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Have Low Rates Ruined Treasury Management?

May 2012

Treasury management remains an important line of business for commercial banks, but players need to adapt to a changing market, particularly in liquidity management.

Commercial Sales Productivity: Four Keys to Winning Market Share

April 2012

A concerted effort will be needed to strengthen the sales function in commercial banking, which is still overly reliant on the individual efforts of relationship managers.

From CBA Live 2012: The Rise of the Virtually Domiciled

March 2012

The second annual Novantas U.S. Multi-Channel Customer Survey shows that customer preferences, attitutes, and behaviors continue to shift away from branches into remote channels. This shift is visible for nearly all categories of activity, as enhanced technologies accelerate the migration of transactions and increase customer confidence in remote banking.

Virtual Customers — Who’s Minding the Store?

February 2012

Retail banking customers increasingly are skipping branch lobbies in favor of remote alternatives such as online banking. Are they receiving adequate management attention? Are retail banks overlooking a major segment of their customer base?

The Merger Trap

February 2012

At a time of massive overcapacity in the U.S. branch system, merger-based consolidation is once again being touted as an industry solution in pressing times. But are potential acquirers looking at a major opportunity or stepping into a major trap?

Buyer Beware

January 2012

As the revenue drought drags on in retail banking, regional players are facing growing pressure for another major round of merger-based consolidation. Based on a recent Novantas analysis of the entire U.S. branch system, about 16,000 outlets, or about 18 percent of the total, will either need to be closed or reworked over the next three years.

Avoiding Branch Fatalities

January 2012

A top banking performance challenge is dealing with impaired branch capacity. A strong market context will be needed in exploring ways to avert closures “at total loss.”

Practical Steps to Address the Crisis in Retail Banking

January 2012

Following basic measures to cope with the revenue drought, retail bankers face the steeper challenge of transforming their franchises to compete in a changed market.

Editor’s Letter: Confronting Retail Banking Challenges in 2012

December 2011

Retail bankers face a profound challenge going into 2012, in that the revenue outlook simply is not sufficient to support the expanded branch systems that were built prior to the recession.

Night of the Zombie Branches; Rescues Possible?

December 2011

Facing an overhang of failing branches, banks will need to take decisive action to avert closures “at total loss.” The key is basing decisions on local markets and networks.

Slash or Transform Retail Distribution?

December 2011

Banks that under-invest in a multi-channel future do so at considerable risk. New strategies are needed to balance branch cost reduction with distribution innovation.

Multi-channel M&A: Where do Branches Fit?

December 2011

To grow in a market that is only partially recovered, commercial bankers will need a set of focused initiatives that match strengths with select opportunities. As with other banking lines of business, much of the commercial opportunity for 2012 centers on gaining market share.

Risk and the Road Ahead: What Bank Directors Need to Know

December 2011

To cope with market volatility and heightened regulatory pressure, bank boards must play a much more proactive role in risk management.

Back to the Drawing Board for 2012

October 2011

As banks gear up for 2012, the problem is not just overcapacity, but obsolete capacity. Deeper cost cuts must fit within a larger plan to rebuild the business.

Avoiding a Sales Productivity Crisis

October 2011

Will branch staff cuts exacerbate the revenue crisis in retail banking? Much hinges on sales productivity. Leading banks are using four levers to meet the challenge.

Pricing for Opportunity in Home Equity Lending

September 2011

Advanced pricing skills will be critical as home equity lenders compete for selective growth opportunities going into next year.

Overemphasis on Coaching Kills Sales at Bank Branches

August 2011

Novantas recently surveyed banks about how branch managers spend their time and found that banks whose managers spend more time on direct selling than on coaching outsell other banks by more than 30%.

Editor’s Letter: Facing a Profoundly Changed Market

July 2011

The top priorities for banks this year will be transformative cost reduction and winning market share.

Reconstructing the Retail Banking Business

July 2011

Facing continuing revenue headwinds, retail banks will need transformative cost reductions to cope with the new realities of a challenging market.

Prioritizing for Growth in Commercial Banking

July 2011

To grow in a market that is only partially recovered, commercial bankers will need a set of focused initiatives that match strengths with select opportunities.

Commercial Customers: Coping with an Uneven Recovery

July 2011

In an uncertain market, winning commercial banks will use targeted strategies to gain market share and serve customers more fully, especially in mergers and acquisitions.

