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Banking Survey About Small Business

Posted by Wendell Brock on Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Survey Provides Insight for Serving Small Business Customers

The J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Small Business Banking Satisfaction StudySM shares insight on serving small business banking customers to create differentiation and grow revenues.

Small business customers represent revenue opportunities for banking institutions, particularly if the bank can obtain the personal banking relationship as well. The survey finds that small business owners’ average value exceeds the consumer average by $31,000 or 66 percent. Further, highly satisfied small business customers create about 20 percent more revenue for the bank relative to less-satisfied customers. The difference in annual revenue dollars, according to the survey, is $675 per customer.

Unlocking this extra revenue per small business customer requires a strong commitment to relationship management. The survey finds that higher levels of satisfaction are associated with:

  • Assignment of an account manager to every small business customer
  • Completion of a needs assessment
  • Account managers who proactively reach out to customers throughout the year
  • Account managers who focus on quick resolution to problems
  • Account managers who closely manage the credit process

Economic woes weighing on small business

The survey estimates that 48 percent of small business customers are negative about the economic outlook. Downbeat business owners have special needs with respect to banking. In particular, they generally appreciate working with a proactive banker who demonstrates a thorough understanding of their business and its needs. The J.D. Power survey establishes a link between the completion of a needs assessment at the beginning of the relationship and the customer’s belief that his banker “understands” the business. Sadly, only 45 percent of small business customers report that their banker has a complete understanding of the business.

Communicate to create upsell opportunities

Proactive communication is also important. Regular interaction between the account manager and small business customer can minimize misunderstandings about fees and services. It also helps the banker identify opportunities to provide the customer with additional business or personal banking services. The goal is to help the customer manage his business and personal finances more efficiently, while creating revenue opportunities for the bank. To fulfill that goal, the banker must a trusted advisor who maintains regular contact.

Manage new loans for higher satisfaction

Many small business customers are currently concerned about obtaining the funds they need to manage through this economic downturn. The J.D. Power survey reports that account managers who focus on streamlining the loan funding process tend to score higher on small business customer satisfaction metrics. Account managers who can identify a lending need and then move the customer through the application and funding process quickly add value and generate customer loyalty.

The survey also notes that small business account managers do not have to be high-level bank employees to be effective. Lower-level service personnel are able to achieve very high satisfaction scores, particularly when they focus on communication, quick problem resolution, and efficient loan funding.

See the video overview of the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Small Business Banking Satisfaction Survey here: http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/library/videos.aspx?localID=286679 and read the press release here: http://businesscenter.jdpower.com/news/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2009227

Topics: Banking, banker's survey, Commercial Banks, Building Smarter Banks, Deposit Growth, Deposits

Grow Remote Deposit Capture

Posted by Wendell Brock on Wed, Mar 17, 2010

Promoting and growing Remote Deposit Capture (RDC) within your institution requires a commitment from top management. The enthusiasm and support system for the RDC Program must radiate from top management all the way through the institution to include the frontline tellers. RDC success includes the following seven elements:

  1.  Perpetual focus and commitment from the top down;
  2.  Ongoing education of employees and customers;
  3.  A central contact person who has taken ownership of the RDC Program with a passion for its success within the organization;
  4.  Consistently applying techniques and ideas outlined in this article;
  5.  Established target goals and an action plan that are reviewed at regular meetings;
  6.  Holding individuals responsible for targeted growth; and
  7.  A marketing and sales program.

Remote Deposit Capture can be known by many different names including: Remote Deposit, Personal Capture, Merchant Capture, or Corporate Capture. What name is your financial institution going to use or are you going to develop a new flashy marketing name? Either way people need to know what it is and how it works to properly implement the service in the bank. We suggest that you stick with the standard Remote Deposit Capture this will avoid confusion when customers call.

Growth of RDC will help keep customers happy, safe and more profitable. RDC is one of the greatest time savers a business could implement in regards to its banking relationship. By not needing to go to the bank to make a deposit keeps employees safe. They can make the deposit in the office, and it saves drive time to the bank and back, (let alone keeping another car off the road, it's good for the environment). So, as banks promote paperless statements - they can also promote green deposits by using RDC.

RDC is the future. Banks that have a good working relationship with its personal and business customers can make it stronger with RDC. Some banks allow customers to use basic scanners to make deposits - not needing any special equipment - makes the process easier and less expensive to implement. Less cost means more profit for both the customer and the bank. As we deal with more and more electronic transactions, will RDC be the standard for old fashion paper checks?  Everything we read and hear, it is moving that direction

To learn more about RDC and ideas about how to grow it in your institution download our FREE white paper by clicking HERE.

