about dates. In Oct. 2018 I changed an ANA ticket San Fran-Del. 

ANA just charged $70 even when on other dates it was fluctuating and coming to $400. But Lufthansa does not want to waste their time in working with customers at all or resolve their grievances once they have sold their tickets. In due course Lufthansa will lose many loyal customers not that it would matter to them because I find they are so rigid and arrogant in their approach in dealing with their customers. Their cancellation process is also so time consuming ! The representative was not wanting to help me at all with the cancellation considering that I do not have the energy to waste more time on this as I am not well at all. At least in such cases cancellations should happen promptly on the phone or they can help the customer by communicating it to the Sales team themselves. I am so unwell and yet I am going back and forth just to do a simple cancellation.

I don't think I will ever fly Lufthansa. And I will not recommend flying Lufthansa to anyone. Even on board I noticed that some of their staff was exhibiting impatience with some customers specially Asian senior citizens.    

     

Security Self Storage Napa-Professional, Dedicated & Personalized Customer Service

Security Self Storage on Walnut Street in Napa is the perfect and affordable solution to storing your valuable luggage. The team of wonderful people that work there go out of their way to assist you in every way possible to make it most convenient and comfortable for you to transfer your things to a storage space suited for your needs.

Their deals are good and they are flexible and patient enough to help you find a space that is exactly suited for you. They say first impressions are the last impressions. And their manager won me over instantly the first time I spoke with her on the phone with her enthusiasm, patience and warmth. She provided so many alternatives and options to us to help us make the right decision. And later even onsite the rest of the team specially this nice gentleman understood our needs gave us good options when settling to choose the size and location of the unit.

One needs to feel secure about leaving one's things somewhere and that place definitely makes you feel secure. Also the place is easily accessible. It is worth mentioning that they certainly exceeded my expectations. Great customer service ! What also impressed us was their personal gesture in sending us a thank you note for choosing them. It is worth trying out !

Citibank's Disputed Transactions Dept. - Rigid approach has no value for Truth !

As I have been saying, the truth never works with Citibank U.S. ! In a matter of disputed transactions, it never pays to tell them the truth by saying that the credit card or debit card was in your possession at the time. They might reimburse money to you in a situation of identity theft, scam or fraudulent transaction ONLY if you claim even if falsely that the debit or credit card was not in your possession. They do not want to hear beyond that because they do not have time or patience to treat each case differently or consider exceptions where the fraudulent transaction may involve other serious circumstances.
They do not even want to consider cases where a case is a combination of identity theft and scam.  Basically they just do not want to put an effort into investigating cases. Also however fast you may be in reporting a fraudulent activity or dispute a transaction, their delayed action will cost you. They will make you wait endlessly anywhere between 45 minutes to around an hour and a half specially in the evenings to connect you to the Disputes Dept. to report fraud and scam concerning the account or transaction. They will not even try to help you in blocking a transaction even if it is in pending mode.There is lack of co-ordination between their departments too. Sometimes one department of the bank closes a matter even before a case manager can address it or research on it.
Always be prepared that Citibank U.S will not provide you immediate cash assistance even though provisional in times of loss of money. They are not reliable when it comes to that kind of immediate support which other banks may provide in these situations. Citibank U.S will never demonstrate sensitivity to you in times of emergency where your account may be affected due to identity theft. In general Citibank as a bank anywhere has a very rigid and insensitive approach towards it's customers.  And their rigidity and arrogance reflects in the tone and attitude of their representatives and staff too. Therefore think twice before banking with them ! 

Citibank U.S - Unpleasant Banking Experiences

Citibank U.S is the most rigid bank I have come across. From the beginning their services have not been good. The first time I issued a cheque from a sufficiently funded  account with them, they provided problems for the person I had issues it to. And unnecessarily because of them I had to pay a fine to the Management of the apartment I rented out. While issuing a cheque from another Bank here for the first time never poses a problem. They do not even agree to give a credit card. I had to get a credit card from another bank even though my entire salary was going to Citibank.

Also, Citibank's phone banking in U.S  is the worst ! Firstly they do not seem to know about their products or services that well. And they do not greet their customers warmly the way Wells Fargo or any other bank do,. If it were left to them they would want everything to be automated and not deal with the customer at all or resolve the queries. Their approach is not at all positive or interactive. Infact Citibank India performs better than Citibank U.S specially where phone banking is concerned.