Wealth Management Strategies for Boomer Retirement

July 2011

A tidal wave of retiring households will be looking for critical assistance in managing resources, presenting significant opportunities for responsive banks.

Efficiency, Growth and Risk: Striking a Critical Balance

July 2011

As banks gear up for 2012, finance and risk managers will need to lead the charge in aligning future strategies with the changing circumstances that financial institutions face.

Threading the Needle for Consumer Loan Growth

July 2011

In elasticity-based pricing; cross-sell and account consolidation; and risk-adjusted returns, there are performance opportunities that can be realized next year.

U.S. Banking: A Challenging Road Ahead

July 2011

The “easy” part of the banking industry recovery is over. Facing a continued tight market, bankers now need to begin the hard work of reinvention and restructuring.

Fed Rule on Debit Interchange: Partial Relief at Best

July 2011

Although the blow to debit interchange will be less than feared, banks still face the challenge of recasting the overall retail payments line of business.

The Customer Connection in Branch Productivity

June 2011

In the quest to improve branch productivity, sustainable new arrangements can only be achieved through joint adaptations by banks and their customers.

Sparking Consumer Lending

June 2011

Winning retail banks will gain market share by consolidating household borrowings that often are splintered among multiple providers.

Core Deposits: Pricing for Retention & Expansion

June 2011

To strengthen the composition of deposit portfolios, leading banks are refining deposit pricing strategy for major customer groups.

Whitewater: Checking Fee Strategy for a Turbulent Market

May 2011

A selective approach will be needed to lift checking economics in a way that preserves the product’s contribution to household growth and retention.

Editor’s Letter: Revenue Jump Start

April 2011

As 2011 winds toward the halfway mark, the search is on for projects that will help improve banking performance in a challenging year.

Commercial Fee Growth: Breaking the Revenue Drought

April 2011

To grow fee revenues in a tight market, winning commercial banks will use a three-horizon “ONE” framework centered on optimization, new sales and expansion.

Deposit Strategy: Tighten for Today or Reposition for Rising Rates?

April 2011

To manage conflicting priorities, adept banks are parsing deposit strategy into a segment-by-segment exercise, based on the composition of the customer base.

Unlocking Liquidity Premiums

April 2011

While high liquidity premiums were entirely appropriate several years ago, they now are skewing bank funding incentives and lending competitiveness at many banks.

Regaining Revenue Altitude

April 2011

In a challenging market, there is a pressing need for projects that can deliver early results and also set the stage for further advances going into next year.

Relationship Expansion: Sharpening the Focus

April 2011

As the urgency grows to drive revenue growth, banks will get more lift from expanding customer relationships than from raising fees or cutting costs.

Making Sense of Mobile

March 2011

Banks need to do far more homework on customers before rushing to market with mobile applications. A strict appeal to Generation Y sensibilities could backfire.

Accelerating Branch Small Business Banking

March 2011

In an era of wrenching change for branch networks, small business banking has become a focal point for revenue growth and an outreach to priority customers and prospects.

The New Formula for Branch Productivity

February 2011

Retail branch banking has entered a period of radical change. Comprehensive strategies, as permitted by staff mapping, will be needed to transform the branch workforce.

Revenue Jump Start

February 2011

In a challenging year, proactive measures to boost the top line are preferable to a strict focus on cost control, and their benefits can easily extend into 2012 as well.

Branch Culture: Farewell to Order-Taking

January 2011

With free checking and product push on the wane, branch management must now turn its emphasis to building an authentic sales and relationship culture.

Editor’s Letter: Next Generation of Retail Banks

January 2011

Today’s transaction factories must evolve into hubs for deep customer relationships.

Consumers in Motion: Stepping Away from Branches

January 2011

A national consumer survey by Novantas shows that customers are broadly moving online for basic banking activities, yet still prefer the branch for high-value transactions.

Strategies for the New Future of Branch Banking

January 2011

Acute pressure for branch cost reduction is much more than a temporary operating challenge. Instead, new strategies will be needed for a permanently changed market.

Rebuilding Retail Distribution

January 2011

Preserving old-style branches will be of limited value in a permanently changed market. For renewal, winning banks will look to the future of multi-channel retail distribution.

Branch Small Business Specialists: No Slam Dunk

January 2011

As banks deploy more small business specialists across their branch networks, pressure is rising to make effective use of this expensive talent.

