DCS Card Centre customers lash out as fee changes spark confusion

Photo credit: Diners Club

DCS Card Centre cardholders in Singapore were left frustrated and confused after the fintech firm made changes to repayment schedules and card annual fees.

The company – formerly Diners Club Singapore – had revised interest charges on all DCS Mastercard and UnionPay cards, as well as its Diners Club Credit Cards, in October 2023. It also revised statement repayment periods to 21 days, which means payment due dates moved ahead from the 27th of each month to the 22nd.

A cardholder who was charged late fees called the move “unfair.” The person claimed that users like themselves weren’t notified beforehand.

The person, who spoke to Tech in Asia on the condition of anonymity, also said that their numerous emails and calls to the firm went unanswered.

In response to Tech in Asia inquiries, DCS Card Centre said that it had communicated the changes to customers via SMS, its website, and customer statements between August to November 2023.

It added that the new 21-day repayment period is on par with industry standards and that it made special considerations and concessions for fee waivers during the transition period.

Heightened demand

The confusion was compounded by a lack of customer support. Dozens of people claiming to be cardholders left Google reviews saying that the firm was unresponsive to their fee waiver and card cancellation requests, despite multiple efforts to contact the company.

Of course, reviewers on Google can post without proving that they are indeed customers. However, a DCS Card Centre spokesperson acknowledged that some users had challenges in reaching its customer service team.

According to the company, its number of cardholders grew over 20% per month on average between July to December 2023, which resulted in “heightened demand” on its customer service platform. Calls to its hotline have surged by over 25% month on month since mid-2023, it said.

As of three months ago, users can actually check fee waiver requests and status updates on the DCS Cards app. However, recent requests for assistance have come from both new and existing users, the latter of which are predominantly older and less digitally connected, the spokesperson said.

“We encourage customers to utilize the DCS Cards App for seamless access to our services and to track the status of their requests,” the spokesperson added.

The company said that it is monitoring its customer service staff to ensure they respond within five to 10 working days. It is also making more agents available, as well as enhancing self-service functions on its mobile app.

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