A banking client took me to lunch recently and paid the bill using a credit card from another bank. What does it say about your products if your own staff doesn’t use them, especially when dealing with customers? (more…)
We are pleased to announce that Peak Performance Consulting Group World Headquarters is now in Austin, Texas. Why move from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Austin? It brings us closer to the majority of our clients (even Comerica moved it’s headquarters from Detroit to Dallas!). It is a better transportation hub to reach clients on both coasts. It expands the talent pool – University of Texas, Sheshunoff, D&B/Hoovers are all headquartered here. And the Texas economy is dynamic – American Banker even publishes a special Texas edition, its’ only state specific version.
Want more reasons why we moved from Michigan to Austin? (more…)
In a competitive market, the perception that a company is socially responsible can be a major point of differentiation. We’re used to seeing “green” ads from car companies and Wal-Mart, or from financial institutions touting their new environmentally friendly buildings. But some banks in Japan have even found a novel way to use environmental protection to grow deposits. (more…)
Actually, I don’t dislike mission statements; it’s just that so many of them are meaningless, high sounding words that don’t give a clue to what the organization is really about. “Provide superior return for our stakeholders” — What does that mean? Better ROA than average? Top quartile performance? Better stock performance than peers? Which stakeholders are we talking about: community, employees, investors? What is our obligation to each? And anyway, doesn’t every bank claim to have similar goals: superior return, superior service? (more…)
Almost all companies undertake a time-consuming strategic planning process, but in survey after survey, more than half of respondents believe their company’s approach could be improved. Most indicate they are satisfied that their plans accurately describe the current situation and challenges. The most frequent complaint: too much time spent on where we are now; too little time assessing strategic initiatives that will really drive the business forward.