Postal Delays Can Cause Complaints for Credit Card Issuers

Credit card customers are experiencing United States Postal Service delays – and credit card issuers are feeling the effects, too.

The surge in online shopping, particularly during the holiday season, has resulted in major mail delays stretching into Q2. For issuers, these delays translate to some credit card statements arriving late to customers – as well as mailed payments back to the issuers, which can result in late fees, calls to the contact center and complaints.

Sixty percent of member companies of Auriemma Roundtables Customer Experience & Complaints group reported that “did not receive statement” and “mailed payment not received” were among their organizations’ top/trending complaint categories, according to a March survey of members. Companies have enacted several best practices to better educate customers about how to avoid delayed mail’s effects.

These practices include:

• Proactively marketing paperless programs to customers not currently enrolled, including highlighting specific benefits (like viewing statements online)
• Communicating to customers who typically mail payments about potential delays, with emphasis on driving that segment to digital channels
• Improving self-servicing channels, including desktop, mobile and IVR options, to help customers maintain on-time payment behavior and provide education on delays

There is still room for issuers to deepen cardholders’ penetration in digital channels.

According to Customer Experience & Complaints Roundtable data, an average of 52.8% of respondents’ credit card customer base was digitally active in December 2020. (Digitally active encompasses activities such as logins in the mobile app or website.) The benefits of increasing digital engagement are numerous, but a key win is reducing call volume. Survey respondents reported that an average of 92.7% of digitally active credit card customers did not contact a call center in December 2020.

About Auriemma Roundtables

Auriemma Roundtables give leading companies access to the right people and data to help them optimize their business practices, maximize efficiency, and navigate complexity. The result for members? Solutions that work for them, measurable ROI, and a roadmap for the future.

For more information on the Customer Experience & Complaints Roundtable, contact Diana Middleton.