FEB_MAR

Make Mine a $Million

A MAGAZINE PROVIDING CURRENT CONTENT AND PERTINENT CONTEXT FOR THE PEOPLE OF AMERICAN EXPRESS

2 0 06

Helping women grow their businesses

Anatomy of a Card Launch

Behind the scenes of a new product

THIS ISSUE

ON THE COVER Cover Art_Bernhardt Fudyma Design Group Editor_Janet A. Lee Managing Editor_Cynthia Aquila Design_Bernhardt Fudyma Design Group Printer_Bannon Group Ltd.

2
Additional Online Content for This Issue of Context
www.express.aexp.com/Context/
CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARDS The full stories of the 2005 winners achievements MAKE MINE A $MILLION BUSINESS PROGRAM Learn more about this program for women entrepreneurs

IN PRINT

10
Anatomy of a Card Launch
by Cynthia Aquila From concept to launch, what does it take to get a new product off the ground?

14
2005 Exceeding Expectations:
THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD WINNERS

16
At Work
Tassie Jessani-Ladak, Premium Value Team Leader, Customer Service InternationalCanada

AXP Shorts
SUPPORT AFTER THE STORM

Employees offer muchneeded aid after hurricanes.

MY CARD. MY LIFE.

ONLINE FEB_MAR.2006

Author Amy Borkowsky takes a humorous look at her life as revealed through her American Express Card statements in her book Statements.
GLOBAL EXPRESS

Make Mine a $Million

COVER STORY

Whats happening in Australia, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

by Janet Lee Five women entrepreneurs talk about being small business owners and how winning OPENs Make Mine a $Million Business program is helping them reach their goals.

Congratulations to the 23 winners of the Customer Service Awards.

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ITEMS OF INTEREST TO THE PEOPLE OF AMERICAN EXPRESS

SUPPORT AFTER THE STORM

After three hurricanes battered the U.S. Gulf Coast region, South Florida and Mexico in October 2005, relief organizations went into action to help people in need. More than 3,000 employees lent their support to those efforts by contributing $540,000 to the American Red Cross and other organizations. The company made grants totaling $1,195,000 to the American Red Cross, the Red Cross in Mexico, and local chapters of the Red Cross, United Way and Salvation Army.

My card. My life.
bers. Travel Service Offices became overnight refuges as conditions in shelters deteriorated. The company also contacted travel customers impacted by the storms and assisted them with alternative travel plans. A customer vacationing with her fianc in Cancun commended her travel counselor in Atlanta, Ga. She genuinely cared about getting us home quickly and safely, the customer wrote. I think it is hard to ask for any better service than we received. We will surely use her services for future vacations.
and author Amy Borkowsky (pictured at left).

One womans life chronicled through her American Express Card statements
Take, for instance, the months of charges for dining at a favorite eatery with a good friend followed by nearly two years of never stepping foot in the place. Although she and Danny had always claimed theyd be there for each other to talk, listen or even to grab a burger at midnight there was one thing that could keep Danny from that promise: a girlfriend. Borkowsky shared her experiences about writing the book, read excerpts and autographed copies for employees at events in each U.S. Service Center and at the American Express Tower in New York in November 2005.

Dinners at a favorite restaurant, airline tickets to France, lingerie. For most people, credit card statements of purchases like these are simply a record of what they spent. Not for comedian

While sorting through 12 years worth of long-forgotten American Express Card statements, Borkowsky was struck by how each purchase revealed something about her life as a single career woman in New York City. In her new book, Statements, she humorously recounts how she literally spent my early years living, working and looking for love when it seemed like the only knight in armor Id find was the one on the front of my Amex Card.

