The Finanser’s Week: 8th October – 14th October 2012

Our biggest stories of the past week are ... 

This week featured a five part series on
the future of the bank branch:

Part
One: One
banker knows his industry is trashed, and here's his plan

I often present around the depressed state
of the banking markets. Usually, it’s a political and economic overview of the
banking system that shows the issues of regulatory change, customer trust and
systemic risk. So I was surprised and amused...

Part Two: Do
banks need branches?

We had a great debate at the Financial Services Club last night, picking up on
that perennial debating point: do banks need branches? In the pro-branch corner
were Anthony Thomson, Chairman of Metrobank and Ron Whatford, former Chief
Experience Officer...

Part Three: Why
you really need a bank branch

Part Four: Building
a customer advisory bank 

Reflecting on the debate about bank branches yesterday, a point did not get
discussed that is actually one of the most challenging. I was given this
challenge myself when, working with a client who is launching a direct bank,
they...

Part
Five: A
truly social bank advisor is the key

This week has been fascinating with lots of
discussions about branch versus no branch and financial advisor versus product
seller. I was going to leave it at that, but feel one final blog post worthy of
discussion and this is...

The
future of the cash machine

I’ve blogged about the cash machine of the future before, with BBVA coming up
with the idea of side-facing screens. Very nice too. Recently I saw some other
variations of the cash machine, such as the new video ATMs being...

 

The major general news stories of the past week include ... 

NatWest
suspends Get Cash app - BBC

NatWest has temporarily suspended a mobile
phone application which allows customers to withdraw cash from cash machines
without their cards.

NatWest
admits app fraud problem - BBC

NatWest bank has admitted that fraud is behind
its decision to suspend a mobile phone application which lets customers
withdraw cash without a debit card.

Barclays
changes branch bonuses - BBC

Barclays bank is changing the way it awards
bonuses to 18,000 staff in High Street branches and call centres.

Banking
giant Barclays agrees to buy ING Direct UK - The Independent

Banking giant Barclays has agreed to buy
savings and mortgage business ING Direct UK in a deal that will see it add
another 1.5 million customers.

American
Express and Walmart Launch Bluebird - Payments News

Walmart and American Express have announced
the launch of 'Bluebird', an "alternative to debit and checking accounts
designed to help consumers better manage and control their everyday
finances." “The financial services landscape is changing. Technological
advances, regulatory changes, and evolving consumer needs are redefining
payments ranging from prepaid, to checking

Barclays
move could mark the end for the 'golden goose' of banking - The
Telegraph

There were few things more sacrosanct to
Bob Diamond than Barclays' return on equity

Awards:
Bankers get unwanted recognition - The Independent

Champagne-swigging bankers beware – The
Intruders have struck again. Two weeks after embarrassing former Treasury boss
Dave Hartnett at an Oxford banquet, a video has been released showing the
activists gate-crashing the Banking Awards ceremony, hosted by former BBC news
anchor Peter Sissons (1).

World
Payments Report 2012 - Payments News

Debit cards continue to gain global market
share from credit cards, and the use of electronic and mobile payments
continues to show exponential growth concludes the World Payments Report 2012
released by Capgemini, RBS, and Efma. “Debit card transactions continue to take
market share from other types of payment methods

McKinsey
casts gloomy eye on world banking - Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Banks worldwide remain
scarred by the 2007-2009 financial crisis and are years away from developing
new business models that will produce sustainable profits, according to a new
study.

Subtle
shift signals 'profound change' in bank regulation - The Telegraph

In the last 10 days, a series of major
policy proposals from Britain's banking regulators have slipped quietly below
the radar.

 

If you like the Finanser, check out the books of the blog: the Complete Banker Series

 

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