Chase Marriott Rewards VISA Fail

I mentioned in Part 2 of the annual Points and Miles update that Marriott Rewards was a program I hadn't paid much attention to in the past. But about six weeks ago, I received an offer in the mail of a free night and 15K points if I signed up for the $75 annual fee Chase Marriott Rewards VISA card. Since Marriott was also running a "stay twice; earn a free night" promotion, I was planning to direct my hotel stays this fall toward Marriott, even though they are usually more expensive than most of their competitors.

Well, not everything has gone according to plan.

I completed the application form and mailed it away back in early August and waited. It's always been my experience in applying for credit cards in the past to receive the card in 2-3 weeks, sometimes in as little as 10 days.

After about a month, in early September, I received a phone message from Chase. I followed the instructions to return the call, only to be misdirected several times through their automated system. I finally just pressed "0" and spoke to a customer service representative to explain that I had been asked to contact them about my credit card application.

The CSR said she needed to know my date of birth. I'm pretty sure it was on the original application, but whatever. I provided it and was told to expect my card in 5-7 business days.

Two weeks later, I received a letter in the mail stating that if I wished to complete my application for its credit card, I should call Chase at the number provided. I decided I wouldn't.

Now, it's not just a matter of pique. Or that I didn't want to waste time wading through an automatic phone system and waiting on hold. There's a larger motive at play.

All of us, in our role as customers, are forced to interact with large and distant corporations – cable, cell, and internet companies, airlines, insurers, and banks – electronically, through call centres and/or the internet. And when we have a question, concern, or problem, the experience is always time-consuming, usually frustrating, and often unfair.

Thus, I've come to appreciate the companies that get it right: that never or seldom make errors, whose customer service is easily accessible, and whose CSR's are trained and empowered to resolve issues quickly to my satisfaction. In my experience, American Express is a good example.

So when even the mere application process with Chase was problematic, even if those problems were minor, I asked myself: "What is my experience likely to be if I have a disputed charge on my card?" And I wasn't reassured by the answer.

So that's the reason I'm giving up on the Chase Marriott Rewards VISA card. Sometimes the points just aren't worth the aggravation.

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