AI: The next tech disrupter
If you thought the pandemic was a major accelerator on the road to digital transformation, it will soon look like a blip compared to artificial intelligence. [Continue]
How to counteract ‘quiet quitting’ in the workplace
The phenomenon of “quiet quitting” in the workplace is growing in recognition. It often refers to workers fulfilling their job description duties while refusing to go above and beyond or invest emotionally in their work. [Continue]
Oversized deposit spreads aren’t compensating for undersized volumes
Executives who focus single-mindedly on cost of funds have missed the exit ramp, and it does not bode well for their organizations. With some art and some science, banks can de-commoditize deposits by segmenting deposit offers in more robust and differentiated ways than those deployed decades ago. Improved sales processes — and training for frontline staff that has not been imperative since 2009 — can differentiate a bank and bring in profitable funding, though higher-priced, without the detrimental impact of repricing the entire book with across-the-board rate increases. [Continue]
ICBA’s latest ThinkTECH cohort has a lot to offer
I’ve been following the trajectory of the Independent Community Bankers of America’s ThinkTECH program since its inception in 2018. It struck me as an excellent idea then, and year-over-year it has continued to shine a light on fintech startups providing services to community banks. [Continue]
How much economic cushion did big banks provide during the pandemic?
How much of a role did the nation’s largest and most important banks play in leading the economic recovery from the shock of the pandemic? Perhaps less than their advocates and some policymakers claim. [Continue]
What banks need to know following Kentucky mass shooting
The April 10 shooting that killed five employees at an Old National Bank branch in Louisville, Ky., shocked banks across the country and raised difficult yet necessary questions of how to recognize the signs of a potential shooter. [Continue]
Learning to balance AI usage with human instinct
Reading about big banks chomping at the bit to deploy AI in every space to save a few bucks is an opportunity for community banks to double down on their most resilient attribute: Actually caring about the well-being of their customers and communities. [Continue]
Tech lessons from a financial crisis
It might be easy to say, “That was a big bank, and we’re community banks. We’re different.” And while that’s true, there are certainly some aspects of the SVB failure that apply to banking across the board. [Continue]
Custodia offers deposit insurance innovation
At a time when some are calling for changes to the deposit insurance system, the Federal Reserve has shut the door on an option that seemed to be building momentum. [Continue]
The advantage of banking in flyover country
Here are some of the things that have struck me about the banking industry since the closings of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. [Continue]