Closing Accounts for Cookies

I was a little nervous as I walked through the doors of my Bank of America branch this morning. I was sure they could tell why I was there. I needed to close my two business accounts, and my downward-cast eyes were a tell-tale sign that I was hoping for a quick and impersonal transaction.

I quickly realized that would not be the case when I got to the teller, and he informed me that I would have to sign in over at the white clipboard and someone would be with me in a moment.

When I told the nice young associate of my intentions, she made a pouty, sad face and asked me why – and if something was wrong. I told her that I didn’t keep huge balances and was tired of paying monthly fees. (The other reason, which I did not share with her, was that I was very excited about using a community bank, with local ownership keeping my money churning in the local economy. I also like that they bring me cookies.)

She then told me that with minor adjustments to how I use the account, the fees could have been waived. Again, that is not the only reason I moved, but it sure could have saved me some money over the years.

Why didn’t I know that? They should have done a better job telling me about ways to use my accounts more efficiently. Are there ways for your customers to save money by making minor adjustments to how they interact with you?

I realize that you may lose a little income at first, but what a tiny investment that will prove to be when they stay with you for years and tell others about how well you treat them. We should always be more interested in relationships than squeezing a few extra cents from each customer.

And that you can bank on.