Diana Reid's real estate unit accounts for roughly one-third of PNC’s annual revenue.

A pay hike for front-line employees is one example of how Karen Larrimer has shaken up the status quo in PNC’s retail banking division.

PNC's Charlotte McLaughlin is frustrated by the lack of gender equality in the senior ranks across corporate America.

Flush with cash, many commercial firms are also opting to pay down debt rather than take on new loans, and those seeking financing aren’t always turning to banks to meet their needs.

Systems that run cash management services were built decades ago and prioritized functionality over user experience. That is starting to change as banks invest more heavily in digital upgrades geared toward commercial customers.

In a sign of broader competition ahead, bigger banks are raising the interest they pay on deposits held by business customers. The big question is how hard will it be for banks to maintain margins and to stave off consumer demands for better rates.

The Pittsburgh bank is developing new products, simplifying old ones and modernizing its workplace based on detailed feedback from consumers, small businesses and employees in an attempt to create a bank they all like better.

On the first big day of 2Q results, bankers said their investments in middle-market lending have started paying off. JPMorgan Chase and PNC have added commercial loan officers in new markets across the country.

Business lending rose 6% at the Pittsburgh bank, while consumer lending was largely flat.

Higher dividends and more aggressive repurchase programs are bound to attract more investors, which could boost stock prices and prompt more dealmaking, analysts said.