# OCBC is funny



## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

I have a "Plus" card with them. I asked for a second card for my wife. I filled out the form and mailed it in. They called me and asked me what my relationship is with two other names I had not heard before. I was a bit confused. The guy said, "You requested three cards right?". I said no, I requested one card.

Evidently some data entry person mixed up two different applications. 

I told them to forget it. We will just use the one card.

I also had a second card with them that I never used. They billed me for the yearly fee. I called to have it waved. They removed the yearly fee twice. Now I have a credit balance on a card, I have never used, or paid into. Hopefully they have competent auditors that can find it.

I have been working in electronics banking for 19 years now. I have never seen so many mistakes in such a short time.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Oddly enough OCBC is one of the better banks in Singapore, in my experience. But I'm routinely mystified how Singapore maintains its reputation as a banking center. Customer service experiences are not broadly terrific. Maybe banks elsewhere in Asia are even worse? 

In my experience, for what it's worth, Citibank Singapore generally provides the best consumer banking experience in Singapore. More specifically, in my view Citibank Singapore's "Tap and Save" account is currently Singapore's best consumer bank account -- the best value with the best service. (I wouldn't say the same thing about Citibank U.S., which I've found mediocre.) No bank is perfect, though, so here are some Citibank Singapore negatives: (1) they don't offer Singapore Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) accounts if you care about that (probably not); (2) though they offer a nice EZ-Link enabled card, they don't issue NETS cards (but cash still works, and you can get a separate NETS FlashPay card if you want); (3) you cannot buy Singapore Government Securities and Singapore Savings Bonds through Citibank if you care about that (also probably not); (4) their fixed deposit rates are awful (but so are DBS/POSB's). If you care about any of those issues then you could simply get a second account with another bank but use Citibank Singapore as your primary account, which is what I do.

DBS and POSB seem to provide good service _once you get to the front of the line_, and that's the problem: their branches and ATMs are Singapore's busiest. A lot of people recommend DBS/POSB because they've got the biggest ATM network in Singapore, and it's true, they do -- and the longest lines at those ATMs in Singapore, by far. It turns out you don't actually need the biggest ATM network in Singapore. You only need a _big enough_ ATM network in Singapore, and one with less demand. Singapore is a small country! It doesn't particularly matter whether you pass your bank's ATM three or five times per day unless you're withdrawing only $10 per visit, and not many people do that. With the exception of CIMB and credit unions, it's hard to imagine that you'd find any of Singapore's retail banks lacking an adequate ATM network unless you just sit at home all day and only live near one particular bank's ATM.

I'd put OCBC next in terms of overall customer service (#3). Their Plus! Visa Debit Card is a fairly reasonable banking account, actually. (The Plus! Visa Credit Card is less attractive, in my view.)

Then I'd rank UOB, then everybody else. That's just my opinion, though.

Speaking of CIMB Singapore, they do have one thing going for them: the ATM card they issue for their StarSaver Savings account appears to be Singapore's lowest cost ATM card for use outside Singapore. CIMB claims they charge no fees when you use their ATM card at Plus network and CIMB ATMs outside Singapore, so you should get the pure Visa network rate, assuming you are using an ATM without a local operator fee.


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## Linuxpro (Jan 28, 2013)

How do you learn all this? I have been in the business for 19 years, and I do not know this stuff? 

Well, I guess I work in the "bowls" of the banks. I do not know what is outside my cubicle. I spend 9 hours a day in a building, and I do not know many floors it has. It is a Linux Geek thing. You would not understand.

We have a saying. "Professional only means you get paid for the job. The title in no way implies that you understand ultimately fits into the big picture".


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