Capturing the opportunity of emerging affluent consumers By Donald H. Wood A few years ago, a large regional bank acquired a community bank. The community bank’s division that served the bank’s “mass affluent” customers—the group of nearly 50 million upper middle-class consumers who are moderately wealthy or fast on their way to becoming so—was included […]
Adapting branch networks to changing consumer preferences and behavior By Kevin Blair In taking stock of the current state of the bank branch, I’m reminded of the quote— “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Contrary to the countless media stories declaring otherwise—mobile banking is not the enemy of the bank branch. It’s […]
Consumers feel better about their community banking experiences By Kate Feather Consider your everyday professional experience confirmed: Consumers love the community bank experience—with their hearts, and not just their wallets.
Young, tech-toting consumers turn to branches By Katie Kuehner-Hebert The idea that tech-savvy Generation Y shuns branches is simply not true, according to the research firm Javelin Strategy & Research Inc. Contrary to some earlier perceptions, young people, while heavy users of remote and digital transactions, want to visit branches staffed with knowledgeable employees who […]
Consumer restlessness over megabank fees could be rising, again By Michael J. Blankenheim In a potential reprise of post-Wall Street crisis fury, consumer ire appears to be rising again over steeper, more frequent and seemingly arbitrary megabank fees, not to mention often persistently exasperating megabank service issues. According to a new survey by a bank […]
A new ICBA alliance with Kanaly Trust provides an alternative for underperforming trust and wealth management programs By Carol Patton Maximizing return on investments has never been more important, for both companies and individuals. So here’s a question to consider: Is your community bank’s trust department or wealth management program delivering the same level of […]
A new delivery model promises low-cost-investment entry into retail insurance By William Atkinson Retail insurance has long provided an opportunity for community banks to diversify their product lines and revenue streams, and generally become broader financial service providers in their communities. However, profitably developing an insurance agency has usually been a costly proposition.
From branch lobbies to drive-up ATMs, physical retail facilities should be major platforms for branding, marketing and cross sales By Katie Kuehner-Hebert Even if some online and mobile banking customers never set foot in a branch, branches and other retail outlets can still serve as some of the most important marketing and branding billboards for […]