SHORTS

Employees in the U.S. and Mexico also reached out to colleagues and customers in the affected areas. The Ft. Lauderdale Service Center supplied bottled water and an ice truck immediately following the storm, and employees helped distribute goods throughout the week. The Greensboro Service Center pur-

chased hundreds of roof tarps that were distributed in South Florida, and employees in Mexico City sent more than four tons of supplies to the hardest-hit locations in Mexico. Employees in Mexicos resort regions visited shelters and hotels offering emergency cash, food and water to tourists and local cardmem-

{GLOBAL EXPRESS}

Whats Happening at American Express Around the World

NEW YORK

TAIPEI

United States. The agreement with Bank of America reaffirms American Express existing partnership with MBNA, which Bank of America recently acquired. HSBC is the third-largest issuer of merchantbranded credit cards in the United States through relationships with such top retailers as Best Buy, Costco and Saks Fifth Avenue. Also in December, Citibank became the second major Global Network Services partner to launch American Express-branded cards in the United States. Citibank is offering five new products to its high-spending customers: the Citi Platinum American Express Card; the Citi Dividend American Express Card, a cash-back card; the Citi PremierPass American Express Card, which allows cardmembers to earn points for miles on any airline; the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards American Express Card; and the Citi AAdvantage American Express Card, which is linked to American Airlines frequent-flier program. American Express currently has more than 97 partnerships in 109 countries, including seven in the U.S.

American Express and EVA Air, one of the leading airlines in Taiwan, have launched the first cobranded American Express Platinum Charge Card in that country. The by-invitation-only card will be available to EVAs existing Diamond and Gold Club Members.
TOKYO

Couples about to tie the knot or newlyweds can take advantage of new offerings from American Express. The company has partnered with The Knot, an online resource for couples planning their weddings and their future lives together, to launch two cobranded, fee-free consumer credit cards The Knot Credit Card and the Nest Credit Card. Both cards offer special discounts and access to exclusive partners, such as early entrance to bridal sample sales and discounts on home furnishings and dcor.
SYDNEY

Celebrated Japanese actor Ken Watanabe (pictured at left) joins the roster of personalities whose card of choice is American Express. Watanabe, known for his roles in The Last Samurai and Batman Begins, is featured in the companys My Life. My Card.SM brand marketing campaign. Both television and print ads with the actor were released in Japan in November 2005.

NEW GLOBAL NETWORK SERVICES PARTNERSHIPS

NEW YORK

The American Express Platinum Business Card, the first of its kind in Australia, offers service and benefits to the 1.2 million registered small businesses in that country. Benefits include access to the Platinum Concierge service and automatic enrollment in Platinum rewards.

In December 2005, American Express announced three new card-issuing partnerships with major U.S. financial institutions: Bank of America, HSBC and General Electric. Bank of America is one of the worlds largest and most successful financial institutions with an extensive retail banking presence in the

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Make Mine
by_Janet Lee

Million
Seeing an opportunity to play a role, OPEN joined Count Me In, a nonprofit lending organization, to create Make Mine a $Million Business. This national program, also known as M3, selects a number of qualified women business owners and provides them with the three things they need to break through the $1 million dollar barrier: money, mentoring and marketing.

Making the leap from employee to entrepreneur can be an enticing yet nerve-racking endeavor, filled with both risk and reward. And more women are taking that leap, according to the Center for Womens Business Research. Nearly half of all private companies in the United States are at least partially owned by women, representing the fastest-growing segment of the small business sector. Their numbers are impressive: they employ 19.1 million people, generate nearly $2.5 trillion in sales, and spend $103 billion a year on business services such as technology and human resources.
Despite this growth, only 3 percent of womenowned companies generate $1 million in annual revenues. In comparison, more than twice as many men-owned companies pass this mark. One of the biggest challenges women face is difficulty accessing the credit and capital needed to grow their businesses, says Susan Sobbott, president of OPEN from American Express, the companys small business unit in the United States. It wasnt until federal law was passed in 1974 prohibiting discrimination that women were able to get credit in their own names. Now nearly everyone recognizes that women particularly women entrepreneurs are becoming a powerful economic force.

connection with women business owners that is difficult to do in a cluttered marketplace. Early results show that, in its first year, M3 created a strong impact and increased awareness of the OPEN brand among small business owners. Based on this progress, plans are under way to expand the program this year. M3 granted 23 awards in 2005. Following are the stories of five women entrepreneurs who are putting their winnings to work toward $1 million.

