Welcome to the July issue of Bank Technology News. It's a landmark for us — we've completely redesigned the magazine and added a host of new recurring features and departments that bring into sharper focus the ideas and the people that shape this business.
The new opening section, Hot Topics, will tackle just that — fresh and emerging developments and themes. Data and analysis get a more visually engaging treatment in our Big Numbers section, and our Opinionator column will feature provocative ideas from industry thought-leaders. We've also taken cues from you along the way. For example, you'll find inside a new section devoted exclusively to financial-technology case studies, an addition that has been among the items most requested by readers.
We're also excited to tell you that BankTechNews.com has gotten a complete overhaul. Visitors will be able to access all the bank-technology news and analysis from across the American Banker family of publications in one location, updated throughout the day, every day. Over time, we'll also be bringing you a richer set of media — from data to video and beyond.
Appropriately, this issue is one that focuses on innovation both from an opportunity-oriented perspective, and a risk and execution perspective. For instance, in a story on mobile application development that starts on page 7, we explore how the frequent refreshes of smart phone devices and OSes impacts the bank developers and project managers who need to keep their mobile offerings up to date. In a piece on Walmart's latest financial services initiative, we look a bit deeper into what they're delivering and whether or not it will affect retail banks.
It goes without saying that technological innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum and ultimately it's up to customers to determine what will and won't fly. Inside, you'll hear what Will Howle, COO for North America Consumer Banking at Citi, is experimenting with on the branch design front, and why he thinks some earlier iterations of the "branch of the future" struggled out of the gate.
You'll also hear inside about how banks like 1st Mariner are using social media platforms to keep up with customer preferences (see our interview with the bank's guru on the topic, Kevin Lynch, on page 14). That ability to keep in touch with customers and make sure their experience is a good one is critical to makeovers of all kinds — of branches, mobile banking apps and even publications.
Which is why I'll end this letter with an invitation to you. Your feedback is extremely important to us, so please let us know what you think. And don't limit your input to the magazine — try out the website, and keep watching this space. We intend to keep innovating but our core mission will always be to bring you the most relevant, up-to-date, and thought-provoking content. We need your input to make that happen.
