Pay Credit Card Bills Through ATMs

Tired of being ignored by ICICI Bank credit cards by being left out of their premium services despite being a loyal customer, I got myself a new credit card by HDFC Bank. It's another thing that HDFC Bank promised me a gold card with a higher spending limit, but then threatened to give me a silver card. When I strongly protested to their ways, they issued me a gold card, but with a much-lower-than-promised spending limit. I think the credit card companies ought to be made more accountable through stricter laws that are widely publicised (I recently read an RBI advertisement in the paper that if a credit card company rejects your application for a credit card, it has to give the reasons in writing; I never knew that!!!) and ought to made to pay for promising one thing, but delivering something totally different. SBI Cards too chased me for a month last year and promised to give me a platinum card with a high spending limit. What I finally got was a much-watered down Gold Card with a pathetic spending limit. On ethical grounds, I thought it best to reject it and sent it back to them. The cheekiness of these card companies, really!!!

But ICICI Bank credit cards have disappointed me. I have been their customer for over seven years (for a larger time in this, I have used ONLY my ICICI bank card and no other card) and my spending limit has always been pathetic. My friend who works in the bank's credit card division told me that they increase spending limits of only those customers with high to very high usage. Since my average monthly spending was way below this so-called threshold limit, I wasn't eligible for a raise. A year or so back I had to send an email to no less than Mr K.V.Kamath (then-managing director) for an increase of limit because I was handicapped by the low spending limit I had on my card especially during an emergency in 2007. Also, while some fellow gold card customers I know who have been upgraded to platinum card, I still haven't been upgraded. All this, despite being a loyal customer and paying my bills for the past seven years (give or take a few) on time.

The one good thing that came out of this is my complaint was heard by Mr Kamath and he quickly deputed his staff to talk to me and address my grievances. My problem was solved and I was impressed that a large bank's CEO was so approachable and quick to address the customer's complaint. Kamath's response time was amazingly quick and left me impressed. But I find it a little sad that for a problem of this stature, I had to knock the managing director's doors. I still have this card as I also have an ICICI Bank account and it's easier to pay the credit card bills online through the bank's website (internet banking).

Anyways, I am quite happy to start using my HDFC Bank card. HDFC Bank credit cards allow a great way to pay its bills. My friend Soumik Kar told me that if we have an account with HDFC Bank, we could pay HDFC Bank credit card's bills through its ATM machines. This is important for me, as I am still not an HDFC Bank internet banking customer and I feel very lazy in writing cheque books. Internet's the way to go for me, else I need something that's very convenient. Writing cheques is not, and with my house getting painted, everything is topsy-turvey.

So I walked in a nearby HDFC Bank ATM and slipped the card in the ATM machine. I selected 'Pay your credit card bills', entered the amount and the credit card number and it was done. As simple as that. I am told HDFC Bank is the only bank that has this facility, but I am not sure. It's a great facility and perhaps the next best way to pay your credit card bills, after internet banking.