Julie Tucker and Jen Elias

Julie Tucker and Jen Elias have made a business out of helping others learn more about some of lifes greatest pleasures, including food, wine and chocolate. In 2002, Julie had an idea for developing a wine game. Jen, who had started taking wine classes, developed a unique flash card system to help her remember the details of all she was learning. A mutual friend introduced them, realizing they shared not only an interest in wine but a desire to turn that interest into a business venture. They held their first business meeting over a glass of cabernet. Nine months later after developing a business plan and hiring a designer and a printer WineSmarts was born. The trivia game features a series of fun multiple-choice and true-or-false questions about wine. It was an immediate hit, with more than 8,000 copies selling within the first few months. That was just the beginning. CoffeeSmarts, ChocolateSmarts and BeerSmarts soon followed. The two entrepreneurs and their games have attracted attention across the United States and have been featured in

With a 19-year history of working with small businesses, were in a unique position to help more women take their businesses to the next level of performance, Susan adds. And were doing this in a number of ways, from providing them with access to financial products and services to partnering with organizations like Count Me In that support their needs. M3 launched in five cities in 2005 Dallas, Chicago, Long Beach, Atlanta and New York. Women business owners were asked to submit a business case to be evaluated by a panel of local entrepreneurs. Finalists pitched their growth plans at competitions held in each of the participating cities. Judges selected the most promising companies to benefit from a team of business coaches, a loan of up to $45,000 from Count Me In, and marketing and promotional support from OPEN. M3 has touched thousands of small business owners, says Lexi Reese, director of Advocacy Marketing with OPEN. The program has helped us make a strong and direct

] COMPANY ]

SmartsCo
] NAMES ]

Julie Tucker and Jen Elias

] LOCATION ]

San Francisco, CA

Photography_Andy Freeberg

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] COMPANY ]

White Space
] NAME ]

Cynthia Ivie
] LOCATION ]

Chicago, IL

publications such as Entrepreneur, InStyle and Food and Wine. Julie and Jen first learned about the M3 program through Count Me In, where they applied for financing after being turned down for a bank loan. Julie traveled to the Long Beach competition in August 2005 and delivered a four-minute presentation on SmartsCo and their plans for growth. The judges liked what they heard and chose SmartsCo to receive an award a loan, as well as mentoring and marketing support. One of the biggest bonuses of participating in the event, Julie says, was meeting other women business owners eager to share their advice and support. As an entrepreneur, youre often on your own. No one else has a vested interest in whether you succeed or fail. With M3 and OPENs support, I feel that there are people in our corner that we havent had there before. The two business owners have also been featured in a new OPEN advertising campaign. These new opportunities have played a key role in helping us increase our growth, says Jen. Now that we have access to capital and lines of credit, we can expand our product development plan for next year. Since their win, Jen and Julie have grown SmartsCos suite of products and recently expanded their distribution into the U.K., Europe and Asia. With more than 10 titles, close to 1,000 outlets that sell their products and more than 90,000 games sold, they have even bigger plans for 2006. Hint: Think Paris, French wine and bubbly for the near future and much more fun stuff later in the year.

Cynthia Ivie
Cynthia Ivie founded her company to help highly stressed, successful professionals get organized. After an accomplished 16-year career in advertising, she decided to move back to the Midwest and go into business for herself. Eight years ago, she started Loose Ends Life and Project Management while living in the basement of a friends home. She had two customers. My first project was prepping a room for wallpaper, says Cynthia. I had never done it before, but Ive always been well organized and good at figuring out how to do something. And then I thought theres even more of an idea here. Renamed White Space in early 2005, Cynthias company now boasts hundreds of residential and commercial clients, and a staff of 12 among them eight professional organizers, a director of balance and order (office manager and systems administrator), director of impeccability (responsible for training), architect of simplicity (who runs the project teams), and master simplifier (Cynthia herself). The companys newly designed Web site promotes the satisfaction of a White Space lifestyle services that include anything from clearing out closets to organizing living space to cleaning up financial records and setting up a bill payment system. Today, household relocation makes up about half of Cynthias business. One of her work teams recently moved a just-married couple into a new home while they were away on their honeymoon. The project involved transporting all of the contents of their home, unpacking and setting everything up, and even filling the pantry with groceries just in time for the couples return.

