I woke up yesterday to find a Fraud Alert text from American Express. When I called them, I learned that someone had tried to use my card to buy a $25 Starbucks eGift card. I think about the systems AMEX must have to flag such a minor purchase, especially at the holidays, when everyone is buying things outside their norm.
Not only did American Express deny the charge and alert me, but of course, they are issuing a new card. When I groaned at the prospect of changing my number in so many places where it is linked, plus the inconvenience of being without a card while I waited for a new one, the agent assured me that I need not be concerned. They were overnighting me a new card; they would automatically link my new card to all the places that I had recurring payments; I could use my current card for all physical transactions until the new card arrived, and they instantly linked the new number to my Apple Pay so I could use that for any online transactions today. Except for that initial phone call, I had to do nothing.
Two lessons as takeaways: 1) Create systems that catch minor issues before they become a major disruption, and 2) Develop processes that resolve any problems in the most seamless way possible. AMEX showed that doing these two things can make a bad situation a win-win for both the company and the customer.
