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Sunday, August 16, 2009

Product Review: Timescard Barclaycard Credit Card

This Credit Card was launched in early 2008 as an Entertainment Card. This Credit Card tends to stand out as there are not many entertainment cards in the market right now.

This card has been launched as a partnership between Barclaycard and Times of Money. The first thing you notice about this card is the Credit Card Plastic, which is very neatly designed. It is one of the best card designed in the industry today (my opinion!)

The strengths of this Credit Card are listed below.

(1) Good Offers especially the movie ticket offer at select multiplexes. This single offer of movie ticket discounts is the single largest USP of the Timescard Barclaycard
(2) Other category discounts are good but the movie / multiplex discounts is the best. You can save up Rs.1000 / month if you watch 1 movie / week
(3) Free for Life Card
(4) Rewards program at No Additional Cost
(5) Multiple Payment Options for Barclaycard, hence paying your Credit Card Bill is easy irrespective of the Bank in which you hold an account

The flipside is as follows

(1) Poor Quality Customer Service both at the Contact Centre where complaint resolution and turn around times are not managed well
(2) Barclaycard has got several serious customer complaints on www.mouthshut.com and other such forums
(3) No Internet Banking Platform, so you will need to call the Barclaycard Customer Service Helpline for any details you require (which is not a very pleasant experience)
(4) Offers are concentrated in Mumbai and Delhi and the options for other cities are limited

Amongst the cards I hold, this gives me the maximum value on the movie offer as I watch at least 1 movie a week at Bandra East Cinemax. So I land up saving Rs.1000 per month at the very least. I do not care about the pain they put me through at Customer Service as no other card gives me such a save. If you feel the same way then go for it.

For other useful Personal Banking tips do go to www.simplybank.blogspot.com or you can mail me at Ask.Pranav@Gmail.Com and I will try to respond to your queries at the earliest.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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