White Space has grown mainly through word of mouth and, in 2002, generated more than $700,000 in revenues. But the last 18 months were tough, financially and emotionally, as Cynthia struggled with the next phase of her companys growth. The M3 program came along at just the right time. Having a company like American Express show confidence in your business gives you instant credibility, she says. We were doing a lot of things right, but this recognition and support have helped boost our growth. OPEN has been working to generate publicity for Cynthias business through local and national media outlets. As a result, shes had a flurry of calls from potential new clients, as well as other companies that want to do business with her. Ive had banks contacting me that wouldnt even return my phone calls a few months ago, she adds. Cynthia now spends more time working on, not in, her business something her coaching team has encouraged her to do. It seems to be working. Sales were up 58 percent in 2005 and plans are under way to franchise White Space. To prepare for this, Cynthia is busy formalizing many business processes, like accounting, human resources and training. Were going to hit a million dollars in revenues this year, Cynthia says. Five years from now, well have four Chicago locations and another four franchises in other markets, which will take us closer to being a $10 million business.

] COMPANY ]

BI Group LLC
] NAME ]

Saundra Charles
] LOCATION ]

Bloomfield, NJ

Saundra Charles
Mother. Chemical engineer. MBA graduate. And small business owner. Saundra Charles wears many different hats.

Photography_left Mark Battrell_right Ron Levine

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Her company, BI Group LLC, creates metal products and performs mechanical maintenance for large industrial, marine and commercial companies. Installing boilers, designing and insulating piping, and repairing heating and cooling systems are just a few of the projects her welding team can take on. Saundra focuses on running the business. Were always looking for ways to provide cost efficiencies and savings to our clients, Saundra says. And this gives us an edge over our competitors.

someone to discuss her business issues with appealed to her most. As a working mother, I dont have a lot of extra time, Saundra says. So while my interest was piqued, I wanted to make sure that this was going to be a valuable experience. She read about the program, its organizers and the previous winners on the Web site, and decided that she wanted to get involved. The deadline was tight, so Saundra rushed to prepare a business plan and financial projections for her application. A few weeks

the start of something new a new road to travel. Having the opportunity to receive help and guidance is a real blessing. Saundra is one of the newest winners of the M3 program. She has big plans for 2006 and has been busy meeting with her coaches to plan the next steps of BI Groups evolution breaking into new industries, building her client base and adding to her staff. Her goal is to surpass $1 million in revenues by years end.

Denise Houseberg
As an entrepreneur, Denise Houseberg has built a 20-year career on coming up with fresh, new business ideas. She knew she had something good in 1999 when she launched MarketExpo.com. I was really interested in the Internet and e-commerce, Denise says. So when a customer approached me about some difficulties he was having reaching consumers with his product line of decorative switch plate covers, I took all 2,500 of them online. Since that time, MarketExpo.com has become an online storefront representing more than 30 manufacturers and thousands of home and garden products. Switch plate covers are still her number one seller MarketExpo.com is the top single-location vendor for Jackson Deerfield, selling over $400,000 each year in switch covers alone. Many business owners agree that the best way to grow is to take risks, which often means risking money. But it hasnt always been easy for Denise to secure the financing she needed. As a determined businesswoman which she attributes in large part to being a cancer survivor Denise never gave up. It rattled my cage when I learned that only 3 percent of women business owners

