Research and consumer surveys aren’t the only tools to help banks understand what they need to do. Friends of executives can provide honest feedback as regular customers.

Given the rapid pace of change across the industry, it’s wise for banks to focus on improving customer service rather than chasing the strategies of their rivals.

Bank managers should treat all employees fairly to get the best results from their team.

Banks are working hard to reshape their businesses to meet new demands, but leaders must be careful not to alienate their best workers in the process.

In our quest to solidify and improve customer satisfaction, we should not set up systems that have our teams more focused on manipulating scores than actually earning them.

Focus on ensuring your teams know why you make changes, and they will be far more likely to make those changes work for you.

One of the missteps in banks’ attempts to build productive sales and service cultures is overemphasizing sales processes and tactics while underappreciating product knowledge.

Natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey reveal banks’ ability to lend a hand to communities in need, and to keep employees engaged and motivated for the initiatives that matter most.

Bankers who shake more hands, ask more questions and, yes, hand out more business cards than the competition will win more clients.

Whether it is a bank branch or an automated fast-food kiosk, talented and engaged employees will remain integral to future success.