ING Cashes In On Brand Loyalty.

I'll admit, I got spooked out of a money market account a few months back. The wife has been talking about baby number two, the world has taken a turn for the unpredictable, and a little FDIC coverage was sounding pretty good. And I realized something that I should've admitted to myself long ago: I hated my bank. Banks these days seem more interested in drowning you in debt than helping you save your money. At some point they decided to get out of banking and into loan sharking.

But not ING. Since they launched in North America, ING has been a crusader of sorts against the typical bank. They actually encourage you to save. They don't bombard you with endless credit card and loan offers. I gave them a try, and so far I'm glad I did.

And their approach seems to be paying off these days as other banks are dropping like flies. This article in Ad Age sums it up in two words: brand loyalty. ING has invested in creating true brand evangelists, and they've stuck with the brand through the downturn. I wonder how many folks out there feel a personal bond with B of A?

For some background, check out Time's profile of Arkadi Kuhlmanm from last year, ING Direct's Man On A Mission. Yes, it really does pay to take care of your customers. Are you listening, banks? How bout you, airlines? Hello?