Transform the Branch Model — Before it’s Too Late

December 2010

The physical distribution network remains critical to banking, but old-style branches may soon go the way of the corner bookstore.

Mass Affluent Strategy: Tilting from Investments to Payments

December 2010

Bank investment products may never gain momentum with mass affluent customers. Yet this group has other major retirement needs that fall right into the strike zone for banks.

Rx for Cross-Sell: Customer Lifetime Value

November 2010

By considering the lifetime value of the customer relationship, progressive banks are re-focusing the cross-sell viewfinder on priority customer needs.

The Case for Building Customer Lifetime Value

October 2010

At a time when banks want to serve each customer as fully as possible, most don’t yet have a good grasp on priority household financial needs and the value of meeting them.

Editor’s Letter: Expanding Customer Relationships

October 2010

Seldom will a single bank be able to fulfill 100% of the customer’s financial services needs, but does that mean it should settle for the current average of about 15% to 20%?

The Portfolio Approach to Asset Allocation

October 2010

Advanced bankers are taking a much more comprehensive view of asset diversification, with emphasis on pragmatic insights that can be harnessed to support healthy growth.

Looking Beyond Products to Customer Lifetime Value

October 2010

In a continuing tight market, banks can no longer pump out an assortment of their very best products and rest assured that profits will come rolling in.

Linking Customer Behavior with Bank Financial Management

October 2010

The recent financial crisis has sparked a new level of collaboration between Treasury and customer-oriented business lines, centered on in-depth analysis of account behavior.

Small Business Banking: Setting the Agenda for Relationship Growth

October 2010

To win in a tight market for small business banking, institutions will need to serve the total customer relationship, including commercial and household financial needs.

New Strategies for Relationship Expansion

October 2010

As retail banks fight for growth through market share gains, executive management will need explicit strategies to cultivate fuller customer relationships.

The Relationship Approach to Retail Loan Growth

September 2010

As lenders fight for growth through market share gains, the competitive emphasis will tilt from pushing products to cultivating fuller customer relationships.

Debit Legislation: Rethinking Retail Payments Strategy

August 2010

Recent legislation likely will pummel debit interchange fees. Winning banks will develop new strategies and innovations that will improve customer segment responsiveness.

Editor’s Letter: Growth in a Post Recession Environment

August 2010

Having made great strides in stabilizing their recession-scarred portfolios, banks are now turning their sights to 2011, where the big question is revenue growth.

Renewing Home Equity Lending

July 2010

The new competitive dynamic requires a much more analytical understanding of markets and customers, plus a consultative and personalized interaction with each borrower.

Regional C&I Growth: Focusing to Win

July 2010

In a continuing tight market for middle-market commercial banking, a sharper focus on specific industry sectors will provide an edge for progressive regional banks.

A Cautious Outlook for Household Credit Demand

July 2010

In a languid credit recovery, winning retail banks will need superior skills in targeting, relationship management, risk-adjusted pricing and underwriting.

Gaining the Edge in a Tight Market

July 2010

As the industry moves beyond the subsequent market collapse, banks are wrestling with fundamental questions about growth strategy.

To Solve the Checking Problem, Solve the Household Cash Management Problem

May 2010

To successfully reposition checking and household financial services, banks should look beyond products and fees to solve the customer cash management challenge.

Rebooting the Checking Operating Model

April 2010

Facing a sharply reduced revenue cushion to compensate for losses, banks will need to be much more selective about how they operate critical aspects of the checking business.

The Hidden Life of Frequent Overdrafters

April 2010

Changing laws and regulations notwithstanding, many checking customers will continue to look to banks for help in dealing with account overdraft incidents.

Checking Evolution: Welcome to the Cash Management Account

April 2010

Monthly finances are out of control at many households. In turn, cash management must be the frame of reference in repositioning checking and household financial services.

Asset Allocation: Striking a New Balance between Risk and Reward

April 2010

Progressive bankers are taking a much more comprehensive view of asset diversification, with emphasis on pragmatic insights that can be harnessed to support healthy growth.

Catch-Up Game in Shadow Retirement Market

March 2010

U.S. households increasingly are making retirement investment decisions on their own, often placing nest-egg balances in different types of accounts at multiple institutions. And a huge chunk of that money has gone into everyday banking products.