One has to wait in line for 45 minutes or even more when you call Citibank U.S  to report a fraudulent activity or scam. The so called research they claim to do on a case is not at all thorough and is incomplete because they do not go into details to check the authenticity of the case. So calling their dispute department regarding identity theft in relation to your card or account is pointless ! Calling their dispute department to report a scam is a sheer waste of time as they will eventually dismiss the case just like that without consulting the video recording at an ATM place or shop. They do not have a proper structure for escalation of complaints where the customer could go higher up to appeal if the customer disagrees with a resolution.

Also I have learnt from my experience that truth never works when dealing with reporting a fraudulent activity to Citibank U.S. because they will always refuse to provide you provisional cash as is the norm in times of such emergency leave alone reimburse you for it. They just want to know whether the card was in your possession or not at the time of the transaction. In today's times fraudulent activities on your debit card could occur even without a physical card .It is just black or white with them. They do not even want to investigate matters even if one attaches a police report when disputing a transaction as a result of identity theft,scam or fraud. On the other hand, other banks like Credit Union Bank always is sensitive to it's customers at a time like this.

I have been doing a kind of informal survey amongst people I know and others regarding the services of Citibank. Most people seem to have the same bad impression of Citibank U.S . 

Citibank U.S.A Dispute Dept.- Not easily accessible when reporting fraudulent activity / No support or positive resolution in disputed transactions

Based on feedback and experience with the Citibank Dispute Department in recent times, I would like to comment that they are not at all easily reachable in times of emergency. In fact, I have been thoroughly disappointed with their phone banking system . One has to call them so many times during a serious situation regarding a disputed transaction.  The delay causes customers much inconvenience . To start with they make you wait as long as 45 mins. most times. I tried to report an issue to them while the transaction mode still reflected pending and right after reporting it to the merchant. I even followed it up by giving them the case number of the police complaint thinking that would make a difference.

Citibank's approach is quite insensitive and rigid.  There is total lack of co-ordination and the facts you provide are not related accurately on record which results in your being denied a favorable resolution.  They just want to close the case as fast as possible without actually researching it well. And that is what happened. While Citibank India at least has better phone banking services and you are heard out there and they provide support immediately specially when you want to withold a transaction or in any other matter. Even Wells Fargo bank here has a much more positive and personalized approach in their interactions over the phone or at branches.

 Truth holds no value when relating the facts concerning a transaction you want to dispute where Citibank U.S is concerned. All they see is whether the card was in your possession or not. Other circumstances like the ones related to scams or identity thefts are not even correctly investigated by them even if you provide them a copy of a police report. They just don't want to cover such cases. And they don't even give provision cash while waiting for a resolution. While other local banks are much better and sensitive in their dealings with their customers according to the feedback I gathered in this last month. People who dispute transactions even concerning transactions that are  identity theft or scam related are offered full support and compensation at other banks. Perhaps just saying that the card was not in your possession at the time of transaction works better for them in providing you with compensation rather than hearing facts and details. I wonder if they even really research the details the customer provides them regarding a disputed transaction. I believe that people who hold Discover cards are covered and protected in fraud related incidents.

My experience with them this past year has not been satisfactory. Wells Fargo provides pleasant banking experience in contrast.

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Previous Article- HP India 's careless attitude regarding disposal of defective laptop batteries under HP Notebook PC Battery Recall Program

In the next few days, I will share my unpleasant experience with you regarding HP India as well. For years I have taken up the matter regarding the correct disposal of Laptop Batteries with HP specially the defective ones that they had replaced . I have discussed the need for safe disposal of these batteries since 2009 as throwing them away in normal garbage can cause an explosion and hurt rag pickers when they burn the garbage. The batteries were recalled as they had the potential to overheat posing a fire and were quite hazardous.

But HP India and their Service Centres do not take this seriously and are least concerned about it. I have been calling them and sending emails to them for years now but they are not giving a positive response or taking a responsible stand on the matter. The Battery Pack is still lying with me. I was asked to retain the return packaging that came with the replaced battery pack and was told that HP would be contacting me to make arrangements to pick up the hazardous recalled battery pack from my premises. But they did not do that despite repeated reminders to them via emails and calls. I even offered to send it back to them by courier and called their Service Centres to make arrangements for pickup of the battery pack but nobody co-operated. As a responsible citizen, I do not wish to dispose this defective battery pack just like that where it may harm others. There has to be a more safe way of Laptop Battery Pack disposal in convenient locations .