By DAVID EPPS
Pastor

Last year about this time, I decided to refinance my house to take advantage of the lower interest rates. I had purchased homes twice before and recalled the experience as something akin to a root canal without the benefit of nitrous oxide.

"Nonsense," the good folks at USAA Savings Bank informed me. "Things have changed in the ten years since you financed your house. This will be a painless and almost pleasant experience." Yeah, right.

To complicate matters, I was scheduled to go on vacation and, at the last minute, a delay in paperwork threatened the process. Or so I thought. The folks at USAA assured me that things would be fine and that I should just go on vacation. They would FedEx anything I needed to sign and the whole process could take place via long distance. "You've got to be kidding," I thought. Nope. They were serious.

So, off to Port St. Joe, Fla., I went. No, it's not "Port Saint Joseph." It really is "Port St. Joe," and it's a lovely area not yet discovered by hoards of swarming tourists. Anyway, after a few telephone calls to smooth out details, I waited for the package to arrive overnight, courtesy of Federal Express, which it did.

As my wife and I were preparing to sign the papers, we noticed a minor complication. It seems that a notary would be required, which makes sense if you are doing important stuff through the mails. So, off we went in search of a notary, which is how we met Kelli Combs of Citizens Federal Savings Bank of Port St. Joe, Fla.

Ms. Combs, who served as a consumer loan officer, invited us into the bank warmly as asked how she could help. We explained our dilemma and shared that, although we were not locals and had no accounts at her banks, we would appreciate any help she could give us.

Kelli, as she insisted on being called, informed us that she was a notary public and would be glad to help out. For the next 30 minutes, we read and signed papers at Kelli's desk. Not once did she make us feel rushed or that we were an imposition. When all the papers were signed, all zillion of them, Ms. Combs made photocopies of them so, if the papers were lost in transport, we would have something to send to USAA.

When I got out my wallet to pay for the notary and photocopying services, Kelli told me to put my money away and said that she was just glad to help. When I insisted that I pay for her services, she just as strongly insisted that her bank was in the business to serve and that she was just delighted to be of service. Kelli Combs and the Citizens Federal Savings Bank of Port St. Joe have become the standard by which I now judge all banks and bank personnel.

A few days ago, a friend said that her bank had instituted a policy that, after a certain number of visits inside the bank, fees would be assessed. "What kind of fees?" I inquired. "You know," she said. "They charge you to see a teller."

Another friend said that his bank had implemented a policy that phone calls were free but visits inside the bank resulted in a charge. What kind of stupid nonsense is that? Don't bank officers (or whoever comes up with these absurd changes) realize that if customers get dissatisfied they take their business elsewhere? Or don't they care?

A few years ago, I went into a bank to borrow $3,000 for my son to buy a car. I had banked there for years and, by the way, I have an outstanding credit rating. They said that they wouldn't loan me $3,000 but I could borrow $10,000. "But I don't need $10,000!" No matter, it's policy. Does that make any kind of sense to you? Me either, which is why I changed banks.

A few weeks ago, our church closed a loan for $800,000 to build its first facility. A new, locally owned bank, The Bank of Georgia in Peachtree City, took a chance on us and made the loan. Naturally, we also switched all of our other accounts to this bank. The other day I went into the bank to turn in some paperwork and three tellers waved to me, greeted me, and called me by name. Not one of them suggested that I pay a fee for coming inside. They even gave us our first set of checks free.

That's when I thought of Kelli back in Port St. Joe. All banks are in business to make money. But not all banks value the people their customers that enable them to make that money. But the banks that treat their customers as valuable assets well, that's where my business will go.

Thanks, Kelli, for helping us out last year. The next time I visit Port St. Joe, I may even open up an account. You made me feel valued. And that's a lesson that far too few businesses have learned.

[The Reverend Canon David Epps is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church in the Coweta/Fayette County area of south metro Atlanta. He may be contacted at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at www.ctkcec.org.]

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