Vernon B Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 If you are one of the disaffected Caravan Club Credit Card customers be warned:- As a result of a complete c**k-up by Goldfish I found my Direct Debit was no longer operable and as a result incurred penalty charges of £28 despite the fact that I found the problem and paid off the balance just 2 days after the due date. Having been treated like a sub-prime mortgage customer by the call centre I wrote complaining and giving notice of my intention to close my account. Being completely p**d off by the response to that letter I rang the call centre again to clear my current balance; claim my reward points and close my account. Only to be told by a "delighted" agent that as I had closed my account I had forfeited my points - all 2800 of them! Nice one Goldfish and goodbye. Vernon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Two replacements worth considering, especially if you go abroad, are Nationwide, and The Post Office. Both cards offer no handling charge on currency conversions, and give pretty much the commercial exchange rates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armstrongpiper Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Have you told the Caravan Club your story? I would be interestyed in there response, but from my experience it would be a patronising letter "assuring you of their intentions to provide a good service for their Members" and ignoring the complaints. Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted February 24, 2008 Author Share Posted February 24, 2008 Hi Brian - thanks for the tip. I've got a Nationwide card - took it out when the CC imposed charges for foreign transactions (having promoted the card on the basis that, unlike other cards, those charges would not apply). The Nationwide card also has the advantage of providing on line access so that you can manage your account real time. Goldfish are in the dark ages both in terms of their facilities and customer service levels. Hi Neil - Yes I've complained to the Club and am awaiting a reply. The reason I've jumped the gun with this post is that there may be other people in a similar situation and hopefully they'll avoid the trap that I fell into. As far as the CC response is concerned my expectations are very much in line with your own - but if proved wrong I'm prepared to take it all back. We'll see. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN G Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I stopped using CC card last Septenber when I found that it was being cancelled when we were in Italy. "We will send you the new card if you tell us which caravan site you will be on" "I don't know where I will be. Do you lot go caravanning ?" I said "oh, no " was the reply. I now have a BT card which reduces my BT telephone bill by a small amount This happens to be about twice what I would get with Site Night vouchers. The 2.75% charge seems to be a bit of a myth. My calculations on using both a Sainsbury and Natwest credit card abroad shows that they are cheaper than using the Euros I bought from M & S which is usually one of the cheapest [and for me the most convenient] In general the banks charge just what Mastercard and Visa tell them to. Over many years with CC and Frizzell (LV=) I never found that their exchange rates weren't much different from Natwest. At at time when the CC card was free of the 2.75% caharge in Europe my credit card bills exchange rates in Sweden (EU) and Norway (non EU) were little different. Obviously there are various factors which determine the card to use. To me ease of use CC have failed miserably. Srill have 2 Site night vouchers to use! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN G Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Sorry, last two line got a little jumbled They should say Obviously there are various factors which determine which card to have. To me the priority is ease of use. The CC have failed miserably. Still have 2 Site Night vouchers to use though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN G Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Sorry, last two line got a little jumbled They should say Obviously there are various factors which determine which card to have. To me the priority is ease of use. The CC have failed miserably. Still have 2 Site Night vouchers to use though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted February 25, 2008 Author Share Posted February 25, 2008 Vernon B - 2008-02-24 4:36 PM Hi Neil - Yes I've complained to the Club and am awaiting a reply. The reason I've jumped the gun with this post is that there may be other people in a similar situation and hopefully they'll avoid the trap that I fell into. As far as the CC response is concerned my expectations are very much in line with your own - but if proved wrong I'm prepared to take it all back. We'll see. V *** PERHAPS THE AGE OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE ISN'T OVER *** I've just taken a call from Jean Cobby at the CC. She wanted to understand my complaint in more detail and is now taking it up with Goldfish. Early days but Jean's reaction has been prompt and sympathetic. I'll keep you posted. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 ALAN G - 2008-02-24 9:19 PM Sorry, last two line got a little jumbled They should say Obviously there are various factors which determine which card to have. To me the priority is ease of use. The CC have failed miserably. Still have 2 Site Night vouchers to use though. I wonder if site night vouchers are as useful as the 2p per litre my Asda card gives me off Asda fuel, or the .5 to 1% cashback on all purchases that many other cards give? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I have absolutely noproblems with the caravan club credit cards and never have had. They turned down my application for one ha ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 We're getting 4% 'cashback' on our Capital One World card for 3 months, then we get 1% 'cashback' as normal ... we're really bashing the card at the moment, just about everything is going on it but we did draw the line at 2 first class postage stamps! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miami Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 We binned our club card last year. Goldfish are impossible to deal with either by post or phone.This is probably the biggest mistake the CC has made in many a year. I was so furious with the way we have all been treated and if it wasn't for the fact we store our MH on a club site I would have binned the club aswell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Vernon B - 2008-02-25 12:25 PM *** PERHAPS THE AGE OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE ISN'T OVER *** I've just taken a call from Jean Cobby at the CC. She wanted to understand my complaint in more detail and is now taking it up with Goldfish. Early days but Jean's reaction has been prompt and sympathetic. I'll keep you posted. V Well I've got a result! Jean Cobby has rung back to say that she has taken up the matter with Goldfish and by implication has challenged their position. They have given way on the reward points and will be sending me a site voucher but will not move on the penalty charges. It appears that the CC feel bad about this experience and Jean will also be sending me a site voucher as a goodwill gesture. Given the flack that the CC has received from various threads here, including from yours truly, I have to say that my complaint has been dealt with in a swift and exemplary manner. It will be interesting to see how long the Club will be preapared to let its reputation be tarnished by this third rate outfit called Goldfish. Meanwhile make a note of the name Jean Cobby in Insurance Services, she's a first rate lady. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armstrongpiper Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Well done Vernon - I'm very pleased for you that you've got some satisfaction from the CC. My Goldfish account is on probation, and one more cause for complaint will end it. Meanwhile, I've got a Post Office card which we'll try out abroad this year. Neil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I got a very nice letter from them lst year . It told me that if i didnt use it even for £5 they would shut down my account . So I didn't and they did good they can keep it fancy forcing someone to use it when they dont need to . Yes yes I know its a business but you dont treat cutomers like that ! DO YOU ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 michele - 2008-02-26 8:34 PM Yes yes I know its a business but you dont treat cutomers like that ! DO YOU ? Arguably you weren't a customer as you said you didn't use it! Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Basil I was using it but only mainly for the main summer holiday the campsite the petrol threw France but then I would pay it off . I thought I was a good customer keeping my account in order .. Not anymore they can stick it (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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