9. January 2010 by Chuck Bruney.

Creates Powerhouse Roster of Consulting Resources to Help Financial Institutions

Atlanta, GA., January 12, 2010 (Business Wire) – Align fsc, a consulting firm focused on helping financial services organizations achieve profitable growth, is pleased to announce the addition of five new consultants, including Russell Boyd, Chris Ensley, Karl Nelson, Peggy Bekavac Olson and Ron Remillard. These seasoned financial services executives bring broad knowledge and expertise to Align, creating a powerhouse of resources that can benefit financial institutions by assessing opportunities, focusing resources and optimizing results. “The financial services industry, and banking in particular, has taken quite a beating in the last year,” says Chuck Bruney, chief executive officer and founder of Align. “The addition of high caliber consultants to the Align team like Russell, Chris, Karl, Peggy and Ron strategically positions us as a key player in helping financial institutions emerge from the recession stronger, more focused and poised for growth in what is an increasingly complex and competitive environment.”

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14. September 2009 by Calvin Johnson.

Consumers are expected to spend at least $30 billion in 2012 using mobile devices equipped with use near-field communication technology, up from a projected $8 billion this year, according to a report issued last week by Juniper Research.

Juniper, of London, predicts that NFC-enabled devices will be widely available later this year and that they will be widely used for transactions in 2011.

NFC-capable phones can hold consumers’ payment card data and are used for contactless payments; they have been tested by several major banks and card networks.

Smart posters with NFC chips that enable people to download coupons, tickets and marketing information to phones will help to drive the popularity of NFC transactions, according to Howard Wilcox, a senior analyst at Juniper.

Owners of smart phones are already taking to mobile couponing. The use of coupons and marketing through NFC chips and posters will “change the face of shopping for quite a lot of people,” Wilcox said.

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28. August 2009 by Calvin Johnson.

A cash machine operator in Great Britain has introduced Cockney rhyming slang prompts and options to five of its ATMs in east London.  

Customers choosing the cockney option will be asked to enter their Huckleberry Flynn (PIN) and will then be able to select sausage and mash (cash) amounts such as a speckled hen (£10).The Bank Machine ATMs will then advise that they are contacting the user’s rattle and tank (bank) for approval.  

Ron Delnevo, MD, Bank Machine, says: “Whilst we expect some residents will visit the machine to just have a butchers (look), most will be genuinely pleased as this is the first time a financial services provider will have recognised the cockney language in such a manner.”

The option will be available - alongside plain English - for three months from today.

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27. August 2009 by Linda Bishop.

When a customer purchases a single service from your bank, what did they buy?Did they buy the service because it offered the right benefits at the right price?Or were they shopping for something bigger—a relationship with a financial partner who could assist them in achieving their goals?If they shopped for a single service, the good news is they bought it from you. The bad news is that you must resell Mr. or Ms. one-off every time they are ready to buy another product.To earn their business, you’ll have to prove once again you’re the best choice among available substitutes.If the customer purchased a service from you because they were shopping for a relationship, you’re in a much better spot. These customers define value differently. They won’t defect to save a few pennies and are more likely to stick with you for the long run.Here’s your selling challenge.How do you identify single purchase customers looking for a deeper relationship?To put it another way, how do you figure out which customers want to stop dating and get married? This is where personal selling helps you identify real opportunities. Put together a list of people buying a single service from you. Call or meet with them in person and ask five questions:

1. Why did you decide to purchases from us?
2. Are you happy with your choice?
3. Are you looking for a partner who can help you accomplish your long-term goals?
4. What are your long-term goals?
5. What do you believe will stop you from achieving them?

Armed with this information you know more about your customer, understand how they define value and are more likely to sell them something else.Better yet, your customer knows more about you.They know you care enough to ask these questions. They know you’re interested in their concerns.  Knowing that, it’s far more likely they will want a deeper relationship, even if they were only purchasing a single service to begin with.

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27. August 2009 by Linda Bishop.

One afternoon I sat in the drive-thru line at my bank waiting to make a deposit.There were three other cars spread among the open lines.  My turn came and i pulled up, placed my deposit into the cylinder, and pushed send.  My transaction whooshed into the bank.  The teller greeted me and we exchanged pleasantries.  As I waited for my receipt I glanced in my rear view mirror and counted two new customers in the queue.My brain had been idling along with my car, but with a jolt I came alert and recognized I was witnessing an overlooked selling opportunity for banks everywhere.

• How many customers do you serve in the drive-thru?

Let’s take a conservative estimate of 80 per day.Take those 80 customers and multiply them by 5 days a week and 52 weeks per year.80 X 5 X 52 = 20,800. That’s a big number!It represents 20,800 opportunities every year to cross-sell and up-sell. You won’t have to spend a penny to grab the customer’s attention becauseyou already have it. Drive-thru customers are a captured audience and asking them one quick question allows you to gauge interest in additional products and services.The teller could have asked any of these questions while I sat in a holding pattern.

• “Have you heard about our new auto loan program?”
• “We have a brand new high interest CD.  If you’re interested in putting your money  into a safe place, you should consider this.”
• “If you want to pay bills online, we can help you.”

Questions are more powerful than outdoor banners because they engage us at a deeper level and require us to think.McDonalds discovered the power of a question and increased their profits by training cashiers to smile and say……“Would you like fries with your order?”Often enough, customers answered, “Yes.”Build your business by training tellers to ask questions. If only 1% percent of drive-thru customers demonstrate interest you’re still ahead of the game because other than a little bit of training, this product promotion programcosts zero to implement.

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