huh?

I feel really loved today. A couple months ago, I was a day late on a credit card payment, and I got charged $39 AND I had to pay a finance charge on the carried balance. I figured it was my fault though. There was really no reason why I was late, except I was thinking I'd paid it, and I hadn't. So I didn't bother to call and argue about it. Last month then, I payed off the whole balance, including the finance charge and late fee. Then a few days ago, I got a bill with ANOTHER finance charge...why was I getting charged interest when I paid my whole balance, on time?

So today, I called CitiBank. I asked the friendly lady, who spoke English no foreign accent, why I was getting charged when I paid my whole balance. She explained it had something to do with an average balance on the card...I didn't understand, but before I was able to get to the bottom of it, she said, "and I'll go ahead and give you a courtesy credit for that finance charge." I hadn't even argued with her! When I acted really surprised, she said that they don't mind doing that, so we [the customers] can be educated on how the finance charges are calculated...even though I never really got educated...just confused.

Then she volunteered the information that normally if you're late on a payment, if you call and explain you just forgot or were busy or whatever, they'll cancel the late fee. I said I wished I'd known that. She canceled the late fee from two months ago, even though it was completely my fault, and I'd admitted that! She even canceled the interest!

I mean, ethically, it really is the right thing to do, you know; be nice to people when they make silly mistakes, instead of taking advantage of them. But I generally don't expect that from big businesses these days; especially without a fight. But I didn't even argue about anything, and it is all as if I'd never made the mistake! I'm impressed, and I'm taking this opportunity to put in a plug for CitiBank. They treat you like you're human!