Speech Analytics: The New Frontier of Call Center Performance Improvement

March 2010

Traditional staff performance measures won’t do at a time when call centers are hungry for measurable improvements in sales, service and customer retention.

Engaging Self-directed Retirement Investors

March 2010

At a time when households are reconsidering their retirement plans in a recovering market, banks cannot limit their role to one-off product sales.

Banking Strategies for the “Shadow” Retirement Market

February 2010

In a growing self-directed market, households have parked trillions of retirement dollars in everyday banking products. How can banks expand their role with these customers?

Commercial Realty Lending: Gloom but not Doom

January 2010

There’s more pain in store for commercial real estate lending, but a full-blown replay of the residential lending crisis isn’t likely.

Reg E: Turning the Tide on Opt-in Requirements

December 2009

Banks can substantially mitigate Reg E’s potential impact on customers and fee revenues.

The Coming Battle for Commercial Deposits

December 2009

As rates rise and government guarantees recede, many business depositors will begin to reconsider their options. How will commercial banks respond?

Checking: Rebuilding the Business Model in a Fee-constrained World

December 2009

As overdraft fees recede, so too must the subsidy of free checking accounts. How can banks restructure checking for broad-based account profitability and customer appeal?

From Cross-Sales to Cross-Defaults: Dealing with Multi-Account Credit Risk

November 2009

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. households are in arrears on multiple accounts with various individual banks, confounding product-by-product risk management practices.

Mortgage Crisis: Opportunity for Regional Banks?

November 2009

With superior brand strength and deep customer ties, alert regional banks can gain profitable market share amid the mortgage shakeout. Will they act in time?

Banks: Overlooking a “Shadow Retirement Market”?

October 2009

In an increasingly self-directed market, customers have tucked away trillions of retirement dollars into everyday banking products.

The Changing Role of the Call Center in Auto Insurance Direct Marketing

October 2009

As pressure builds on the call centers used for auto insurance direct marketing, a top priority is establishing a system of continuous improvement in sales effectiveness.

Cross-Sell Aftershock: Dealing with Multi-Account Household Defaults

September 2009

A single customer relationship can present credit exposure across all retail banking product lines. Can banks rise above splintered retail credit management practices?

Mending Home Equity Lending: Rx for Pricing

September 2009

In a post-collapse housing market, improved pricing is a major key in unlocking renewed healthy growth for home equity lenders.

Home Equity Pricing: Recalibrating for Growth in a Changed Market

September 2009

For home equity lenders, improved pricing is critical in achieving growth and risk-adjusted profitability in a post-crisis era when the rules have changed.

Branch Efficiency: Today’s Cuts vs. Tomorrow’s Growth?

July 2009

Traditional branch efficiency initiatives, while specific about short-term savings, often overlook new ways to think about markets, customers, services and technologies.

Fortifying Liquidity Management: Five Priorities in the Post-Bubble Environment

July 2009

Fortifying Liquidity Management: Five Priorities in the Post-Bubble Environment

Sales Effectiveness: The New Challenge in Auto Insurance Direct Marketing

June 2009

For new and established players in auto insurance direct marketing, a top priority is establishing a system of continuous improvement in call center sales effectiveness.

Checking 2.0: Rewriting the Contract with Customers

June 2009

As headwinds buffet the checking business, the time has come to develop a more sustainable business model that does not depend on penalty fees levied on a small subset of accounts.

Branch Efficiency Breakthroughs Part III of III: Solving for Operations & Technology

June 2009

To dodge the branch efficiency pitfalls related to operations and technology, progressive banks are examining the larger questions of process simplification and workload reduction.

Fresh Thinking on Branch Efficiency Part II of III: Solving for Formats

June 2009

To dodge the format—related pitfalls of branch efficiency improvement, progressive banks are examining the larger question of customer preferences.

Liquidity Risk: It’s Not Over Yet

June 2009

This is not only a time for continued vigilance, but also a time for sweeping review and modernization of bank liquidity management.

Golden Moment: Will Carriers Get Serious on Banking?

June 2009

At a time when the U.S. mortgage lending crisis has brought the banking industry to its knees, the market is wide open for alternative providers of credit and deposit products.

Branch Efficiency Breakthroughs Part I of III: Solving for Locations

June 2009

To dodge the location-related pitfalls of branch efficiency improvement, progressive banks are examining the larger question of local network strength.

