I opened my account with First Tennessee around ten years ago. When I opened it, I was automatically presented with the Visa card as part of my account. I use my card all of the time. I like the benefits that go along with the card and the fees are very reasonable. I like to use my card instead of checks because the money come out instantly and I always know my balance. Once, my card was stolen. As soon as I called the customer service, my account was immediately suspended and no further charges were able to be made by the thief. The charges were waived and a new card was issued with just a few days. The customer service has always been great and able to help and correctly answer any questions that I have had. I have found the First Tennessee card to be completely easy and hassle free. This is my most favorite card to use that I have and I will continue to use in the future.

ghobbs1

USA

I have used many different credit cards, both for business and for personal use and I am always looking for better deals, balance transfer offers, and other incentives that will save me money on interest and fees. One credit card I have used in the recent past is the **First Tennessee Visa**, a standard credit card account with a no- frills approach. **Credit Card Commentary:** First Tennessee is a bank I have been using for business purposes for about nineteen months and it is a bank I have grown to respect. I use this bank for many services like checking, savings, and credit cards. My experiences have generally been good and I have resolved what few problems have occurred. The standard credit cards offered by First Tennessee are among the most basic, no frills credit cards I have ever owned. There are no incentive points, magazine offers, or any other special deals with First Tennessee standard cards. They are nothing more than a means to obtain credit for making purchases or for getting cash advances. This fact, depending on what you want in a credit card, can be both good and bad. On the positive side, there are many things to like about First Tennessee credit cards and first among them is the fact that First Tennessee doesn't charge any interest if your balance is paid in full each month. With many other credit cards, interest is computed on the average daily balance from the moment a purchase is made, which means there is no grace period at all. Customers who wish to avoid interest with the "no grace period" credit cards have to pay on- line as quickly as possible after a purchase is made to minimize interest. This isn't necessary with First Tennessee. A person can pay off the balances a few weeks after making a purchase without incurring any interest. If a balance isn't paid in full, then it is subject to interest using the average daily balance method. Also, there is no harsh interest rate penalty if payments are not made on time. There is a late payment fee, but at least the interest remains constant. With other credit cards, the interest rate can jump ten or fifteen points if the payment isn't made on time. There is no annual fee with First Tennessee either, making it a good credit card for people who like to pay their balances as quickly as possible and who try to avoid credit card fees of any kind. Balance transfer deals are very good with First Tennessee because there is no fee to pay up front. Granted, the introductory period is shorter than with some cards (it's only six months long, not twelve) but there is no fee to pay. Other credit cards will charge you two or three percent of your balance if a transfer is made, diminishing the attractiveness of the deal. Customer service is generally good with First Tennessee and it is very nice to have 24/7 coverage. But I have had some issues with the service that deserve mentioning. One is the ongoing problem of not getting the statement mailed to me in a timely manner. The customer service department at First Tennessee cannot seem to figure it out, but the monthly invoice often doesn't arrive at all or it arrives very close to the due date- sometimes two weeks after it was mailed. This is an important concern for many reasons, but the customer service department at First Tennessee cannot figure out the problem or resolve it. The address on the account is correct, but yet it still takes a very long time to show up, if it shows up at all. I have suggested to the customer service people some things that they could do in an attempt to figure out why this happens. But it bothers me that I even have to mention things to do. They are the customer service department. They should be able to figure this out. I shouldn't have to make suggestions on what to do. On those months when I don't get the statement, I often have to rely on the internet site to view transactions. What I have found is that the on- line features are not always useful. The display shows you transactions for the current month and up to five months back (six months total) but the detail isn't very good. Sometimes, the descriptions of the transactions leave you wondering what a specific purchase was for. But there is no way to track this on- line because there is no phone number given or anything else that would help customers resolve the problem themselves. When this happens, I have to call the support line to figure it out. **Bottom Line:** Overall, First Tennessee standard credit cards are good cards that give you the credit you need to make the purchases you want for a reasonable interest rate, good grace period, and with low fees. You won't gain incentive points with this card and you won't have any additional insurance protection. The customer service is easily accessible but not always the most competent. Thus, adding everything together, First Tennessee credit cards earn a C+ to B- grade overall. They are good for general purchasing but there few if any extras, making them useful for some people but not for others. They are one of the simplest credit cards I have ever used.

Bryan-Carey

Houston, TX