MarketExpo.com reached one million in revenues in late November, making Denise the first M3 winner to reach the million dollar mark just six months after winning her award.
BI Group opened its doors in 1998, but it wasnt until four years later that Saundra left her job with a large insurance company to focus on her venture full-time. Since then, Saundra admits that her resolve has been tested time and time again. Work in this industry is cyclical, and contracts are often project-based, which means that the company must invest capital up front to pay for materials it is installing. These costs can soar upward of $15,000. So developing a roster of steady clients is a big part of BIs growth plan. Saundra learned about M3 at a meeting hosted by a local womens business group. The coaching aspect of the program and having later, she was invited to present her plan in person alongside nine other finalists. More than 300 small business owners attended this competition held at American Express headquarters in New York City. At the event, Saundra continued to be impressed by the women she met, who were passionate about their businesses and had inspiring stories to share. The judges were obviously impressed with Saundra, too, and selected BI Group as a winner. When I was selected to receive an award, I was ecstatic and humbled, says Saundra, who has been profiled by Small Business Television (SBTV) and The Record, a local newspaper in New Jersey. I realized this was

make it past one million in revenues, she says. I knew thats where I wanted to be one day. The M3 program helped get her there. MarketExpo.com reached $1 million in revenues in late November, making Denise the first M3 winner to pass this milestone just six months after receiving her award. American Express partnered Denise with a mentor Gay Gaddis, an OPEN customer and owner of T-3, a technology company in Austin, Texas. Shes encouraged Denise to spend more time focusing on marketing and sales, and less time on technology. As a result, Denise has contracted a technology partner to manage the transactions on MarketExpo.com. Shes also invested in Internet marketing and is redesigning her Web site, which will launch this spring. The new site will be easier to shop on. Weve streamlined product categories and added a functional search feature. There are more cross-selling features and better ways to sort and view products by category, price and color. Were also adding a section on decorating ideas and an e-mail newsletter, she explains. Over the past few months, Denises company has attracted more than a dozen new manufacturing partners, with a few more waiting to come on board. From door and cabinet hardware to clocks, furniture and more, the categories are continuing to expand. The exposure weve gotten after winning this award has resulted in interest from manufacturers, and more consumers have contacted us than ever before, she adds.

] COMPANY ]

MarketExpo.com
] NAME ]

Denise Houseberg
] LOCATION ]

Dallas, TX

Photography_Tadd Myers

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CARDLAUNCH +
by_Cynthia Aquila

Anatomy of a

the Customer
It may seem obvious, but the best place to start is with customers or would-be customers to understand their goals and preferences. Our objective was to expand our reach even further into the population of high-spending consumers between 25 and 40 years of age, says Peggy Maher, senior vice president, U.S. Consumer Charge Card. Focus groups, one-on-one interviews and surveys revealed an emerging segment within this group who are less interested in the prestige and special access that a charge card offers. Instead, they describe themselves as family oriented and more focused on striking a balance between spending and saving. And while they prefer to pay balances in full each month, they occasionally need to revolve. Although they are interested in rewards, when given the choice between Membership Rewards or a product with a savings component, they usually choose the savings feature. Because this group has a different mind-set, it was clear we needed to bring something new to the market, Maher says.

What makes for a successful new product launch? Ingenuity, creativity, drive and collaboration are some of the most important elements. Not to mention the hard work and dedication of numerous teams from card marketing and new product development to service delivery, technologies, finance and more. Depending on whether the product is an extension of an existing line, a cobrand or brand-new, it can take anywhere from two months to two years before it reaches the market. Last year, American Express launched a series of major products in the U.S. and nearly 70 new and enhanced products internationally. These included cobranded cards with JetBlue in the U.S., BMW in Germany, Aeromexico in Mexico, and IN cards for Chicago and Los Angeles offering city-specific rewards for young, urban cardmembers, just to name a few. And more are on the way as the company continues to strengthen its focus on its highgrowth payments business.

+the Product

For a clearer picture of what it takes to bring a product idea from concept to reality, well deconstruct the process using the recent launch of One from American ExpressSM, a new and innovative product that helps consumers save while they spend.

