We got your number: 'Executive customer service' can get you better bank service

Pssst! ...

Want to know a secret? Banks actually have two customer-service departments. The one all of you are probably familiar with is regular customer service. But financial institutions also have what's called "executive customer service" - and these guys (and gals) can perform magic.

The blog Consumerist dedicated this post to a reader's experience with Chase's executive customer service. The short version: After being turned down by ordinary customer service when he asked for a lower rate, Chase's executive customer service department dropped the cardholder's APR from 26% to 9% for a year. He also got three months' worth of finance charges refunded.