HDFC Bank: corporate benefits and credit card randomness

[lpshreyas]

Hello TF community!

I don't like the fact that my first thread on TF is a negative one. But I feel like this is the best community to garner some help wrt to banks and credit cards. So, here goes:

I have been an HDFC premium salary account holder for 7+ years, with Preferred banking program since about 2 years. I have also been a holding a credit card for 7+ years, which was my first credit card ever. In the last 2 years, I have begun using my credit card a lot but I noticed that the more I used it, the less upgrade/LE was provided to me.

Until mid-2021, I used to spend less than 5k monthly. But in that period, HDFC increased my credit limit from around 1L to 4L and upgraded me to Millennia LTF (I started with Times Prime, I think) and also offered me Diners Club Privilege afterwards on FYF basis (I didn't upgrade to that). Since mid-2021, I have spent at least 10k per month and have had two consecutive quarters where I have spent upwards of 50k per month. Which, when put in the terms of last 2 years, I have spend over 3L annually. And in that time, I have only received limit enhancement once from 4.x L to 4.57L (my current limit) and no card upgrades.

To add to that, I now have the Tata Neu Infinity card to go with my Millennia and I have racked up 1L+ spends on it in under 2 months. This is where things get even worse. I have contacted 3 RMs, 2 folks from the credit card dept, emailed to CC and bank support, escalated the issue all the way to PNO and still, the bank refuses to give me any upgrades other than the FYF Diners Privilege which has been sitting with me for nearly 3 years. Not DCB (LTF, FYF, paid) and not even Regalia Gold (LTF, FYF or even paid). They also refuse to give me a limit enhancement and had the gall to tell me to wait at least 6 months before I can ask them again for it. The annoyance doesn't end here because on top of all that, I am working in an organization that has a tie-up with HDFC and under the corporate program, the bank should be offering premium LTF cards based on salary (in which I qualify for all but DCB and Infinia).

I genuinely don't know what to do anymore because I have looked into other premuim accounts (that have corporate tie-ups with my company) and cards that come with them, and neither ICICI, not Axis seem to be a better option.
If there's anyone on this forum that can help me get an LTF upgrade or LE, please let me know so I can reach out. And if there's an alternative that I have missed.

 

[NOOBY]

tie-up with HDFC and under the corporate program, the bank should be offering premium LTF cards based on salary

check with the Company RM (banks assign an RM for the corporate company which takes care of employee accs), the person is different from your RM (personal)

They might be be able to do something

HDFC is random... if you can spend 5/6L in 6 months, then you can ask for Regalia Gold (or DCB) upgrade (but that wont be LTF)

 

[lpshreyas]

check with the Company RM

Yeah, the bank has listed a few people and their roles but they have conveniently left out the contact info of the relevant person. I guess I'll have to check with my HR for the contact details.

HDFC is random... if you can spend 5/6L in 6 months, then you can ask for Regalia Gold (or DCB) upgrade (but that wont be LTF)

That's the annoying part. I had to take a lot of cards to optimize my expenditure because Millennia wasn't covering all the bases and I had only a 4.5L limit to go with that. Now, I Neu Infinity sharing that limit as well and other cards (Neu Infinity, Amazon Pay, Federal Celesta and SC Smart) taking a decent chunk away from that card. I would either have to sacrifice a lot of rewards/cashback to move all my expenses to Millennia and that would include zero cashback on over 3L in insurance payments.


But here's the bottom line: Does spending 5-6L in a 6 months guarantee an upgrade to DCB? Because Regalia Gold isn't a very good card for me. Privilege is actually a better upgrade as it gives 5X rewards on dining while RG has a bizarre merchant list for 5X rewards

 

[NOOBY]

I guess I'll have to check with my HR for the contact details.

Yup, just ask contact info from HR.

But here's the bottom line: Does spending 5-6L in a 6 months guarantee an upgrade to DCB? Because Regalia Gold isn't a very good card for me. Privilege is actually a better upgrade as it gives 5X rewards on dining while RG has a bizarre merchant list for 5X rewards

Nothing can be said for sure in banking world. It all depends on your negotiation skills (and luck).

 

[jk51]

Yeah, the bank has listed a few people and their roles but they have conveniently left out the contact info of the relevant person. I guess I'll have to check with my HR for the contact details.


That's the annoying part. I had to take a lot of cards to optimize my expenditure because Millennia wasn't covering all the bases and I had only a 4.5L limit to go with that. Now, I Neu Infinity sharing that limit as well and other cards (Neu Infinity, Amazon Pay, Federal Celesta and SC Smart) taking a decent chunk away from that card. I would either have to sacrifice a lot of rewards/cashback to move all my expenses to Millennia and that would include zero cashback on over 3L in insurance payments.


But here's the bottom line: Does spending 5-6L in a 6 months guarantee an upgrade to DCB? Because Regalia Gold isn't a very good card for me. Privilege is actually a better upgrade as it gives 5X rewards on dining while RG has a bizarre merchant list for 5X rewards

I was facing the same issue but eventually realized it was not worth it for the time being to divert all spends from other cards to DCP for a potential DCB upgrade (since direct upgrade to Infinia is rare). However if you covet DCB/Infinia to a good degree then you can try for the same following the 6 month spends and request route.

 

[lpshreyas]

I was facing the same issue but eventually realized it was not worth it for the time being to divert all spends from other cards to DCP for a potential DCB upgrade (since direct upgrade to Infinia is rare). However if you covet DCB/Infinia to a good degree then you can try for the same following the 6 month spends and request route.

It's nothing to do with coveting a card. I honestly don't like having to carry a bunch of cards which have very different reward/cashback use cases. And I especially don't like keeping track of each cards annual waiver criteria. Not that I'd drown in debt if I had to pay the annual fee, but I usually end up coming really close to the waiver limits, so automatically my brain begins to keep track of the last 10-20k.

Getting DCB would allow me to get rid of a most of my cards, and would also hopefully get me a better credit limit. What sucks is that HDFC offers 99% of the cards I want. I have been eyeing the Swiggy card ever since it came out but I can't have 3 cards sharing the same measly limit. But the bank refuses to increase it