Contents

NEWS

4 Finger-pointing

Two biometrics companies find themselves in court over the rights to finger scanning technology. Some experts say the lawsuit is likely to hamper advances in this nascent industry as similar cases arise.

By Patricia A. Murphy

4 Day Trading Still Sizzlin' (Part I)

Everyone who thought day trading would go the way of the dotcom bust should think again, according to Celent Communications. Recent data shows this high-flying financial lifestyle is alive and kicking.

By Karen Epper Hoffman

4 Short Stuff

- Prognosis Dismal for 'Pure'

Net Banks

- Everbank Hits the Small Screen

- ATM Fee-Free Zone Expands

- CUNA Joins BITS

eBANKING

14 At Your Service

Banks have been offering concierge services for years in some form as a way to keep "preferred" customers happy. The Internet has added a new twist, giving people instant access to a concierge whenever the wish. But are concierge services the answer to banks' customer retention problems?

By Maria Bruno

14 e.browser

- First Data Buys Stake in NYCE

- Target to Offer Visa Smart Card

- TransPoint Officially Put to Bed

- Chewable Checks

GLOBAL

20 Letter from London

A round-up of financial technology news from across Europe.

By Louise West

20 Bridge to Europe

U.S. companies hoping to do e-business in Europe face numerous languages, currencies and laws. Netherlands-based Bibit claims it can make e-commerce far more inviting to the Americans. *By Louise West

DEPARTMENT

24 Research Bank

A major new study of U.S. banks' call centers illustrates the wide variety of such operations in place today, from Mom & Pop-size telebanking facilities to huge contact centers accessible via all media. By Amy Newell

28 Opinion

- View from the Outside: When Time Counts Most

- "So They Say..."

27 Reader Services

An index of our advertisers and how to contact them.

Cover Stories

Call Centers on the Front Lines

Things are changing as the economy cools. Still, some things remain the same and in banking, where competition continues to heat up, the need to manage customer relations remains on the front burner. By David Rountree

Knowing Your Customers

Customers whom bankers may think of as so-so at best often

represent more profit than they suspect, analysts say. Census Bureau data, for example, suggests that women- and minority-headed households continue to climb the economic ladder steadily, making them prime targets for ongoing marketing efforts. By Joe McKendrick

INTERVIEW

Technology

Wrangler, Austin Adams

Bank One's CTO is faced with a daunting task: how to integrate seven deposit systems from seven banks into one. On the job just five months, Adams is the man with the plan. By Raad Cawthon

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