The new Zync from American Express is the first credit card of it’s kind that let’s applicants choose a “lifestyle pack” that fits them and their purchase habits best. American Express lets you choose one of the following lifestyle packs:

Go Pack - Earn double points on eligible airline tickets and enjoy car rental discounts when you book through American Express Travel. Car rental discounts up to 25% are available from Avis, Budget and Hertz. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and the annual cost is just $25.

Social Pack - Earn double points at qualified resturants and on qualified concert, movie and show tickets. Applicants will also be automatically enrolled to receive emails for advanced ticket access and other benefit information. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and the annual cost is just $25.

Connect Pack - Earn double points on eligible cell phone, cable, broadband and internet services through qualified providers. Applicants who choose this pack will also be eligible to receive 25% discount on the number of Membership Rewards points require for redemption of cell phones and other electronic communication devices. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and the annual cost is just $25.

Eco Pack - Earn double points on eligible purchases at select green merchants rated by Greenopia®. Greenopia selects and rates merchants based on their impact to the environment. Applicants who choose this pack will receive discounts of 25% when redeemed for qualified eco-friendly merchandise and carbon offsets. American Express will also donate $1 to TerraPass to fund reductions in carbon emissions at dairy farms and landfills. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and there is no annual cost.

The Zync from American Express credit card has an annual fee of $25 and features all of the standard cardmembers benefits of an American Express card: Memberships Reward points on every purchase, car rental insurance and road side coverage, and purchase protection. Purchases made through the Bonus Points Mall earn triple points on every purchase with over 250 retailers and all balances must be paid in full each month.

We are pleased to announce the re-release of three American Express credit cards. The highly sought after Blue cards from American Express are once again available on our website and the feature the same great reward programs or cash back. The following Blue cards are now available:

• Blue Cash from American Express - Earn up to 5% cash back
• Blue from American Express - Earn Membership Rewards on every purchase
• Blue Sky from American Express - Earn airline miles or travel rewards on every purchase

Each of the cards also feature a 0% APR for 6 months on purchases and exclusive American Express cardholders benefits.

Last week, J.D. Power and Associates released their 2009 Credit Card Satisfaction Study with results of what customers really think about credit card issuers. The results weren’t surprising as most customers this past year have seen rate increases, fee increases, credit lines slashed or accounts closed completely. As a result of the economy, credit card issuers have been forced to cover rising defaults and losses. Customers haven’t responded well to the recent changes and credit card issuers have seen their customer satisfaction ratings plummet.

In fact, the J.D. Power and Associates survey found that the customer satisfaction level has reached a three-year low. Michael Beird, J.D. Power and Associate’s director of banking, said, “Overall satisfaction declines 86 index points when a customer incurs a late fee. Issues with fees also contribute to the high incidence of problems and complaints in 2009, with 18 percent of customers reporting problems, compared with 10 percent in 2008.”

In 2008, only 10 percent of customers reported that their fees and rates were increased. That number has almost doubled in one short year. That’s right…20 percent of credit card customers now say that they have seen an increase in credit card fees and rates. But, does the type of customer affect satisfaction?

Absolutely.

The survey found that those who are among the unhappiest are those credit card holders who do not pay off their credit cards in full each month. Credit card customers who carry a balance from month to month gave credit card companies the lowest ratings. American Express ranked highest in customer satisfaction for the third straight year with an index score of 761. Discover Card and National City came in second and third with index scores of 751 and 740, respectively.

So, what have these companies all done well? Customers reported being satisfied with credit card companies when they received consistent communication from the creditor. Even when a fee or rate increase did occur, customers reported being satisfied 97 percent of the time when they received notification of the increase beforehand.

Although customers are not overly satisfied with credit card companies currently, there is one thing credit card issuers can do to keep customers happy. Communicate. Credit card companies need to keep their customers informed and customers need to do their part by staying informed. Customers can actively participate in the communication process by researching different credit cards and educating themselves before applying.

Surely, the level of overall credit card satisfaction will increase when well-informed customers team up with credit card companies who communicate.

Have you had a good or bad experience with your credit card issuer this past year? Give us your feedback.

What if you didn’t have to pay your credit card company? What if they paid you instead? A new phenomenon has hit the credit card industry. Who is at the forefront of this phenomenon? None other than American Express.

American consumers got pretty used to paying credit card companies. They would pay the credit card company by way of interest payments, extra fees, late payments, etc. But, American Express has started a new program that has begun paying its customers.

American Express is offering select cardholders the opportunity to earn $300 from them. What’s the catch? They have to pay off the remaining balance on their American Express credit card in full and close the account.

AMEX has not released the number of cardholders that have been offered this incentive. Several weeks ago, these cardholders received letters in the mail explaining the voluntary program. Along with each letter was a RSVP “code.” When this code is submitted online, the AMEX card is automatically canceled.

So, how long do these select American Express cardholders have to take advantage of this offer? They have until the end of April. By that time, the entire balance of their credit card needs to be paid off. Once it is paid off, they will receive a $300 prepaid American Express gift card in the mail.

Here’s another catch to consider. AMEX members who do not pay off their credit card balance by the end of April will not receive the $300 gift card and their credit card accounts will still be automatically closed.

Molly Faust, an American Express spokesperson said, “The intention is to help cardholders lower their debt and encourage responsible management of their credit.” Consumers really shouldn’t expect anything less from the credit card company that consistently ranks highest in terms of customer satisfaction. While other credit card companies seem to be looking out for themselves, American Express is still focused on the customer.

Members who decide to take advantage of this incredible offer will pay off their balances at their normal, usual interest rate. Similarly, any member who participates in this offer and who has accumulated rewards through their reward program must cash in their points before initiating the cancellation process. Once the cancellation process has been started, all accumulated reward points will be forfeited.

If you have an American Express card, it might be beneficial to look into this offer. The enrollment deadline is February 28, so act now!