Since saving is a high priority, the new product would have to reward customers with an innovative and convenient way to save. One was developed to do just that as cardmembers spend, a percentage of purchases is deposited in a high-yield savings account set up automatically in their names. Ongoing testing with prospective customers in focus groups helped flesh out additional features for the card, such as no restrictions on how savings account funds are used, the option to either pay balances in full or revolve, and no interest on new purchases. As the marketing team continued to refine the product concept, they also worked with Finance to develop an economic model. They ran analyses to determine demand for the product, how much it would cost to build, service and maintain over time, and how profitable it would be. Typically with credit cards, the annual fee and annual percentage rate (APR) for finance charges can impact demand significantly. Research showed it was possible

to charge an annual fee for One and still generate the same demand as a fee-free credit card. The team also learned the APR didnt necessarily have to be the lowest in the market given that these customers revolve balances only occasionally. Its a constant balance between developing a product that gives customers what they want and also meets our financial expectations, Maher says. We wouldnt continue to research and develop a product that doesnt make any financial sense for us. At this point in the process, American Express Technologies (AET) weighs in to help determine the feasibility of building the new product. For One, AET needed to devise a process for sweeping customer accounts to calculate the amount to be deposited into the savings account, and then make that deposit. It was also important that cardmembers have the ability to manage both their card and their savings account online.

Illustrations_Otto Steininger

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the Service
The Service Delivery team gets involved early on to learn about the prospective customer group, their attitudes on spending and saving, and their understanding of the product and its features. This allows the team to start developing servicing requirements, help train customer service representatives, and ensure messages are consistent from acquisition through ongoing servicing. A dedicated group of 25 customer service representatives in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., are servicing the product for at least six months. We decided to extend the usual three-month period for gating calls because of Ones unique benefits, particularly the savings feature. This approach makes it easier to find out whats working and whats not, address issues more quickly, and track how they are resolved. Specific banking expertise also is needed for servicing the products savings account. The service delivery team turned to American Express Federal Savings Bank (FSB) in Salt Lake City, Utah. FSB manages the vendor that handles customer calls, and processes transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, wire transfers and disputes. Because both functions were housed in different places, it was important to create a smooth transition for the cardmember, says Doris Daif, director, Service Design Solutions. This meant understanding how FSB operates and coordinating its approach with the card servicing side. The Service Delivery team worked closely with Technologies to incorporate all new product features into the servicing system to ensure that representatives have the information they need at their fingertips to serve cardmembers seamlessly. The more the representatives know and are excited about a new product, the better equipped they are to get customers excited about it as well. We decided to think about our representatives in the same way we think about our prospects, Daif says. That meant looking for innovative ways to reach out to them and build awareness about One. Two months prior to launch, the Service Delivery team kicked off a teaser campaign in the U.S. Service Centers. Table tent cards, place mats and menu cards with questions about the product, and a Web site address placed in cafeterias and break rooms, helped drive representatives online for more information. Representatives also had a chance to win a $1,000 prize by entering their answers to the riddle of the week in a grand prize drawing. Training materials that included videos and interactive games helped representatives better understand this new target group and learn more about the benefits of the card.

+
the Name, the Look, the Message
Just as a products features are tailored to the customer, so, too, are its name, design and all of the communications that surround it. Advertising, direct mail, welcome packages, scripts used by customer service representatives and even statements all need to deliver a clear and consistent message that reaches the customer. When deciding on a name for the product, a number of variables are considered. What does the name need to do? Is it enough for it to be catchy or should it communicate something about the product? One from American Express was chosen as a simple and subtle way to get across the products unique attributes: one card for saving and spending, one card for paying in full or over time. In terms of the plastic, the team considered to what degree the product should look like a charge card. Working with Advertising and Brand Management colleagues, they took into account the image the product needed to project and whether any of the traditional symbols of the American Express brand the Centurion, the world service filigree, the Blue Box should be incorporated in the design. A round of testing plastic with focus groups provided insights from potential cardmembers. The design is different from the charge card, more modern but not trendy, and the use of some classic symbols like the Centurion serves as a mark of authenticity for the product, says Simran Kalra, vice president, U.S. Consumer Card Marketing.

