People are frequently drawn to a credit card because of the signup bonus or the ability to earn rewards for their purchases. But to get you to become a lifelong customer, it's all about great service.
When you have an issue, you want to be able to get on the phone, and talk to a real person to come up with a solution. It doesn't matter if you're curious about how a benefit on your card works, or you're stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire. Of course, when it comes to customer services, some cards are ahead of the rest.
Just be sure to read the full card agreements when trying to find a credit card that's right for you. Plus, you'll want to check your credit to get an idea if you can qualify. (You can do so by viewing two of your free credit scores, updated every 14 days, on Credit.com.)
Having said that, here are three credit cards that are decidedly cardholder-friendly.
1. Discover It
According to a 2016 J.D. Power credit card customer satisfaction survey, Discover ranked the highest for credit card customer satisfaction for the third year in a row. The criteria is made up of six different factors and three of them that stand out are; benefits and services, interaction, and problem resolution. Discover has taken great strides to demonstrating customer service is a priority: Each of its customer service representatives is located within the U.S. and when you have a problem, you are able to talk to a real person, not a machine.
The Discover it card (see full review here) also has quite a few customer-friendly perks. As a cardholder, you will not be charged a late fee when you are late paying your bill the first time. Plus, if you are late, you will not be assessed a penalty annual percentage rate (APR).
In addition to these benefits, you will be able to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases in different categories each quarter. Other purchase will receive 1% back. As a little extra perk, Discover it is currently matching all the cash back you earn during the first 12 billing cycles at the end of that year. As a new cardholder, you receive an introductory 0% APR for 14 months on both purchases and balance transfers. Once the introductory period has ended, the APR will become a variable 11.24% to 23.24%, depending on creditworthiness. The card carries no annual fee.
2. Blue Cash Preferred Card From American Express
For quite some time, American Express has been known to have stellar customer service — which is evident with their Blue Cash Preferred Card (see full review here). One of the benefits that Blue Cash Preferred cardholders receive is 24/7 roadside assistance. That means, if you're stranded at the side of the road and need a jumpstart, a flat tire fixed, or towing, you can call and American Express will arrange service for you.