ElainePDX
Level 2 Member
I recently noticed that the promised 85,000 signup bonus points had not posted on my husband's new Club Carlson Business CC. I knew I'd made the spend using my AU card, so I called in to see what had happened.
CSR #1 agreed the spend had been made, said this happened sometimes, and filed a request. When I called in a few weeks later, CSR #2 apologized profusely, filed a second request, and gave me 2000 points for the inconvenience. A few weeks later we got a letter noting that the minimum spend had not been made.
CSR #3 connected me to a snippy supervisor who said that the primary cardholder must make the spend. I asked her where that was stipulated, and she said "in the materials you got" but she could not tell me exactly where and no one she consulted knew either. I noted that this was not the case for the personal card and she said that it was true for the Bus version. I said that even the CSRs are apparently unaware. I indicated that when I had called in days after getting the card (to have my husband give them permission for me to handle things by phone) that I'd said that I handle everything for his business accounts, and that the CSR said that was fine.
I ultimately was connected with a very nice manager who also could not tell me where exactly it said that the primary had to make the spend but that was the policy. He was concerned that the bank might need to make this more clear, and he agreed to review the case, noting that he'd check the telephone tapes.
He got back to me a week later and he had done just that. Luckily whatever I had said to the CSR - I have a usual script that "my husband does the consulting and I do everything else for the business including making all the purchases and paying the bills" - must have included some verification we'd get the points, because based on what the CSR had said, he agreed to refer it to the next level for approval. [Aside - my husband hates the way I talk up the CSRs. He thinks they need not hear all that patter. But I sure am glad I was in a talkative mood with that call!]
Today the statement arrived showing the points had finally posted. Not sure whether they have also figured out where the bank notes that the primary needs to make the spend, but I did eventually spot that language in the little glossy booklet that talks about all the glories of being a cardholder. The actual T&Cs say nothing about it.
So....if you are making a minimum spend on a Club Carlson Bus card and want to save yourself a delay and lots of phone calls, use the primary's card to make the minimum spend!
CSR #1 agreed the spend had been made, said this happened sometimes, and filed a request. When I called in a few weeks later, CSR #2 apologized profusely, filed a second request, and gave me 2000 points for the inconvenience. A few weeks later we got a letter noting that the minimum spend had not been made.
CSR #3 connected me to a snippy supervisor who said that the primary cardholder must make the spend. I asked her where that was stipulated, and she said "in the materials you got" but she could not tell me exactly where and no one she consulted knew either. I noted that this was not the case for the personal card and she said that it was true for the Bus version. I said that even the CSRs are apparently unaware. I indicated that when I had called in days after getting the card (to have my husband give them permission for me to handle things by phone) that I'd said that I handle everything for his business accounts, and that the CSR said that was fine.
I ultimately was connected with a very nice manager who also could not tell me where exactly it said that the primary had to make the spend but that was the policy. He was concerned that the bank might need to make this more clear, and he agreed to review the case, noting that he'd check the telephone tapes.
He got back to me a week later and he had done just that. Luckily whatever I had said to the CSR - I have a usual script that "my husband does the consulting and I do everything else for the business including making all the purchases and paying the bills" - must have included some verification we'd get the points, because based on what the CSR had said, he agreed to refer it to the next level for approval. [Aside - my husband hates the way I talk up the CSRs. He thinks they need not hear all that patter. But I sure am glad I was in a talkative mood with that call!]
Today the statement arrived showing the points had finally posted. Not sure whether they have also figured out where the bank notes that the primary needs to make the spend, but I did eventually spot that language in the little glossy booklet that talks about all the glories of being a cardholder. The actual T&Cs say nothing about it.
So....if you are making a minimum spend on a Club Carlson Bus card and want to save yourself a delay and lots of phone calls, use the primary's card to make the minimum spend!
