Businessman and columnist Suhel Seth has criticised the customer service experience at Axis Bank. His remarks have triggered a wider conversation online about how the bank is handling customer complaints, especially after its acquisition of Citibank India's consumer business in 2023. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Seth directly called out the bank's CEO Amitabh Chaudhry.
“The worst CEO of any bank in India has to be that of Axis Bank: he doesn't believe in replying to customers: I hope the RBI takes some action against this miserable consumer behaviour,” he wrote.
The worst CEO of any bank in India has to be that of @AxisBank : he doesn't believe in replying to customers: I hope the @RBI takes some action against this miserable consumer behaviour..,
— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) April 5, 2026
Seth, in a follow-up post, criticised the shift from Citibank India to Axis.
“Citibank should have never sold its consumer business to Axis Bank: Axis is perhaps the worst when it comes to consumer care. And their CEO is equally terrible. How the bank has fallen: from the brilliant Pramit Jhaveri to the present CEO: a decline that could make for a movie.”
Citibank should have never sold its consumer business to @AxisBank : Axis is perhaps the worst when it comes to consumer care. And their CEO, equally terrible. How the bank has fallen: from the brilliant Pramit Jhaveri to the present CEO: a decline that could make for a movie.
— SUHEL SETH (@Suhelseth) April 6, 2026
Seth's remarks triggered a wave of responses from users, many of whom shared their own experiences. A user said, “Absolutely true. I have an NRI account with them. The relationship manager calls and behaves badly if he is asked any question. My complaint was fallen in deaf ears.”
Absolutely true. I have NRI account with them. Relationship manager calls and misbehave if he is asked any question. My complaint was fallen in deaf ears.
— Sanjib Bose (@Sanjib_B) April 6, 2026
Another added, “Couldn't agree more. The transition has been anything but smooth. Citi's gold standard for service seems to have vanished in the migration. It's a textbook case of how not to handle a brand merger.”
Couldn't agree more. The transition has been anything but smooth. Citi's gold standard for service seems to have vanished in the migration. It's a textbook case of how not to handle a brand merger.
— Nicklesh Pandey (@Nicklesh) April 6, 2026
"I have closed my relationship with Axis Bank. I had a Citibank IKEA card, which, when transferred to Axis Bank, I closed immediately. I found them very lethargic, lacking ethics, fraudulently charging, and then no one listens or acts for the customer. I don't even take loans from them,” a third user said.
I have closed my relationship with axis bank. I had Citibank ikea card which when transferred to axis bank, I closed immediately. I found them very lethargic, lacking ethics, fraudulently charging and then no one listens or acts for customer. I don't even take loans from them
— Straightalk (@sumitrmittal) April 6, 2026
The criticism comes in the backdrop of Axis Bank's acquisition of Citibank's India consumer business in 2023, a deal which was valued at Rs 11,603 crore. The transaction significantly expanded Axis Bank's retail presence and brought in a large customer base and assets across segments.
As part of the acquisition, Axis Bank took over a credit card portfolio comprising 1.8 million cardholders and 2.2 million cards. It also gained access to retail deposits worth Rs 39,900 crore, along with assets under management totalling Rs 94,700 crore across various Citi offerings such as Citigold Private, Citigold, Citi Priority and Citi Private Bank.
The deal further included net receivables of Rs 27,300 crore across products like credit cards, mortgages, personal loans, ready credit and small business loans, along with the integration of around 3,200 employees into Axis Bank's operations.
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