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The idea that people could get the boot for "abusing" customer-service lines is particularly dicey. After all, sometimes it's the company's fault that customers have to call help lines repeatedly; poorly performing products or inept customer service can make it tough to get an issue resolved.
Indeed, some ING Direct customers say their accounts were closed after they complained about errors in their accounts, although CEO Kuhlman insisted that the bank doesn't fire customers simply for having a problem. (Kuhlman previously admitted the bank had goofed by firing 5,300 of its depositors because of bad credit, an issue I covered in "When banks turn evil." The bank says those depositors' accounts have been restored.)
Finally, some profitability experts warn that databases and software have their limitations. Consumer behavior is often unpredictable, and once-unprofitable customers can start earning their keep -- if the company hasn't already kicked them out the door.
5 ways to cope
Here are some thoughts about how to deal with businesses looking for angel customers:- Concentrate your business. Loyalty has its rewards. Moving more accounts to a bank or brokerage can win you more-prompt attention and a break on fees. Frequent-traveler programs for airlines, hotels and rental cars can win you free upgrades and better service. Loyalty-card holders at groceries and other retailers typically win discounts.
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- Consider how much your privacy is worth. The more a company knows about you, the more it can market to you and the more revenue it may generate selling your information to others. Financial institutions are required to send you annual privacy notices that tell you how to opt out of information sharing. You may be able to thwart retailers' marketing machines, according to Beth Givens of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, by giving a generic name -- "Shopper," for instance -- or a phony telephone number or address. Then again, you may want to be notified of sales or special deals; it's up to you.
- Use low-cost alternatives first. I hate voice-mail hell as much as anyone else and love Web sites such as GetHuman.com that help you get straight through to an actual person. But one-on-one attention is expensive to provide. If you care about staying on a company's good side, try to resolve your problem first using its Web site, including any "frequently asked questions" and owner's manuals that may be posted there.
- Don't be a jerk. Yes, I know how hard it can be not to shriek abuse when you've been transferred 15 times to 15 increasingly unhelpful employees. But abusing the help isn't just bad karma; it's bad policy. As I explained in "How to complain and win," being civil but tenacious usually gets you further than being a jerk, especially when note-taking clerks can put you on the company's naughty list.
- If you don't like the return policy, shop somewhere else. The time to find out how a store treats its customers is before you buy, not after. Stores usually post the basics of their return policies, but you'll probably need to ask if they use Verify-1 or other technology to track customers' return patterns. If you don't like what you hear, go elsewhere.
- Do an end run around the store. Web sites such as FatWallet.com and Slickdeals.net can keep you apprised of great deals, even if you've been trimmed from a retailer's mailing list.
Columns by Liz Pulliam Weston, the Web's most-read personal finance writer, appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions on the Your Money message board.
Updated July 19, 2007
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