"I have people skills, I'm good at dealing with people... Can't you understand that?!"

One of my favorite parts about traveling is making new friends and with my trip to Greece & Turkey officially in the books, I'm thankful to report I added quite a few gems this go-around. Regardless of their home country or language they speak, one of the standard questions seems to always be, "So, what do you do for a living?" More often than not I just reply with, "I work for American Express" and they nod their head. While most folks have to explain what their company does, American Express is so ubiquitous across most cultures I can typically leave it at that if I want. However, if they are a particularly engaging stranger that I want to have an extended chat with, I find myself responding with, "I'm a payment solution provider." The response invites them to follow up with, "Oh, so you sell credit cards?" Inevitably I smile and if the jet lag isn't too terrible, I'll launch into more interesting aspects of my job like how I help companies reduce their travel & expense costs or make international payments.

Isn't it funny how the simplest questions lead to the most rewarding answers?

On a particularly long drive from the Athens to Sparta, I thought about what I really meant when I responded to strangers on what I've decided to do for a living. Sure, on the surface, one can simply say I sell a piece of plastic you pay for things with, but why do I say I'm a "solution provider" when I look to connect with these strangers in a deeper way?

To answer that I had to really contemplate what exactly is a "solution provider?"

In my 5+ years in the industry I've realized it's the behind-the-scenes services and organizational investments that differentiate a typical card issuer from a true payment solution provider.

When I reflect on what it takes to be viewed as best-in-class it's more than who can assign a limit and mail out a piece of plastic with a name on it. I've come to profoundly appreciate a solution provider differentiates itself by planning for every single angle of a client's need before they know they even have it. It's about an organization that properly balances & deeply understands the credit markets so they can profitably balance necessary risk with client demand. It's about an organization that makes the investments in back-office technology, support & training to deliver superb customer experience & flawless execution. It's about an organization that measures and rewards its employees in meaningful ways so they're equipped and motivated to drive customer satisfaction in tandem with overall organizational strategy.

So, business buzzwords aside, what does that actually feel like from a client card-holder perspective? It means we're poised to support you 24/7. Those frantic phone calls go directly to our award-winning servicing team to help work you track down lost luggage on a layover in Paris with your family. It means I reply to your early Saturday morning text when your assistant accidentally leaves their wallet with your card in a late night Uber. A true payment solution provider has an entire highly-trained team dedicated to answering those difficult calls from a mourning husband or wife who has just lost their spouse unexpectedly asking "what happens to their card now?"

 The point is all these situations happen—every day--and I can tell you not all card issuers are ready for these difficult tasks and painstaking conversations; they require the type of reassurance that only a team that has been there many times before can provide. We know these ordeals are very scary for our clients. Panic isn't a good feeling, but I can reassure you I'm constantly in awe of our internal teams of people with tremendous resources and centuries of experience working tirelessly behind-the-scenes to ensure there's someone there for you. I've seen these situations with my own eyes and heard the exasperated relief on the other end of the phone & genuine trust they give when we're able to take care of them. A payment solution provider is more than a company that mails you pre-approved offers with pieces of plastic bearing your name. A solution provider is more than someone who offers you more points. A solution provider fixes problems by finding solutions for even the most complex and sometimes downright painful life events.

 It's no secret American Express has been doing this or a very, very long time, but how and why is that? Simply put, I believe it's because we've got the experience, people, and resources it takes to know where, when, & how our clients will need us most.

 And that is why I'm proud to say I'm a true payment solution provider for my clients.