Banking: In Search of Relevance: A New Model for a New Reality

Over the past 30 years, banks have increasingly lost their relevance to the customer. Thinking that primarily focused on their internal needs, and not their customers', led to them to neglect emerging customer trends and created a space for new competitors to challenge their position. Consumers learnt many valuable lessons during the financial crisis at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, which coincided with the phenomenal rise of social media and consumer-orientated technology, such as smartphone and tablet apps. Uncertainty educated them about the need to gain control over their money and social media taught them the value of their personal data. Banks can no longer assume that they can use consumers' personal data without their approval. If regulators don't force banks to become more transparent, consumers certainly will. Banks continue to torture customers with push marketing techniques based on models with declining response rates, whilst ignoring the customers trying to buy across disconnected channels. Meanwhile, new lean non-bank competitors stalk banks, offering consumers compelling experiences by leveraging the new technology, a superior understanding of consumers' needs (as they are not hindered by legacy product or channel-based thinking) and better use of data. However, all is not lost for traditional banks that have lost relevance to their customers. Banking: In search of relevance outlines a new model to help regain relevance in the customer's eyes and discuss how banks might survive the impact of the consumer and technology shockwave. The book will appeal to any executive running a multi-channel financial services business, either B2C or B2B.