Mary moved to a new branch office on University Ave. Mary was my customer service super hero where I do my business banking. I am a speaker, writer and a mirror. I’m celebrating over 10 years in business. Mary has been such an inspiration over the years that when I spoke to the Chamber of Commerce on “Customer Loyalty vs. Customer Satisfaction” I told the group of over 50 business leaders how she has set an example. I spoke of her by name and told them that she is a big reason why I stay with this bank. She not only has learned my name, but recognizes my wife and my son Nick by name too.

I usually make deposits with Nick after I pick him up from his private school. She always greets us with warmth and a smile. Even the time she was sick. She is consistently and genuinely happy to see us. We talk about everything while we get the deposit done. She interacts with Nick and remembers when he was a baby. They have rapport with each other. She is delighted with the things he tells her and shows her. Mary has a fish on her computer. I know that it’s from the “FISH!” Charthouse Learning program because I conduct the same program for customers and we have the same fish. Nick frequently tells me he wants me to bring our fish so we can show her. She remembers that I like to get a copy of my deposit so that I can keep my records straight. I balance my account to the penny and have never had an over draft. The other tellers used to tell me that I couldn’t get copies at the drive through window, but when Mary came along, the bank apparently changed its policy.

Until yesterday I’ve been pretty satisfied with my bank. But the new teller told me that she couldn’t make copies for me because they shut off the copier. So, I was slightly inconvenienced by having to write down the bank information off the checks I was about to deposit. You know, the name of my customer’s bank, check numbers, etc. But while I was distracted with that, Nick, who is usually fully engaged talking with Mary, was now screwing around with the car windows which he is not supposed to play with. I asked her when they shut off the copier so that I would know for future reference. She said, “5 minutes to six. We close at six.”

I got to thinking. It’s the little things that add up. Just like compounding interest. Then I thought about how the commercial lender at the other branch office, the one who set up my account in the first place, recently underestimated the cost of a stop payment by $5.00. My wife said he was just being lazy. When I questioned him on it, he sent me an e-mail saying that the bank had just changed the rate and he was sorry. “Paul, I'm sorry. As I mentioned, the pricing recently changed. I must have inadvertently told you the former amount. I'm sorry that happened.” But the “relationship banker” at the branch said it’s been $25.00 for four years. My “guy” didn’t respond when I brought this to his attention. Now I am sorry, because I already dealt with the party who lost my check and both of his and her inadvertences cost me $5.00. He knows this person but I didn’t mention her name because I didn’t want to slight her reputation about such a small matter.

I’m thinking about a quote I recently read by Vince Lombardi Jr., “Emotional maturity is a preface for a sense of values. The immature person exaggerates what is not important.” I suppose the banker could say I’m exaggerating what is not important. But he doesn’t know that at another branch at the same bank the commercial lender who knows me personally had lunch with me one time. I asked him for his ideas on how I could grow my business. Instead, he talked about himself the whole time and then visited with people he knew at the restaurant. I believe I paid for lunch that day and I got an education but it wasn’t about my business. I never complained. But when I see him from time to time, he greets me with a disinterested “What’s up Paul?” in a tone that says to me “I’m pretty busy, you’re interrupting me.”

Reflecting on how little things add up has been a real eye-opener for me. I came home to my wife and was very excited to tell her that I am now looking for a new relationship with a banker that fits me. What I’m looking for is a great banker that takes an interest in me and my business. I want to grow. I want a banker that will make deposits too, not just withdrawals. I plan to give my current bank half a chance first. After all, that’s what they’re giving me and I’m a mirror.

©2005 Paul Esch. All Rights Reserved. Paul Esch is President of Breakthrough Business Success, Inc. He works with business owners to improve sales, marketing and management systems. Call him at 651-501-7979 or go to: www.breakthroughbusiness.net