Five Priorities for Fortifying Liquidity Management

June 2009

Instead of a tighter implementation of recent practices, the time has come for a thorough review and modernization of bank liquidity management.

Technology and the Science of Customer Retention

May 2009

Data accessibility, analytics, rules-driven workflow and process visibility can supply the capabilities insurers need to retain profitable customers.

Commercial U-Turn: Treasury Management over Loans?

April 2009

It will take a new kind of commercial banker to sustain sales growth with products other than loans, but there are specific actions that banks can take to speed the transition.

Proactive Card Strategy: The Economy, UDAP and Next Steps

April 2009

Beyond today’s crisis is a new market where up-front selectivity will be a defining factor in credit card competition. Analytically-based strategies will be essential.

In Tough Economic Times, Does Customer Satisfaction Matter?

March 2009

J.D. Power and Associates and Novantas have collaborated on a new research study that demonstrates how customer satisfaction affects retail bank growth and profitability. The initial findings from the study, while still preliminary, reveal that Customer Satisfaction is a significant and measurable contributor to retail bank financial performance.

Branch Franchise: Death by Cost Cut?

March 2009

Banks are entering an extended era in which smart expense reduction is a defining competitive factor. Losers will sacrifice profits and market share as well.

Sharpening the Focus in Customer Acquisition

March 2009

Despite a challenging market, a Novantas commercial banking survey reveals significant opportunities to improve middle market customer acquisition.

Credit Crisis: New Lines of Defense

February 2009

In a precarious market, traditional risk defenses need to be fortified with new analytical approaches that better identify — and anticipate — key patterns of customer behavior.

Mortgage Crisis: Opportunity for Regional Banks?

February 2009

With their superior brand strength and deep customer ties, alert regional banks can gain profitable market share amid the mortgage shakeout. Will they act in time?

Retail Deposits: Pricing to Win in a Tight Market

January 2009

Current intense pressures on the U.S. retail deposit business likely will persist for several more years.

Wealth Management: “Me Too” Won’t Win

December 2008

To win in an increasingly homogenized market, it is time for wealth management firms to begin organizing around prime customer segments.

Crunch Mode: Centering on Strengths in Corporate and Institutional Banking

December 2008

In today’s economy, business as usual will not be acceptable at many institutions.

Meeting the “Energy Crisis” in Retail Deposits

November 2008

To overcome a looming long-term scarcity in retail deposits, fresh innovations will be needed in product development, retail distribution and deposit pricing.

Fighting the Fires in Home Equity Lending

November 2008

To cope in a treacherous market, progressive home equity lenders are reorienting their strategies to the theme of capitalizing on customer differences.

Funds Transfer Pricing: Cracking the Code on Deposit Valuation

November 2008

To get back on track in a radically changed deposit market, progressive banks are using a three-step process to rethink funds transfer pricing.

Commercial Banking: Lock Down or Reposition for Growth?

October 2008

Progressive commercial bankers are finding ways to reposition for the challenging new competitive environment while avoiding self-defeating cutbacks.

NQDC: A Changed Market now that Simpler is Better

October 2008

After years spent building complex capabilities for non-qualified deferred compensation plans, providers are facing retrenchment as the pendulum swings to simplicity.

Home Equity Lending: Moving to Higher Ground

September 2008

The retail sophistication that seemed not to be needed in the roaring home equity lending market of a few years ago now is becoming indispensable in digging out from the crisis.

Insurance and Banking: Oil and Water?

September 2008

Successful growth strategies are all about specificity in identifying the most receptive customer groups and likely product combinations.

Deposit Pricing: Keys to Winning in a Tight Market

September 2008

As shown in a 25-bank study by Novantas, advanced pricing capabilities are critical in tapping pockets of opportunity within the overall market.

The Earnings Credit Rate: Gain the Advantage

September 2008

Leading banks are bringing new analytical insights to ECR, both to capture margin and to protect — or even grow — commercial DDA balances.

Small Business: Shifting Gears to Deposits

August 2008

To assist small business banking officers in winning deposits and selling fee-based services, leading banks have made it a top priority to dramatically improve customer and market intelligence.

Commercial Carriers: Cracking the Code on Small Business

August 2008

There is a growing question as to whether commercial carriers have fully established a strategic center of gravity in the small business market.

Commercial Deposit Pricing: Optimizing Through Analytics

August 2008

Banks need a framework that is not only built on sound strategy but also able to support consistent, fact-based decision making.

