Well, everyone complains about banks, it is the norm. However, when dealing with HSBC I could cry, rip out my hair and violently punch someone. They are the most unhelpful, clueless, useless bank I have ever had the misfortune to deal with.

I have been banking with them for 4 years. I have had several loans with them over the years and always paid them on time. I now have one loan left with them.

I have also had credit cards with them and now want to renew them as they have expired. I have spent 3 weeks trying to get these new credit cards.

I was advised to bring in 4 different documents to the Jebel Ali Branch which I did. These documents included a blank signed cheque. I was then told that once I had given the documents in it would take 48 hours to update my file on their system. And then in 3 days to call customer service to order my new cards.

I called, the information wasn't updated. I called again after a week and was told yes the information is updated. All you need to do now is speak to collections. Why I asked? They couldn't tell me.
When I spoke to collections they told me I needed to order through customer service...When I told them I was asked to speak to collections before I could have them ordered they had no idea why. So, by this point I was getting pretty desperate.

I then spoke to someone who advised me to go back to the bank to sort it out face to face.

I did this and was told my information was not updated so I filled in new forms, spent an hour there making sure I didn't need anything else and that my cards had definitely been ordered. I left thinking it had all finally been sorted.

I was wrong. I did not receive any calls from the couriers I was told to look out for. I then called the bank and this is when I cried. I was put through to department after department and when I thought I had finally gotten through to someone who cared about my problem she gave me her direct number. When I called her back later that day it turned out she had given me a direct number to 100 people in India.

So last night, I was really very upset about the whole ordeal, I went to Ibn Batuta Mall. There is an HSBC customer service shop there. I spoke to a very helpful man who actually listened to me, called his manager (never mind it was 9 pm) he found all my documents and raised a complaint. And today I have received a phone call from someone else who is very apologetic and who is actually investigating the situation.

I am disgusted that in order to get a service from this bank you first have to threaten them with complaints and your big brother.