Credit Information

Credit Card Rates - Negotiating Rates with Your Credit Card Company


Ok, let's face it, everybody hates high credit card rates, and they drain hard earned money out of your wallet. As a valued consumer, it is apparent that you learn how to negotiate to get the absolute best rate that you possibly can. The good news however is that it doesn't have to be a difficult or time-consuming process. In fact, it can be very easy indeed if you know what you're doing. In this article we will discuss the ins and outs of credit card negotiating to ensure that you get the best possible rate with the least amount of effort.

1. First and foremost, you should figure out if you even want to continue using your current credit card company. Are you pleased with the overall service that you are receiving? Do you like their benefits? If the answer is yes then you can proceed. If not, you should stop reading this article and start looking for a better company.

2. Second, you should evaluate your paying history and make sure that it is positive before you call to negotiate. If it is positive then you have power and if it isn't then you'll be negotiating from a position of weakness and that might not be good. Instead, you should wait until it is more positive before you call them to negotiate rates.

3. Third, if you have a good history then remember this when you call. In essence, you'll have extremely high negotiating power. The company needs your business in order to be successful and with clients they lose big time. Therefore, you should always display this "take them or leave them attitude" while conducting your negotiations.

4. Draft up a script and memorize it. It can be as simple as "Hello, my name is Bill and I have been a cardholder for X years and I consistently pay my bills on a time. Well recently I have been receiving all types of credit card offers from XYZ bank indicating that I qualify for an extremely low interest rate of X and am considering leaving you and going there if you can't offer me a lower rate. Is this something that you can help me with?

5. Practice, practice and practice some more with your script until you are completely and totally used to it. Once you are, contact the company. Read your script and see what happens.

6. If you get a hard nose customer service representative then don't threaten her. Be agreeable and ask to speak to his/her supervisor. If that is not possible, be nice to her and try again she may have some leeway. If you like your present company, you can even try negotiating interest rates, annual and even those yucky late fees.

7. However, if you're fed up, have an alternative company in the wings, and your current company won't budge with their rates then be willing to take your business elsewhere. After all, you hold the power so don't be afraid to use it! They key however is to not bluff but to follow through with your threat. Close the account, ask for them to send you notification in the mail, cancel the credit card and use another card.

Summary

You can be successful with the negotiating process if you follow the above mentioned tips. If your current company is unwilling to cooperate then you should simply take your business elsewhere. You're better off with another credit card company that values your savvy negotiating skills!

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of the http://www.the-credit-card-centre.co.uk where you will find further advice and tips on the best credit card deals, balance transfers and 0% credit cards.

  


MORE RESOURCES:

TIME

Best Credit Cards for High School, College Graduates
Fox Business
Contrary to popular belief, young adults can still open credit card accounts in the post-CARD Act environment--although they might need some help. In order to garner approval, applicants must have either a co-signer or sufficient independent disposable ...
What's a Good First Credit Card to Build My Credit Score?U.S. News & World Report
The Top 5 Flexible Travel Rewards Credit CardsTIME
Americans want to use credit card rewards in summer plansDebtmerica Relief

all 9 news articles »


Credit Repair Services in the US Industry Market Research Report Now Available ...
Seattle Post Intelligencer
Most industries in the United States went down with the ship during the recession, but the Credit Repair Services industry was not one of them. As consumers credit scores dropped in the face of late payments due to unemployment and reduced income, ...

and more »


Credit Agricole SA Group selects Orchestra Networks' Master Data Management ...
MarketWatch (press release)
BOSTON & PARIS, May 24, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Orchestra Networks(TM), the Master Data Management (MDM) software vendor, today announced that Credit Agricole SA Group selected its EBX5 solution to manage its master data. Orchestra Networks is one of ...

and more »


Euroclear taps Credit Agricole for new chairman
Reuters
By Luke Jeffs | LONDON May 24 (Reuters) - Euroclear named Marc Antoine Autheman, a former Credit Agricole banker, to replace Sir Nigel Wicks as chairman in January as the settlement firm gears up for reforms to promote competition in the sector for the ...

and more »


AM Best Downgrades Issuer Credit Rating and Affirms Financial Strength Rating ...
MarketWatch (press release)
OLDWICK, NJ, May 24, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- AM Best Co. has downgraded the issuer credit rating (ICR) to "a" from "a+" and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of West Bend Mutual Insurance Company (West Bend) (West Bend, WI).
A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Ratings of Atain Specialty Insurance Company ...Insurance News Net (press release)

all 39 news articles »


Credit Today

FICO Reports UK Credit Card Delinquencies Have Fallen to Two-Year Low
MarketWatch (press release)
For so-called "classic" (non-premium) credit cards, less than 5 percent of the balances on all cards were 30 days delinquent in March, which represents a two-year low. In February and March, the percentages of accounts that were 30 days delinquent also ...
Credit card delinquencies hit two-year lowCredit Today

all 7 news articles »


Rockland NY Credit Union Appoints COO
MarketWatch (press release)
PEARL RIVER, NY, May 24, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Palisades Federal Credit Union, the largest Rockland County based Credit Union, has named Anthony Kurdziel Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Member Services.

and more »


S&P cuts MEMC credit rating on weak solar market
Reuters
May 24 (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's Rating Services downgraded silicon wafer maker MEMC Electronic Materials Inc's credit rating two notches to B+, citing continued weakness in the solar power sector. The company, which is in the middle of a ...
MEMC Falls After S&P Cuts Credit Rating Two LevelsBloomberg
S&P cuts ratings for MEMC Electronic to "B+"MSN Money

all 14 news articles »


San Francisco Bay Area Today (press release)

Winners and Losers 3 Years After Credit CARD Act
Fox Business
By Connie Prater In the three years since President Obama signed landmark credit card reforms into law, are consumers or banks better or worse off? Banking industry representatives had warned before the credit card regulations were signed into law May ...
Medical Costs Contribute to Credit Card DebtNew York Times (blog)
Medical Costs Pushing Americans Into Credit Card Debt: SurveyHuffington Post
One year after credit card reform: How protected are we?WSLS
Condé Nast Traveler -ConsumerReports.org -San Francisco Bay Area Today (press release)
all 10 news articles »


USA TODAY

Credit Swaps Rise in U.S. as Greece Euro-Exit Concerns Increase
Bloomberg
A gauge of corporate credit risk in the US declined as European leaders met in Brussels to discuss ways to stem the region's debt crisis. The Markit CDX North America Investment Grade Index, a credit-default swaps benchmark that investors use to hedge ...
Ford credit rating boost: 'The Blue Oval is back'USA TODAY
How Ford's Credit Upgrade Helps ShareholdersTheStreet.com
Ford Credit Rating Upgrade Returns Blue Oval LogoHuffington Post
Detroit Free Press -Fox Business -The Independent
all 85 news articles »

Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.