Small Business Bankers: Life Beyond Loans?

July 2008

Using concepts drawn from consumer banking, progressive players are bolstering their small business banking operations using advanced market analytics.

Marketing Meltdown

July 2008

As traditional marketing campaigns falter in a soft market, leaders are embracing targeted initiatives based on priority locales, customers and products.

Deposit Pricing in a Turbulent Market

May 2008

While there’s no single lever that can be pulled to improve deposit profitability, there are many possibilities for focused pricing initiatives.

Debit’s Innovation Imperative

May 2008

To thrive in intensifying debit card competition, retail banks will need much more than a random assortment of product initiatives.

Targeting for Growth

March 2008

As markets sputter, bank wealth management teams are taking a fresh look at interdivisional growth strategies based on target customer segments.

Marketing Science: The New Chemistry in Middle-Market Commercial Banking

February 2008

Banks can use analytically based strategies to improve relationship manager productivity.

Wealth Management: Engine or Ornament?

January 2008

As markets sputter, it’s time for banks to take a fresh look at their wealth management strategies — and possibilities with core customers.

Proprietary Bank Funds: Time to Sell?

January 2008

Now is the time when many banks should reevaluate the future of their asset management units.

Promise and Peril in Overseas Expansion

January 2008

U.S. carriers must go beyond their domestic strategies to succeed in growing-yet-turbulent emerging markets in India and China.

Four Keys to Sustaining Home Equity Lending

December 2007

In a tight market for home equity lending, winners will learn to out-maneuver rivals in the critical arena of customer interaction.

New Marketing Strategies for Orphan Accounts

November 2007

By marrying internal analysis with market information, carriers can better reach customers who are left stranded when agents depart.

Wooing the Wealthy

September 2007

Market conditions signal that it’s time for many banks to rethink their commitment to the wealth-management business.

The CFO’s New Role in Merger Revenue Synergy

September 2007

Financial teams are playing key roles in identifying and realizing new types of revenue-based M&A performance improvements.

Call Center Crisis: Acquiring the Right Staff

August 2007

The marketing principles used to acquire and retain customers should now be used to improve call center staffing.

Rethinking the Branch Role in Wealth Management

July 2007

Facing unexpected headwinds in selling investment products through branches, many banks should reconsider their options.

Cutting Costs without Cutting Customers

June 2007

By refining branch technology, staffing and network configuration, banks can improve both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

El canal telefónico incrementa la capacidad comercial

May 2007

Una estrategia de crecimiento basada exclusivamente en un aumento de la red de oficinas llevará a la entidad bancaria a perder capacidad de maniobra comercial y a debilitar su posición de fuerza en sus mercados naturales.Para crecer rápido y con éxito es preciso moverse en los canales alternativos. En concreto, el canal telefónico se puede transformar en un poderoso instrumento para aumentar el valor de la entidad y acelerar su crecimiento, ya que ofrece ventajas cuantitativas y cualitativas sobre el resto de los canales alternativos.

El canal telefónico, clave para el crecimiento bancario

May 2007

Una estrategia de crecimiento basada exclusivamente en un aumento de la red de oficinas llevará la entidad bancaria a perder capacidad de maniobra comercial y a debilitar su posición de fuerza en sus mercados naturales. Para crecer rápido y con éxito es preciso moverse en los canales alternativos.

Overlooked Avenues: Elevating Staff Ability to Manage Complexity at the Point of Sale

April 2007

As retail complexity soars, the IT group can play a major role in improving dialogue management and staff proficiency.

Front Line Farce

April 2007

The time has come to apply the principles of marketing science to branch workforce management.

The Complexity Conundrum

March 2007

By improving proficiency and prioritization, retail bankers can take greater advantage of complex products and services at the branch point of sale.

Branch Networks Under Pressure

February 2007

Leading banks will improve local responsiveness and front line performance to surmount a tight market in 2007.

Debit Cards on the Offensive

February 2007

Successful marketing of debit cards hinges on targeted payments innovations for specific customer segments.

Revitalizing Branch Sales in a Tough Market

December 2006

The big slowdown in retail banking has increased the urgency to make the most of each sales opportunity.

Distinctiveness is Not an Ad Campaign

November 2006

Standing out from the crowd requires an emotional connection with customers, backed by a select blend of strengths.

