A couple of years ago, I switched to Charles Schwab for my checking account, and later moved some investment accounts over too. Back then, I remember being delighted that every time I called, they picked up in two rings. Such a different experience from every bank before it.
I called again recently, after a gap of well over a year. Two rings. Same as always.
It’s hard to express how much that delighted me. Perhaps it is made worse by the fact that I had to make a few such customer service calls in the meantime, and always end up blocking a minimum of 30 minutes to get through to a person.
Regardless, I’d recommend Schwab to anyone without hesitation. It’s not even close.
And I think it comes down to this: customer experience isn’t separate from the product. Done well, it is the product.
A Learning a Day 