the Launch
Kalra points out that the most favorable times to launch a new product are spring and fall, when people are gearing up for vacations or holiday shopping. If you miss one window, you have to wait six months for the next, and by then, the competition may beat you to the punch, she says. When a product is under development, a company often will pilot it in a few key markets. In the case of One, the team chose to keep refining it through research before introducing it. It was important that this product be different than anything else in the market so we didnt want to tip our hand, Peggy Maher says. But when they were finally ready to launch, they wanted One to stand out and be noticed. Using advertising and special events helped make a strong impact. For instance, Ellen DeGeneres helped promote One on her talk show and is featured in ads for the product. The launch is only the beginning. The team monitors each function, such as the acquisition process, issuing the plastic and customer service, to make sure everything is working as it should. Measures of success include number of cards acquired, response rates to direct mail and advertising, spending on the card, and attrition and write-off rates. It takes about a year to really understand how well the product is performing, but you can look at interim results to identify problems and correct them as needed, Maher says. Even before launch, the team is thinking about whats next. We have to keep innovating for the product to continue to be meaningful and valuable to customers, Maher adds. Theres no standing still.

PAGE _14

GREG CLEROUX

MARK HESS

RICHARD UNDA

SACHIKO NAGASHIMA

MARGARET BEDI

DEBORAH McNEILL

2005
BUSINESS PARTNERS.

Exceeding Expectations
THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD WINNERS
EVERY DAY, AMERICAN EXPRESS EMPLOYEES AROUND THE WORLD LIVE UP TO THE COMPANYS REPUTATION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE WHEN THEY HELP CUSTOMERS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARDS RECOGNIZE THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO GO WELL BEYOND THIS ALREADY HIGH STANDARD TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS, CLIENTS AND OTHER KEY

OF THE MORE THAN 420 NOMINATIONS LAST YEAR, 23 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN 2005. KEN CHENAULT AND MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM EXTENDED A PERSONAL THANK YOU TO ALL THE WINNERS AT AN AWARDS CEREMONY AT THE AMERICAN EXPRESS TOWER IN SEPTEMBER. THESE INDIVIDUALS REPRESENT THE BEST OF WHAT AMERICAN EXPRESS HAS TO OFFER. FROM HELPING CUSTOMERS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS TO IMPROVING EVERYDAY SERVICE WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, THE STORIES OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE INSPIRING AND DEMONSTRATE WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE THE COMPANYS VALUES. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS!

TANYA AMBROSINO

KATHRYN BERNARD

DONNA COPPOLA

MARC ROMERO

SEAN HAMILTON

STEFFEN SCHMIDT

YOU CAN READ THE FULL STORIES OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD WINNERS ACHIEVEMENTS AT AMEXWEB. (CLICK ON THE OUR COMPANY TAB, INTERNAL COMMUNICATION RECOGNITION.)

STONNIE NUNEZ

ARLENE JACOBS

CONNIE REILLY

JOAO FREITAS

DAWN HANEY

GREG PORTER

LOUISE NASH

PAM ROONEY

JOSIE PARDO

Photograph_Wendy Barrows

SAPHA VIG

IQBAL JUNANI

PAGE _16

CORRESPONDENTS

When Tassie Jessani-Ladak answers the phone, cardmembers thinking about canceling their cards are likely not only to keep them but to sign up for a few extra services in the process. Having spent several years as a Customer Focused Sales Representative, Tassie knows just the right thing to say to make cardmembers take advantage of additional features, such as insurance, Membership Rewards or the credit card registry.

ARGENTINA_Carolina S Martin Office 54.11.4310.3511 Fax 54.11.4328.8275 AUSTRALIA_Luisa S Megale Office 612.9271.2070 Fax 612.9271.2554 BANGLADESH_Qamar A Hussain Office 880.2.956.1804 Fax 880.2.956.1806 BRAZIL_Fernando A Poyares Office 55.11.3741.7245 Fax 55.11.3741.5099 CANADA_Audrey K Adams White Office 905.474.7946 Fax 905.474.8363 FRANCE_Claire F LeGall-Rouxel Office 33.1.47.77.78.45 Fax 33.1.47.77.77.83 GERMANY_Ursula E Hellstern Office 49.69.9797.2332 Fax 49.69.9797.2919 HONG KONG_Susanna S Hui Office 852.2.811.6325 Fax 852.2.811.2331 INDIA_Vibha B Bajaj Office 91.124.680.1590 Fax 91.124.639.8304 INDONESIA_Fathia I Syarif Office 62.21.521.6655 Fax 62.21.521.6363 ITALY_Luciana B Strippoli Office 39.06.722.80.756 Fax 39.06.722.80.424 JAPAN_Sakiko A Kasegawa Office 81.3.3220.6229 Fax 81.3.3220.6717 MEXICO_Adriana A Rivera Office 525.55.209.7310 Fax 525.55.209.7317 NEW ZEALAND_Craig H Dowling Office 649.367.4370 Fax 649.367.4358

