Small Business Lending: Are Banks In or Out?
In the last week, the headlines of two articles appear to tell very different stories about prospects for small business borrowers and their lenders. One article states “Banks Ready to…
The Big Get Bigger . . . And Then What?
Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal offered a headline that most banks instinctively know: “Banking Whales Leave Minnows Behind.” The big are getting bigger while smaller banks risk becoming irrelevant to an…
Is Your Bank’s Strategy Good or Bad? v
Bankers should immediately read Richard Rumelt’s brilliant business book, Good Strategy/Bad Strategy. As the author states, his purpose is to wake the reader up “to the dramatic differences between good…
Consider Equipment Finance for Relationship Building and Growth
Many banks continue to approach their commercial customers with the same set of loan products. Many may be missing an opportunity to strengthen customer relationships by expanding their product set…
New Year’s Resolutions: Cut Costs, Change People
Last Thursday’s American Banker featured two side-by-side stories that senior bank management should read and consider: Susquehanna Bancshares announced that it was cutting 350 jobs, in part due to…
How to Reduce Costs in Retail and Business Banking
Executive Summary: FIC’s last newsletter discussed the importance of banks focusing on cost reduction if they are to generate strong earnings in 2012. This newsletter, written with the input of…
2012: Cost Reduction and Job Redefinition
Executive Summary: While banks know that they cannot “shrink to greatness”, generating improved earnings in 2012 begins with cost reduction and improved productivity. At a recent banking conference,…
Go to Where the Customers Are
In recent weeks, I have heard too often about how difficult it is for bankers to generate commercial loans. One problem for bankers is that they continue to fish in…
Why Banks Can’t Deliver . . . and How to Change Them
Last time, I wrote about why most banks fail in selling to and servicing the small business space. Among the reasons: Lack of a differentiating customer offer. Leading…
Why Banks Can’t Deliver
Next month, I am speaking at a small business banking conference on the topic “Why Banks Can’t Deliver What Small Businesses Want.” The fact is that many small businesses believe…