Managing Complexity for Advantage

November 2006

Most of the largest institutions in the retail banking industry have moved to a sophisticated branch sales model that is intended to be more personalized and better able to win the customer’s total business.

Sustaining Client Relationships: Commercial Lender As Trusted Advisor

August 2006

What is the connection among trust, competitive success and profitability in commercial banking?

Plugging the Gaps in Customer Retention

July 2006

Quelling hidden customer churn presents a huge opportunity for retail bankers.

Smart Mergers

June 2006

Cost reduction is yesterday’s news. New M&A strategies must be grounded in revenue enhancement.

Merging for Growth

April 2006

The new winners in banking consolidation will emphasize regional responsiveness as a path to revenue growth.

Stop Free Checking’s Free Fall

December 2005

By addressing fundamental performance issues, banks can improve free checking and the deposit business overall.

It’s Time to Manage Banking Regions as a Portfolio

December 2005

By capitalizing on differences among regions, retail banks can achieve top-tier results.

Fighting the New Deposit War

December 2005

Coping with rising rates and margin pressure will require tactics that resonate with larger customer needs.

Specialization and the Deposit Business: Implications for Growth and Market Share

November 2005

To combat specialists, network banks must learn to tailor offers for major customer segments.

Hidden Shoals in Home-Equity Lending

October 2005

In a tightening market, home equity lenders must elevate their sophistication in pricing and product management.

The Portfolio Approach for Managing the Multi-regional Franchise

September 2005

By capitalizing on differences among regions, retail banks can achieve top-tier results.

Beyond the Failsafe Point: In Search of Targeted Solutions in Retail Banking

August 2005

In a tight market, retail banks must capitalize on distinctive differences among customers.

Sales Growth: Overlooking the Obvious?

August 2005

The crucial details of the sales process can no longer be left to chance.

The Science of Pricing in Middle Market Commercial Lending

May 2005

Beyond lending’s costs and risks are customer perceptions of value — the “sticker price” of credit.

The New Survival Skills

February 2005

In a tepid and unbalanced market, banks must tap special pockets of opportunity to excel.

Setting the Sticker Price for Credit

February 2005

Middle market lenders must learn to incorporate customer demand into pricing strategy.

What’s Eating Morgan Stanley?

January 2005

The challenges facing Morgan Stanley are emblematic of investment banking overall.

Credit Disconnect

December 2004

Credit card issuers should incorporate the best marketing practices into collections.

The Rise of the Discount Bank: Tapping the Overlooked Utilitarian Customer Base

December 2004

To rebuff the “discount banks,” major institutions must reach out to utilitarian customers.

End of the Line for Monolines?

November 2004

As consumer lending cools, monoline financial services companies need to build wider bridges to customers.

The New Language of Consumer Behavior

October 2004

In the age of the informed consumer, retail companies must work harder to deliver precisely what people want.

Balancing Act

July 2004

Growing revenues via mergers requires both centralized skills and local responsiveness.

The Measurement Trap

June 2004

Same-branch growth metrics can pinpoint problems, but only customer insights will solve them.

Same Branch Growth: Implications For a Changing Strategic Landscape

May 2004

A deeper grasp of major customer groups is needed to realign branch capacity.

The Relationship Factor

April 2004

Great advantages can be gained by incorporating relationship insights into product design and pricing.

A Banking Tsunami?

January 2004

Merger partners need more focused and distinctive strategies for top results.

Keep the Banking System Whole

January 2003

Amid internal cutbacks and regulatory reforms, the benefits of Wall Street investment research should be preserved.

Hyper-Differentiation Strategies: Delivering Value, Retaining Profits

January 2003

Product differentiation is growing in importance as the cost of customization falls and the market rewards increase.

It’s Not Easy Being Green. A Young Industry Faces Its Biggest Test.

October 2002

To leverage web relationships, e-brokerages should expand their menu of online services.

Pricing With Precision

October 2002

To boost the retail deposit business, banks should adopt a scientific approach to pricing.

Account Aggregation and Small-Business Banking

January 2002

For many customers, the main value of account aggregation stems from an accompanying transactional capability.

Fail Early and Often

December 2000

To extract the benefits of innovation and limit its risks, companies need to elevate testing to a science.

Will New Financial Technology Increase Relationship Anxiety?

October 2000

As institutions offer more online information, they must offer more e-product choices as well.

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