> You’re assuming that they HAVE made a mistake.

Driving customers away is usually a mistake :-)

> Expiring unused accounts doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.
> If you’re only logging in every couple of months, you’re hardly
> an average user and in no position to dictate their policy.

Exactly the kind of non-business-oriented response you’d expect of the people who created this mess in the first place — frequency of login correlates to the revenue generated by a given customer? I’d bet not.

But George, your point about closing the door to customer feedback is well made, and unfortunately all too common.

I’m not /assuming/ they’ve made a mistake. I’m deducing it. My logic goes something like this:

The company is in business to make a profit.

The company is in the business of providing credit card services and their profit comes from that.

The websites for credit card statements and for bonuses used to entice customers to use their credit card are not profit centers. Instead, they exist to increase the number of customers who use their credit cards.

Since the credit card statement is delivered via USPS, the fact that I infrequently check the account or bonus benefits online is not a reflection on how good a customer I am according to their profit center.

The fact that their non-profit accommodations are driving away a customer from their profit-making enterprise is prima facie evidence that they HAVE made a mistake.

As you say, I’m in no position to dictate their policy. I AM in a position to vote with my feet. And from appearances, their marketing department is in no position to dictate their policy, either, and that’s a shame for them.

Good post.