The GCash Horror Experience

 What do you do when you suddenly don't have access to your money in your e-wallet?

Call customer service? Check online if there are downtime issues? Scroll social media for posts about the same issue you're having?

Did all that. Let me tell you about the horror, the stress, and the frustration I had to go through with this FinTech company, GCash.

November 21st at around 9 a.m. I did a money transfer from PayPal to GCash. It did not automatically show up in my balance and I did not worry at that time, thinking there was just a processing delay (which happens sometimes). However, at around noon time, I checked my GCash balance and the money still wasn't there. That is when I started to worry. I logged in to my PayPal account to check if there was any issue with the transfer. It showed up as 'Transaction Completed" with the amount transferred, the transaction number and recipient name, G-Exchange (or GCash).

I tried to call GCash's customer service number. I stayed on the line for 42 minutes waiting for someone to pick up the call. I gave up after a one hour wait. (Yes, I am that patient but extremely frustrated with GCash).

I tried another route to contact them. I checked the app to look for an alternative way to report the issue. So there I was, trying to figure out how to submit a ticket, however, there was no option to choose PayPal as the originating source of funds. Now I am angry.

Picked up the phone and tried calling again. I was lucky this time. I only waited 26 minutes before an agent picked up. She asked me about the details of my concern and said she will be creating a ticket for me and that I will need to wait 24-48 hours for the issue to be resolved. She told me to check the GCash app to view the ticket number and to check for updates on the case.

6 hours passed. I kept checking the app. No ticket created. It was at this time that I checked social media. I wanted to know that mine was just an isolated case. Whoops. Nope. There were hundreds, if not thousands that had the same issue. It was not only PayPal to GCash, but all transactions that used GCash - bank transfers, e-Wallet cash-ins, QR payments, ATM withdrawals. I joined online forums/groups to monitor if there were others whose issue has been resolved.

I was already upset at this time. It was my week's salary that I could not withdraw. Bills will be due soon and I don't know what to do. I had no other option but to call customer service again. I was already expecting another long wait time for an agent but "fortunately," someone answered after 15 minutes. This agent helped me create a ticket. Oh boy. I guess I was lucky this time. 

24 hours passed. Nothing is happening. My ticket was just sitting there in the app, no follow through, no updates. I typed a reply on the app and asked for updates. I received an email asking me to furnish them with documentation regarding the transfer. I immediately sent them everything I had - Screenshot from PayPal showing the transaction number and that the transfer was complete and received by G-Exchange. I provided a copy of my GCash transaction history showing "No Transactions" on the date when I was supposed to receive the money from PayPal.

An update was sent through the app, informing me that my issue is now under review and that I should wait 24 hours for an update.

This went on and on for the next 4 days. Calling customer service, following up on the ticket through text messages and email. The promise of a 24-48 hour window of resolution has turned into 96 hours! 96 hours with no access to my money!

On the 5th day, I called again. Three times. 

The first agent said that my ticket has been forwarded to the "proper department." When I asked what department that was, his reply was "I cannot provide that information because it will be against privacy policy." I screamed at the agent. Couldn't contain my anger anymore.

Called again after 3 hours. Now this second agent I spoke with said, "I apologize but according to our system, there is no transaction record about your transfer from PayPal to GCash." Now I lost it. Totally. "Whaaaaattt??!!! So where is my money then? It has left PayPal, and your company received it, but now you are saying that there is no transaction record? And that you don't have it? I provided you proof- screenshot and all, and now you are telling me this c**p??? The last agent said that my ticket has been forwarded to that d*mn proper department. Now you're telling me that there is no record in your system???!!! 

Really, really angry now. So angry that I was crying out of sheer frustration.

Third call. Third agent said, "We are currently working to resolve your issue. Let me create a new ticket for you." Another ticket? What happened to the first one? 120 hours and still no access to my money. This is getting to be so out of hand. I even had thoughts of burning down their office (if I knew where it was - they don't publish an office address online). Anyway, after several minutes of arguing with this third agent who I think has comprehension issues, I asked her to transfer me to her supervisor. Someone who could talk sense. Guess what she did? SHE DROPPED THE CALL. SHE HUNG UP ON ME. 

6th day. 144 hours. I got a message on the app about my ticket. It said that I should wait 24 hours for the funds to be credited to my GCash account. Relief. 

7th day. 168 hours. Checked my GCash app. Nothing there. So I messaged. Their response: "We have already confirmed that NO FUNDS WERE CREDITED TO YOUR GCASH WALLET from your PayPal cash-in. We highly recommend that you coordinate with your back directly for the reversal of your funds."

Now I am enraged. Just yesterday, they said I would be receiving the funds in my GCash wallet. Today, they said otherwise. I called. This time I waited more than an hour for an agent to pick up. I gave up. My bills for utilities are due tomorrow. I needed money. NOW. Looked around for loan sharks. Got one. One problem solved. But GCash still has my money. AND THEY HAVE TO PAY UP. 

On the morning of the 8th day, 192 hours from the start of a nightmare, a miracle happened. I got my money back! You cannot imagine the relief I felt. One week of high level stress, frustration and anger finally put to an end.

But it doesn't stop there. 

Here are my suggestions on how this FinTech company called GCash can improve their services:

1. Once there is a known transaction issue (multiple calls from customers and several tickets created on the app), PLEASE DISABLE THE APP so that there will be no more customers that would be affected.

2. If there is a known issue, PLEASE PROVIDE A WARNING on the landing page of the app. When I encountered this issue, the GCash app was still running and the money transfer buttons were still clickable. In addition, their landing page showed all sorts of promotions for concert ticket sales and the likes.

3. Corporate SHOULD COORDINATE with their BPO counterparts. LET THEM KNOW what is going on and provide them with the proper responses if and when a customer calls in with a known issue. I have worked in the BPO industry for a little over a decade. I am aware that agents' access to the system is very limited, however, there must be a way to cascade resolution procedures from Corporate to BPO. Canned responses are not acceptable to irate customers needing their money. 

4. Take care of your customers. I know that GCash is widely used because of the convenience they provide regarding money transfers. However, the company should be made aware that currently, there are other FinTech companies offering the same service, namely Maya, SeaBank, GoTyme, Cebuana.

I pray that I will never encounter this issue again. 

In the meantime, I will be very cautious in using this app again. There are others that seem more stable. I might as well be using my Maya more often from now on.