Calling The Chase Reconsideration Line – My Experience

Calling The Chase Reconsideration Line – My Experience

Well, it finally happened. It was the first time I had to call the Chase reconsideration line to talk to an actual real human customer service representative.

Let me explain.

If you recall from a previous post, I’m trying to earn the Southwest companion pass for 2020 through the end of 2021. To do that, I applied for the Chase Southwest Performance business card (referral link) and will later apply for a Southwest personal card. Meeting the minimum spending requirements for the sign up bonuses in January will give me 126,000+ points in the 2020 calendar year — enough to earn the companion pass.

Immediately after submitting my application, I received the following email:

Some people are approved immediately after they submit an application for a credit card. That hasn’t happened to me for a long time. The primary reason for this is because I’ve opened so many credit cards in the past five years. This prompts the credit card issuers to take a closer look at my application.

Once they see my high income, clean credit report, and my impeccable payment history, I am usually approved in a week or two. So far, I’ve had a 100% success rate.

Calling Chase Automated Status Line

My usual protocol after I apply for a credit card is to call the Chase automated status line. I usually do this a few days after submitting the application. Luckily, I always get the automated response: “Thank you for your application, we will let you know of our decision within 2 weeks.” This means there’s a 99% chance of being approved. Hooray!

But this time was different.

When I called the number, I got the dreaded “We will let you know in 7-10 business days of our decision”. This is not good. It’s the first time I have ever received this message.

Getting this message generally means you are not approved

Initially, I had no idea why I received this “7-10 business days” message. Why this time? Did Chase see that I already have five business cards with them and decide to deny me because I have too many cards?

And Then It Hit Me

Suddenly, I realized what had happened.

I forgot to unfreeze my credit reports with the credit bureaus!

[Palm to face while shaking head]

Since I put a freeze on my credit report, Chase was unable to access my credit report. Thus they can’t evaluate my credit worthiness and approve my application.

Shortly after realizing this debacle, I quickly went online to unfreeze all of my credit reports.

At this point, I knew that I would have to talk to an actual human customer service representative from Chase. I needed to explain that my application was likely denied or placed on hold due to my credit reports being frozen at the time I submitted the application.

Making the phone call could be a challenge. The creator of this flowchart jokingly suggests that you drink some beer or wine beforehand. The folks in the business card reconsideration department are known to ask some pretty tough questions.

However, I wasn’t overly concerned. After all, I sorta have a legitimate business.

Calling The Chase Reconsideration Line

After taking a deep breath, I called the Chase Reconsideration Line phone number.

I proceeded to follow the teleprompter for “speaking to a representative” and I was immediately transferred to a customer service representative (CSR) from the card member services department.

Here’s how the dialogue played out.

CSR: “Hi, my name is _____. How may I help you?”

Me: [in a pleasant and friendly tone] “Hi _____, I’m calling about the status of my credit card application.”

CSR: “Okay, please provide me your social security number so I can look you up.”

Me: “Sure, my social security number is… [insert real SSN]”

CSR: “Oh, I see that you applied for the Southwest Business Performance card. Your credit was frozen and we could not access it.”

Me: “Yes, I realized that a few days after submitting my application. But I just unfroze all of my credit reports. Chase should now be able to access it. Perhaps now Chase can run a credit check and hopefully approve my application.”

CSR: “Okay. Let me transfer you to a representative in the lending department who might be able to help you.”

The CSR from the lending department was just as friendly as the first one. She simply asked me a few questions to verify my identity. She asked me for my full name, social security number, address, and mother’s maiden name.

Questions About My Business

Once my identity was verified, she went over my application and started asking me questions about my business.

Luckily, I have a legitimate business and I remembered most details that I had written on my application. When answering questions, I tried to respond directly without giving additional unnecessary information. At the same time, I also wanted to sound friendly and pleasant, yet confident.

Here’s how our conversation went.

CSR: “I see that you have several business cards with us and they have zero balance. Do you even use these cards?

Me: “Yes, I have multiple Chase business cards. They are very rewarding in earning points for my various business expenses. I use the cards very often. The only reason why they all have zero balance is because I pay off my entire credit card balances weekly.”

CSR: “Okay. Since you have so many Chase business cards already, why do you want the Southwest Business Performance card?”

Me: “I am interested in the Southwest card because I plan to do quite a bit of work-related travel. I am an anesthesiologist. And in 2020, there are anesthesia conferences in Hawaii and Washington D.C. Southwest flies to both of these locations. Therefore, I plan to use this card frequently for my planned flights on Southwest.”

CSR: “Very well. How long have you had your business?”

Me: “For about 6 years.” (I completed residency and fellowship 6 years ago.)

CSR: “What was your revenue in 2017? How about in 2018? And what is your projected revenue for 2019?”

Me: (I proceeded to answer these questions truthfully.)

CSR: “What was your net income for 2017 and 2018? And what do you project for 2019?”

Me: (Again, I answered this question truthfully. Honesty is the best policy.)

Approved!

After running my credit report and asking the above questions, the customer service representative informed me over the phone that I was approved. Yay!!!

Even though I was approved, the representative said that I had too much credit among all six of my Chase business cards. She then asked if I was willing to move credit from one or two of my other business cards. I said yes.

She proceeded to move around my credit and I was approved for the Southwest Business Performance card with a credit limit of $10,000.

SUCCESS!

 

Takeaway Points

• It’s generally a good idea to put a freeze on your credit reports. This adds an extra layer of security protecting you from credit card identity theft
• If you do freeze your credit reports, don’t forget to unfreeze them BEFORE you apply for credit cards or any other credit. Don’t forget like I did. Otherwise, you may have to call the reconsideration line.
• Calling the Chase Reconsideration Line and taking to the human customer service representatives isn’t as bad as I thought. However, your miles may vary. Maybe I had two very nice representatives. It also helps to have a legitimate business. And be sure to remember all the information that you had written in the credit card application. The representative is certainly going to ask you about it!
• Be calm, confident, kind, friendly, and pleasant when speaking to customer service representatives. By doing this, you are more likely to get approved. In fact, if you speak this way with everyone, you are more likely going to to get what you want. 🙂
• It’s almost been a month (~30 days) since I applied for the Chase Southwest Business performance card. Pretty soon it is time to apply for a Chase Southwest personal card (referral link) so that I can easily earn the companion pass. Only this time I won’t forget to unfreeze my credit reports before applying!

Featured image sourced from Pexels.

Have you called the Chase Reconsideration Line and talked to a customer service representative? If so, what was your experience?