Community banking
The first new bank in three years recently cleared the hurdles necessary to open its doors. To do so, Bank of Bird-in-Hand's backers had to file 18 inches of paperwork, raising the question of whether regulators have become so strict that they'll encourage financial innovators to go elsewhere and leave community banks to languish.
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Banks' reputations have started to recover from the beating they took after the financial crisis, according to several recent surveys. American Banker reporters discuss how better technology has helped banks' customer satisfaction levels return to pre-crisis levels, despite ongoing reputational issues for some of the biggest banks.
December 12 -
Mid-size regional banks are facing the highest level of customer attrition, squeezed by better service at small banks and better distribution and scale at larger rivals, according to J.D. Power. Rocky Clancy, vice president of financial services at J.D. Power, discusses how certain regional banks, including Cullen/Frost (CFR) and Huntington (HBAN), are outperforming and setting an example for other banks' customer satisfaction levels.
December 10
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There are now less than 6,900 banks in the United States, the smallest number of financial companies since the Great Depression and bankers expect the industry to contract even more in coming years. American Banker editors discuss the stakes for community banks and why the country still needs thousands of small banks.
December 5 -
How can banks charge their customers more without inviting their outrage? By introducing new services to off-set the fees and by communicating clearly with their customers, according to some small banks. American Banker reporters discuss other tips for companies that are trying to raise their prices but keep their customers happy.
November 14 -
The East Coast oil boom and the rise in hydraulic fracturing are creating headaches for banks that lend to local homeowners, who risk violating government mortgage standards when they sell their property's energy rights to oil and gas companies. American Banker editors discuss the foreclosure and even environmental problems that fracking can create for lenders, and how some banks are coping.
November 13 -
The smallest community banks are largely exempt from many new regulations, but their CEOs are still facing mounting compliance burdens and heightened concerns over competition with credit unions. American Banker Community Editor Paul Davis reports from his recent meeting with leaders of small banks.
November 8 -
The best banks to work for often provide their employees with good benefits and flexible schedules but they also have more specialized perks, from free rental cars to career counseling, according to American Banker Magazine's November cover story. Editor-in-Chief Heather Landy discusses what sets some banks apart in the workplace.
October 31 -
Banks of all sizes are looking to ramp up wealth management operations as other businesses sputter. Along with the promise of high fee income come high risks-including the regulatory and reputational varieties. American Banker editors discuss.
October 18 -
About 80% of Bank of the West's wealth management customers are existing customers from elsewhere in the bank, according to John Bahnken, head of wealth management for the San Francisco bank.
October 13
