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April 29, 2011: Take Me to Your Bank’s Channel Leader

Bank organization charts typically have lagged behind consumer and market forces. In many cases, banking units have been shaped by a “bricks-and-mortar” structure, reflecting vertical business lines such as retail, commercial, mortgage, trust and insurance, and supported by operations, compliance and IT.  Is it time for an extreme bank org-chart makeover? Industry analyst Terence Roche thinks so.

March 31, 2011: American Express enters digital payments race

PayPal, Visa and Mastercard beware: American Express has stepped into the digital payments arena in a big way with the launch this week with its new digital payment system called “Serve.” That’s the brand name American Express gave to the alternative payment provider Revolution Money, acquired in 2009.  The service will be targeting consumers (not just Amex cardholders) who currently rely on cash, check and debit cards.

February 28, 2011: Banks testing removal of “free” from free checking accounts

Some of the nations biggest banks are quietly testing new checking products and service-fee structures that portend a huge overhaul of basic checking accounts – changes that could quickly slice the “free” out of “free checking.” Find out what’s happening and if you should be concerned.

January 30, 2011: For complaining, the pen is mightier than the tweet

When you have a customer-service issue, are you more likely to call a 1-800 number (and get lost on hold), post a 144 character tweet (in hopes the company is actually listening), or write a letter to the head of the company (thinking it will never be read)? Find out tips about the art of the gripe.

December 29, 2010: What’s your bank’s brand position?

Speed? Quality? Location? Price?  Do these value propositions represent one of the 15,000 financial institutions you may bank with? The Financial Brand blog recently summarized the 15 most common brand positions.

November 29, 2010: Office email intrudes on holiday work-family balance

Fess up: Did you check your work email over the recent Thanksgiving holiday? If you did, you’re in good company (although maybe not in the good graces of your family or in-laws for doing so). A recent survey shows a majority (59%) of employed American adults check work-related emails during the holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Where you one of them?

October 20, 2010: How The Cloud is Reshaping the Sales Culture at Banks

For years, developing a sales and service culture at the branch level has been regarded as a banking holy grail of sorts. But toss in online channels for account opening and changing consumer expectations for speed and convenience, and bankers could have a virtual disconnect if they don’t address a cloud-based sales culture. Here are some early lessons from the trenches to compare the differences between branch and online interactions.

September 29, 2010: Guests Use Cell Phones as Mobile Hotel Room Keys

Lost your hotel room key? At select InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) properties, guests now can use their cell phones as electronic room keys, or a “mobile-based front-desk bypass solution,” as coined by industry observers.

August 30, 2010: Fighting Fraud on Debit Card Transactions Takes a New Twist

Here’s a message greeting customers of Bonneville Bank in Provo, Utah. “Alert! Due to the high amounts of fraudulent card activity in California, Florida, and Georgia, you will be required to use your PIN number for Debit Card transactions in these states.  No signature transactions will be allowed.” It’s potentially a “get tough on fraud” move that could be coming soon to a bank and debit card near you.

July 27, 2010: Digital Receipts Coming to Your Inbox Soon

How many times have you purchased something and lost your paper receipt somewhere between the checkout register and your car? New solutions are emerging that will offer digital files of your Point of Sale (POS) receipts that you can retrieve now or later via email or Smart Phone. This would come in particularly handy to facilitate an item’s return, exchange or warranty service—or to find that elusive expense-report receipt for your accountant.

June 29, 2010: Flying the Friendly Wi-Fi Skies

“The plane has now reached cruising altitude. Wi-Fi is now enabled.” For the gotta-be-connected-now road warriors and travelers, those will be welcome words from the flight deck.  Surfing at 30,000 feet is now much easier, thanks to Wi-Fi enabled planes. 

May 28, 2010: Online Banking Report Sheds Light on Consumer Sentiment

comScore’s State of Online Banking report reveals a few surprises, not all of them directly related to online banking.  Here are some of the top survey headlines about consumer sentiment toward financial institutions. The report, release in mid May, was based on survey results from more than 2,500 U.S. internet users.