On a recent Saturday afternoon, I received an unexpected call from American Express, notifying me of a past due account, a demand of payment on the spot, and a freeze they had put on my other AMEX accounts. Because I’d had this card since 1984, and had never missed a payment, you can imagine my shock (and anger) at getting this call, two days after payment was due.

After going round-and-round with the first operator, I asked to speak to a supervisor. Twenty minutes later, an “account manager” came on the phone; it was clear that he didn’t give a rip about me, my concerns, or my 24-year history with American Express. “If someone with an account with you for 24 years gets treated like this,” I said, “I can’t even imagine how you treat the guy who’s been with you a year.”

Silence.

Then he started up. Telling me how many million card holders American Express had, and how they weren’t required to even call me, but instead COULD HAVE let this go even more delinquent and trash my credit. “Instead of telling me how much worse it could have been,” I said, “how about telling me how much better customer service you could have shown me?”

Silence.

There is no “happy ending” to this story -

But jumping a few days . . . I took my car to a new mechanic who had come highly recommended through word-of-mouth. Not only did he do excellent work at a reasonable price, when I paid he said “Thank you, I really appreciate your business.”

Two days later, I got a postcard from his wife, again thanking me for my business, and reminding me that anytime I needed car work, they’d be happy to assist. They also let me know that they specialize in restoring old cars.

AMEX … the car guy. Hmm … any guesses who’ll continue to get my business? Good customer service –whether online or brick and mortar–only takes a few minutes.

What Are 3 Simple Things You Can Do to Keep Loyal Customers?

1. Like the car mechanic’s wife, send a thank you note or postcard. What’s it going to cost you? A buck at most? Getting a handwritten postcard in this Internet era is almost like the “may we wash your windows” gas station service back in the day. Few do it … and yet taking that extra minute will bring you a loyal client for years to come.

2. Keep in touch–and I don’t mean continuous autoresponder letters to sell something. A real estate agent I know sends a monthly newsletter – not about which property you should buy from her, but tips for things like weatherproofing your windows, or how your house can have better curb appeal. When I’m ready to buy or sell a house, who do you think is going to get my call?

3. Go the extra mile. If you know that an extra 5 or 10 minutes of your time will make a real difference with your client’s success, why not Just Do It! The personal time you give to someone who needs your help will mean more than all the products in the world.

What Next, Marketer?
Go forth and make a customer happy!

Nancy Hendrickson, The Web 2.0 Writing Strategist, helps entrepreneurs grow their business to its fullest potential. If you’re ready to flip your success switch, visit Nancy at http://www.nancyhendrickson.com

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