BUSINESS PLANNING
“Not having a clear goal leads to death by a thousand compromises.”
Mark Pincus
Planning for the future is a consistent business practice evidenced in all high performance organizations. Looking beyond an annual budget develops a clear picture of desired outcomes for both managers and employees. Effective planning activities help establish focus, build team consensus and prioritize resource allocations.
CUSTOMER SURVEYS AND RESEARCH
“When our customers rate us better or worse than somebody else, it’s never very scientific, but it’s always disastrous if you score low."
Jack Welch
Customer survey results are a window into the minds of people who have decided to bank with you. Expanding your knowledge of their preferences, expectations and satisfaction levels can help structure growth strategies and modify company practices. Always begin by examining the strength of relationships with individuals and businesses that have selected you from a wide array of competitors.
MYSTERY SHOPPING PROGRAMS
"Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends."
Walt Disney
Well-designed mystery shopping programs achieve two important goals. The first is to provide an evaluation of the contacts customers have with the bank’s delivery channels…on the telephone, through technology-based delivery channels or in-person with a bank employee. This hands-on assessment allows you to see your service and corporate character through the perceptions of a customer. The second goal is to provide managers with a coaching opportunity to reward exceptional employee behavior or coach for improved performance.
Additional Mystery Shopping Programs
EMPLOYEE SURVEYS
“Talented, engaged and aligned people hold the key to creation of long-term value."
Dean Freeman
Corporate cultures are formed and reinforced in large part by how employees are treated and managed within an organization. Research projects confirm that customers will not be treated at levels above the treatment received by employees. As a result, examining your organization’s internal culture and employee engagement is essential to future success.
TRAINING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT
"If you think hiring someone, training them and having them leave is expensive, try hiring them, not training them and having them stay."
Unknown
Recent trends have migrated from employee training events to comprehensive staff development processes. The development of new managers and skilled workers is more important than ever. Creating the proper resources to enhance staff skills and effectiveness is an opportunity and potential competitive advantage.
ADVERTISING AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
“Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you made.”
Bill Bernbach
Advertising has always been a highly visible form of communication. As bank image building transitions to brand management, the strength, consistency and effectiveness of those communications becomes more important. A holistic approach to coordinating internal and external communications will produce the best results, and with the proper planning, save money as well.
Digital/Email Marketing Solutions
BRANDING AND LOGO DESIGN
“Branding is a function of your firm’s ability to deliver consistent experiences over time.”
Andrew Zolli
Building the identity of your organization’s value proposition is an integral part of brand management. Your brand is delivered in the form of a logo, positioning statement, financial solutions, customer service, ease-of-use, trade area reputation and, even the simplicity of your financial information. Efforts to orchestrate quality brand management will produce desired results at cost effective levels.
MARKET RESEARCH
“Research consists in seeing what everyone else has seen, but thinking what no one else has thought.”
Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Research methodologies are changing daily. The techniques that produced effective results for decades are being displaced by new, technology-based solutions and modified question structures. It is more important than ever to clarify the information you have to know to make strategic decisions and the information you simply want to know. From survey planning to data collection to applying the results to strategic decisions, it is important to include an industry expert in your research partnership.