PHILIPPINES_Enrique Papa Office 632.840.6851 Fax 632.840.6830 SINGAPORE_Lotus Y Tan Office 65.6880.1236 Fax 65.6294.0516 SPAIN_Luis B Dupuy Office 34.91.743.7229 Fax 34.902.195.111 TAIWAN_Tiffany T Chen Office 886.2.2514.5019 Fax 886.2.8712.3836 THAILAND_Hassaya B Hasitabhan Office 66.2.273.5028 Fax 66.2.273.0324 UNITED KINGDOM_Atalia M DaSilva Office 44.207.976.4604 Fax 44.207.233.0873

At Work

{ TASSIE JESSANI-LADAK |
Premium Value Team Leader, Customer Service InternationalCanada}

I look at it as educating them about benefits they dont necessarily know about, she says. When people say they dont want a particular feature, I try to find out why not. That creates an immediate rapport and starts a conversation. What are customers typical reasons for saying no? Some balk at fees. But that gives Tassie an opening she cant resist. I immediately calculate how much it would really cost them per month, and then I talk about what they get in return, she says. For instance, with Membership Rewards, I look at their annual spending and say, Last year, you could have earned a ticket to Mexico if you were enrolled. Isnt that worth it? Its hard for most people to say no when you put it that way. A native of East Tanzania, Tassie was educated in Canada and after graduating from college in 1998 joined American Express as a service representative. Since 2004, she has been a team leader for the Premium Value team, which services high-net-worth individuals in Canada who apply for or hold one of the cobranded American Express AeroplanPlus Cards.

about services and benefits is likely to be more memorable than if we simply provide pat answers to questions. One of her most important responsibilities is handling escalated calls from cardmembers. I always try to turn a call from a disgruntled customer into a positive experience, she says. Last spring, for example, a high-spending cardmember who had just switched from a competitors card to the AeroplanPlus Card was disappointed to find that his statement did not break out taxes paid on airline tickets. This is an important feature for a small business owner,she says. Simply telling him that I would suggest this functionality be added to our system was not enough. He wanted immediate results, or he would cancel his card. Tassies solution was to manually break out the taxes and e-mail the revised statement to him every month. The cardmember was pleasantly surprised: Youve earned me as a cardmember, he said. Work is now under way to make this a standardized feature on statements. I like making a difference in peoples lives whether its
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CONTEXT

UNITED STATES FT. LAUDERDALE, FL_Samantha Welch Office 954.503.3091 Fax 954.503.3056 GREENSBORO, NC_Tyler J Cox Office 336.668.5824 Fax 336.668.5696 NEW YORK, NY_Cynthia Aquila Office 212.640.5917 Fax 212.640.0331 PHOENIX, AZ_Christa K Burkhalter Office 623.492.7061 Fax 623.492.7411 SALT LAKE CITY, UT_Steve Allnatt Office 801.945.5268 Fax 801.945.5675

As a team leader, she coaches the 15 representatives on her team not only to meet cardmembers needs but also to deepen their relationships with American Express. Her message is relatively simple: Never assume a cardmember wont want a feature, she says. You always have to ask. And a conversation

a cardmember or one of my employees, Tassie says. Thats what motivates me.

Fran Goldstein

Copyright 2006 American Express Company. All rights reserved.

Photography_Sandy Nicholson

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