It's The Little Things

It’s The Little Things

My credit card expires at the end of this month, so Citibank just sent me a new one.  I’d guess that about 50 web sites, maybe 75, have my credit card on file and know that it’s about to expire.  Only two of them — that’s right, only two — Typepad (my blogging software from company Six Apart) and Mobil Speedpass sent me reminders to come back and update my account.  And at that, Mobil sent its reminder via snail mail.  Typepad’s was an easy one-click right to my account’s profile page on the web site.

How is it that only one or two companies got it right?  This is one of those little opportunities to remind customers that you are thinking about them and their needs. 

As for the others, I guess they’re just going to reject some upcoming transaction or auto-bill.  I guarantee you that at least one of them will screw me as a result (my money is on someone in the telco world).  For all the other companies with whom I transact online or via Mastercard, I am now scouring my last few months worth of Citibank bills and then going web site by web site, updating my card’s expiration date.  Reminds me of the days before we launched ECOA where you had to go update your email address one web site at a time…