The state of social media in financial services

No comments yet

Retail banking is now witnessing a change similar to when banks began embracing the Internet in the 1990s. Back then, banks actively pursued the opportunity but their efforts lagged that of other industries and consumer demand.

Fast-forward to 2011, where social media is providing retail banking with a similar opportunity; some 750 million consumers spend [...]

Transforming negative sentiment into a winning customer experience

1 comment

When customers have a bad experience, they’re often more connected to how they FEEL about it, than the issue itself. That’s why you need to sharpen your focus on how people react to your business. Timely and effective communications can help you manage negative sentiment, rebuild trust, and promote loyalty.

If customers voice disgruntled opinions [...]

Using social media to increase the value of sponsorships

1 comment

For the past 35 years, JP Morgan Chase has hosted the Corporate Challenge, a series of 3.5 mile footraces in cities across the globe. JP Morgan describes the event on its website as “a global celebration of corporate teamwork, camaraderie, and community giving.” So far this year, over 225,000 people have participated in the event, [...]

5 practical steps for communicating corporate change

1 comment

“The less people know, the more they yell.” – Funny, but true, this quote by bestselling author Seth Godin highlights why effective communication is key.

Your company’s change initiative may aim to introduce a new IT system, reduce costs through a reorganization, or evolve your brand positioning. If you want to successfully manage such an [...]

Making communications more effective by leveraging customer insights

No comments yet

In today’s business world, real ROI and long-term profitability come from optimizing the customer experience –and a key part of this is effective communications. From marketing to servicing, through interactions across all touch points, you need to communicate in ways that resonate with your customers.

So how do you figure out what to say and [...]

Boosting the power of your brand by supporting your internal team

No comments yet

Would you like to boost the power of your brand – every time you communicate with customers? You can help your internal team write messaging that reinforces your brand by providing one-page reference tools, brand-related FAQs, training, and more.

One-page reference tools. With the workload of today’s staff, it’s easier for employees to use a [...]

Five ways Financial Advisors can add value to their communications

No comments yet

What information do clients want from their financial advisors? Recent publications and common sense say that it’s more than reports, charts, and graphs.

1. Clients want to know how the reporting they receive relates to their personal situation and goals. That’s why Rockland Bank “provides ‘road map’ reports that track the client’s portfolio from the [...]

Handling change management today: what the experts say

1 comment

Recently I had the pleasure of joining employee communications colleagues in an interview conducted by Elizabeth Castro of O’Malley Hansen Communications. Nate Riggs of Social Business Strategies, Kevin Johnson of BT (formerly British Telephone), Rachel Allen of London Overground Rail Operations, and I took part in a far-ranging conversation that touched on myriad topics. Among [...]

10 best practices for writing to customers – Part 2

No comments yet

As we mentioned in Best practices for writing to customers – Part 1, one of the most effective ways to build brand loyalty is through communications that quickly and easily help your customers get what they need, when they need it –and feel great doing it. Flowery praise isn’t enough; your messaging should reflect you [...]

10 best practices for writing to customers – Part 1

1 comment

In today’s highly competitive business world, winning brand loyalty is not only a primary goal, it’s mission critical –and that means consistently providing an exceptional customer experience. A big part of that is in your communications. Are they clear and concise? Can customers quickly understand what to do, or do your service letters launch into [...]