(You can read part 1 on knowing your customer here.)
I recently called the 1-800 number on my American Express card to inform them I’d be traveling out of the country. I wanted to be sure that overseas charges wouldn’t be flagged as suspicious. I depend on this credit card and didn’t want the company to think my credit card number had been stolen.
To my surprise, they delivered some good news – I never have to call and tell them when I’m traveling. They told me they know their customers may travel out of country and they are always monitoring card use. They went on to say that they will make sure there are no issues anywhere and anytime I travel.
When you think of Amex, it makes sense to assume their customers are travelers – for business or personal reasons. This is a reasonable assumption since their customers pay an annual fee to have the card and thus may be more likely to afford travel. (My Amex card is actually fee-free because I’m a Costco member – I love Costco!) This tells me that Amex really knows their customers and what would make their lives easier. Eliminating the need for customers to call in to notify Amex about travel plans is a nice time saver.
I’m a BIG proponent of the strategy: “Make your customer’s life easier.” When a company thinks from that perspective, they can make smarter investments that earn customer loyalty.
Here’s an interesting related statistic from a recent Oracle report – 82% of people describe [customer] experiences as taking too much effort. HELLO!! Talk about an opportunity for your company to stand out and earn more customer love.
Wouldn’t you love a company that made your life easier? I would. “Make customers’ lives easier” is a great mantra to use when considering every aspect of your business operations.