Author: Carolyn C. Dowdy, President of Bank Project Solutions
http://bankprojectsolutions.com/

Topics: bank customers, Compliance, Deposit Growth, Deposits, Growth, Grow, Remote Deposit Capture

FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile Highlights

Posted by Wendell Brock on Thu, Mar 20, 2008

By Wendell Brock, MBA, ChFC

Today the FDIC issued the Fourth Quarter 2007 banking profile, which contained very mixed results on a slippery slope. The industry as a whole is struggling through the latest national economic tidal wave of debt problems from the sub-prime termoil to an over leveraged derivative market. So the banks are squeezed between tougher regulation enforcement, higher deposit rates, lower net interest margins, larger loan loss reserves, higher charge off and noncurrent accounts, growth in deposits, etc. The following are some key highlights.

Widespread earnings weakness occurred in more than half the institutions - "51.2% reported lower net income than in the 4th quarter of 2006. One out of four institutions with assets greater than $10 billion reported a net loss for the fourth quarter." During the 4th quarter interest rates fell, which increased downward pressure on Net Interest Margins (NIM), making it the lowest quarterly NIM since 1989.

Total earnings for banks were off by 27.4% for all of 2007, which was a decline of $39.8 billion to $105.5 billion. This is the first time since 1999-2000 that annual net income declined. Only 49.2% of insured institutions reported improved earnings in 2007 - the lowest level in 23 years. Unprofitable institutions reached a 26 year high of 11.6% at the same time the ROA was the lowest in 26 years at 0.86%. This is the first time since the mid 1970's that noninterest income has declined - it fell by 2.9% to $233.4 billion.

2007 fourth quarter net charge offs spiked nearly 100% to $16.2 billion over the same quarter in 2006 which had $8.5 billion. This increase has regulators very worried. In mid 2006 the amount of noncurrent loans (loans which are 90 days past due) began an upward movement, this loan pool continued to swell by $26.9 billion, a increase of 32.5% during the 4th quarter of 2007. "The percentage of loans that were noncurrent at year-end was 1.39%, the highest level since the third quarter of 2002." This has prompted banks to put more away in their Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses (ALLL). The ALLL reserve ratio rose from 1.13% to 1.29% during the quarter; however it was not enough to cover the increase in noncurrent loans. "At year end, one in three institutions had noncurrent loans that exceeded reserves, compared to fewer than one in four institutions a year earlier."

Equity capital increased by $25.1 billion or 1.9%; at the same time the leverage ratio fell to 7.98% down from 8.14%. "In contrast, the industry's total risk-based capital ratio, which includes loss reserves, increased from 12.74% to 12.79%." In the end 99% of all insured institutions, which represents more than 99% of industry assets, met or exceeded the highest regulatory capital requirements. During this same time, banks were lending money - asset growth continued strong - assets increased by $331.8 billion or 2.6% during the quarter. Because of the high increase in noncurrent loans, examiners have been watching closely the concentrations of bank portfolios in commercial real estate. In spite of the construction slow down, the number of banks that have a high concentration of construction lending increased from 2,348 to 2,368. A high concentration of commercial real estate loans in a bank's loan portfolio is defined when that part of the loan portfolio exceeds the bank's total capital.

Deposits grew to record levels during the 4th quarter. Institutions saw an increase of $170.6 billion or 2.5%, the largest quarterly increase ever reported. "The industry's ratio of deposits to total assets, which hit an all time low of 64.4% at the end of the 3rd quarter, rose slightly to 64.5% at year end."

For the year, Trust Assets increased an amazing $2.6 trillion or 13.4% for managed accounts and $68.6 billion or 1.6% for non-managed accounts. "Five institutions accounted for 53% of the industry's net trust income in 2007."

In 2007, there were only three bank failures, this is the most since 2004 - this ended the unprecedented run of no bank failures (there was only one failure in the 4th quarter). The two-year term was the longest in the FDIC's history. During the quarter, there were 50 de novo banks, which brought the total for the year up to 181 new institutions. Mergers in the 4th quarter slowed down to 74 for an annual total of 321 banks merged out of existence. The regulator's problem bank list grew to 76 banks, up from 65 at the close of the 3rd quarter. The total assets of these problem banks are $22.3 billion, up from $18.5 billion at the end of the 3rd quarter. The total FDIC insured institutions ended the year at 8,533 down, slightly from 8,559.  For a complete copy of the report see request for a white paper.

By:
Wendell Brock, MBA, ChFC
Principal
De Novo Strategy
www.denovostrategy.com


Topics: FDIC, Bank Mergers, Quarterly Banking Report, Deposit Growth, De Novo Banks, Noncurrent loans, Commercial Bank

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