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Amex platinum Retention Call
Today I made an Amex Platinum retention call on a card that I’ve had open since 2013. I called the number on the back of the card and immediately asked to be transferred to the Amex retention department. Luckily there was no wait so I was speaking to someone who could help me within 3 minutes or so.
Amex Platinum Retention Number: 1-800-525-3355
Read: How Reserve, Platinum and Aspire Credits Derailed My Plans and Cost Me $$$
I explained to the rep that I was having a hard time using my card benefits since I wasn’t traveling much. He ran through the list of monetary benefits including the temporary benefits that have been added to the card through the end of the year: (I pretended to listen)
Monthly $20 Streaming Credit
Monthly $20 Cell Phone Credit
Monthly $15 Uber Eats Credit ($20 in December)
Bi-Annual $50 Saks Credit
$200 Airline Incidental Fee Credit
MUST READ: How to Use Amex Airline Credits Without Travel During Quarantine (2020)
After this terrific education, I quickly explained that I still couldn’t hold the card for $550 based on these. He also asked me if I would like to downgrade to a Gold Card- nope. So I point blank asked if there were any retention offers on my account and shockingly for the 3rd year in a row, he said I had nothing.
I have 3 platinum cards and have received no retention offers this year or last, so I am wondering whether my account is flagged or there’s some other metric causing me to get the crap end of the stick with Amex. Honestly, who knows. But it is definitely annoying when there are so many reports of Amex retention offers and concessions, some have reported 50k Membership Rewards Points with no spend!
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U97s6B3Hg_Q
Factors I considered to come to a decision
The above credits (including the ones I haven’t used) come out to $500 in value by the end of the year. Additionally, with the $200 airline credit and Saks renewing in January, I”ll be able to get $765 worth of value before downgrading the card to a green in January and then cancelling it outright when the annual fee hits next year.
Guide: Downgrade Options and Rules for Amex, Citi and Chase Reward Credit Cards
No Amex Retention Offer- Did I Keep the Platinum Card Open?
Yes, despite the failed amex platinum retention call I begrudgingly kept the card open. (Mostly because I still haven’t used my airline credit this year and I’ll get more value from the card if I max out the available credit through the end of the year.) If I downgrade in February, I should be able to recoup around $200 and get $765 in value. This would give me a net win of about $400. If the $40 monthly credits weren’t a factor I would have cancelled in a heartbeat. Now if I could just figure out why Amex retention hates me.
“Now if I could just figure out why Amex retention hates me.”
A question to consider is, from AMEX’s view, is your customer profile one they want to spend their dollars to keep?
High net worth, high spend on AMEX cards for example.
Or it may just be that right now they are less focused on retention.