Martyn... said:
Declining of transactions, especially when one was a company I have used several times with no issue, following a decline to the self same company 12 months ago.
Their refusal to resolve the issue, meaning me making a telephone call to France.
A personal decline for an expensive transaction in a jewellers that I had rang and advised them I would be making.
I find being declined embarrassing, it gives the impression that I do not have the funds to cover the cost of the goods, especially in a face to face situation, absolutely no need for it.
I use my card quite heavily, however the balance is cleared promptly every month.
Now I understand you frustrations, first to a couple of technical points on almost add cards the is a security measure called a velocity counter, basically if you make a set number of transactions in a 24 hour window the card will decline further transactions, good CS will contact the customer but with the best will in the world this is not always possible, but is easily cleared with a quick call, additionally transactions especially CNP transactions can fail because of a number of factors and a good 60-70% of the time the merchant was at fault in my experience.
But that said the bank is the service provider and as such should get this sorted for you, it is unreasonable to expect you card to work all of the time as often issues are out of the control of the bank, if you have not done so I would suggest raising a complaint with them and asking the complaint policy, at the organisation I was with the policy was this:
first 48 hours was customer feedback stage, we would try and resolve all issues in this period.
Second, stage 1 this would be a 28 day period where a complaints specialist will investigate the issue and attempt to resolve it
Third, stage 2 the would a further 28 days where a senior complaints handler would try and resolved the complaint.
At the end of this process if you are still unsatisfied you can escalate you complaint to the FOS financial ombudsman service you cannot go to the FOS until you have completed the company complaint policy.
This situations you have mentioned should not go to the FOS as they will not rule in you favour that I will guarantee but the bank will not want it to get to the FOS because of the fees that are involved mainly the flat £450 fee that the bank has to pay the FOS but our organisation but the figure after all the work we had to do in dealing with a complaint that ended at the ombudsman at £1700 before any award to the customer
So in summery be reasonable and it should work out in you favour trust me.
