John Rolfe, Consumer Affairs Reporter - The Daily Telegraph

Mario and Nebia Gigliotti are having problems with the Commonwealth Bank.

YOU know those Commonwealth Bank posters that say, “We are determined to make you think wow that was a pretty un-bank like conversation with a person in a bank.” Nice sentiment. Pity about the reality.

Nebia Gigliotti’s husband Mario succumbed to lung cancer two months ago. She went to CBA Chester Hill to have accounts, including a credit card, moved into her name.

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But the bank would not let Mrs Gigliotti have a credit card.

The reasons given related to her having been a stay-at-home mum and that she was now on the aged pension. Never mind that Mr Gigliotti had been on the aged pension too.

Mrs Gigliotti found the staff member very abrupt. For example, the staff member said there was “already” $2000 owing on the card.

Two weeks ago CBA general manager of retail customer service Scott Henricks sent a form letter to Mrs Gigliotti, saying: “After careful consideration of your application, we are unable to offer you a credit card at this time as your application does not meet the criteria for acceptance in accordance with the bank’s policy.

“If your financial position changes in the future, we will be happy to reconsider your application.”

But the rejection only occurred because CBA mistakenly assumed Mrs Gigliotti was renting and that she had no history with the bank. Both assumptions were incorrect.

Charmaine Crowe of the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW said the bank needed to revisit its policy.

At about 4pm yesterday CBA did revisit its policy.

“Unfortunately an internal communication breakdown led to this customer incorrectly being declined ,” a CBA spokesman told me.

So if Mrs Gigliotti still wants a credit card she can now have one.

If Ralph Norris wants the $12 million bonus he’s tied to getting CBA to No. 1 in customer satisfaction by June this year, he and his team are going to have to do a whole lot better.