ICICI Bank has recently notified customers that it will be changing its phone number from 1st July:

Quote:

Important information: Changes to our Customer Service Centre number and HiSAVE Account charges Our Customer Service Centre number for customers calling from within the UK will change from 08081 31 41 51 to 0844 412 4444 with effect from July 01, 2013. Calls to the new number will cost five pence (5p) per minute, plus any network extras from a BT landline. Calls from mobile phones and other networks may cost more depending on your service provider.

As part of Ofcom's reform of non-geographic numbers, users of 084 numbers will have to declare their Service Charge.

The number 0844 412 4444 is a g6 one whose Service Charge is expected to be at least 5 pence per minute. Each caller will pay an Access Charge, as set by his or her provider, and this is added to Service Charge to give the full cost of the call.

At the present time BT is the exception as its Access Charge is effectively zero. Mobile providers levy the highest Access Charges, them being up to 35 pence per minute.

They do offer a geographical number you can call them on

020 3106 7160

See: http://www.icicibank.co.uk/personal/contact-us.html

I got an email last week informing me of this change, I emailed them back informing them they should not be using 0844 and should not be using BT as a comparison, plus other snippets including the high costs from mobiles, and why they could not use an 03 number, I got an email back as follows: -

Dear Customer,

We value your relationship with ICICI Bank.

We understand that you are unhappy that from July 1, 2013 our Customer Service Centre phone number will change from a free phone number to a charged one.

The introduction of a charge for calling our Customer Service Centre is the industry standard for a number of UK Banks. Please be advised that we have retained our geographic Customer Service Centre number +44 (0)203 106 7160 (call charges vary depending on your service provider).

Yours sincerely,

*** Name removed ***
ICICI Bank UK PLC

.

---

~ Edited by Dave: Name removed

How's this for an oxymoron from ICICI bank
"      Please contact us on our freephone 0844 412 4444 (calls cost 5 pence per minute plus your phone company's access charge). "
When did free change its meaning?

Nita wrote on Aug 14^th, 2013 at 6:46pm:

How's this for an oxymoron from ICICI bank "      Please contact us on our freephone 0844 412 4444 (calls cost 5 pence per minute plus your phone company's access charge). " When did free change its meaning?

You can call them on this number
0203 478 5319

Which is on their web site http://www.icicibank.co.uk/personal/contact-us.html

Mind you I can not see where it states that the 0844 number is free :-?

Both their Freephone Numbers

0800 3582442 and

0808 1314151

are working numbers connected to same menu.

I did use the alternative numbers ,spoke to a young lady in India and explained to her that "Free" in this context in English means no charge  not sure she got it

Nita wrote on Aug 14^th, 2013 at 6:46pm:

How's this for an oxymoron from ICICI bank "      Please contact us on our freephone 0844 412 4444 (calls cost 5 pence per minute plus your phone company's access charge). " When did free change its meaning?

We discussed ICICI Bank's change of number a few months ago. The 0808 number has been replaced with a 0844 one which attracts a 5 pence per minute Service Charge. Perhaps the word "freephone" is a remnant of the former number.

To give ICICI Bank its due the text here and the recorded message says that the cost is a 5 pence per minute Service Charge plus the caller's phone company's Access Charge.

Dave wrote on Aug 15^th, 2013 at 11:36am:

[quote author=Nita link=1365715753/3#3 date=1376505983]The 0808 number has been replaced with a 0844 one

But you can still use the 0808 number as it still works. ;)

bigjohn wrote on Aug 15^th, 2013 at 6:43pm:

Dave wrote on Aug 15th, 2013 at 11:36am: [quote author=Nita link=1365715753/3#3 date=1376505983]The 0808 number has been replaced with a 0844 one But you can still use the 0808 number as it still works. ;)

Selecting option 1 for UK enquiries plays out a message saying that the customer centre number has changed to 0844 412 4444. Did you know this or is there another option that will allow access for UK customers?

Sorry about that  :) i just dialled the 0808 number heard  option 1 for Uk customer service and terminated my call,not knowing it referred you to a 0844 number.

The geographical  number mentioned above
0203 478 5319 definitely connects you !

bigjohn wrote on Aug 16^th, 2013 at 11:05am:

Sorry about that  :) i just dialled the 0808 number heard  option 1 for Uk customer service and terminated my call,not knowing it referred you to a 0844 number. The geographical  number mentioned above 0203 478 5319 definitely connects you !

Glad to hear the geographic number continues to work.

I would point out it's 020 3478 5319, something perhaps ICICI need to realise.

Sorry to be pedantic.

CJT-80 wrote on Aug 16^th, 2013 at 7:16pm:

bigjohn wrote on Aug 16th, 2013 at 11:05am: Sorry about that  :) i just dialled the 0808 number heard  option 1 for Uk customer service and terminated my call,not knowing it referred you to a 0844 number. The geographical  number mentioned above 0203 478 5319 definitely connects you ! Glad to hear the geographic number continues to work. I would point out it's 020 3478 5319, something perhaps ICICI need to realise. Sorry to be pedantic.

:) Good point.

Interesting thread here about presentation of numbers http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/blog/2013/02/reading-out-a-london-number-020-8-or-0208.html

CJT-80 wrote on Aug 16^th, 2013 at 7:16pm:

bigjohn wrote on Aug 16th, 2013 at 11:05am: Sorry about that  :) i just dialled the 0808 number heard  option 1 for Uk customer service and terminated my call,not knowing it referred you to a 0844 number. The geographical  number mentioned above 0203 478 5319 definitely connects you ! Glad to hear the geographic number continues to work.

Something you would have been aware of had you read my post,#2, from April 12th   ;): - " Please be advised that we have retained our geographic Customer Service Centre number +44 (0)203 106 7160 (call charges vary depending on your service provider). "

.

derrick wrote on Aug 17^th, 2013 at 9:34am:

CJT-80 wrote on Aug 16th, 2013 at 7:16pm: bigjohn wrote on Aug 16th, 2013 at 11:05am: Sorry about that  :) i just dialled the 0808 number heard  option 1 for Uk customer service and terminated my call,not knowing it referred you to a 0844 number. The geographical  number mentioned above 0203 478 5319 definitely connects you ! Glad to hear the geographic number continues to work. Something you would have been aware of had you read my post,#2, from April 12th   ;): - " Please be advised that we have retained our geographic Customer Service Centre number +44 (0)203 106 7160 (call charges vary depending on your service provider). " .

Indeed, I am pointing out I was glad to that they had a: retained it, and b: it therefore still worked.
:P

Now if only they could get the format of the number correct I'd be a happier bunny.  But that's just me!