PayThink

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

Banco Santander's stock market value plummeted after it announced an $8.8 billion capital raise and dividend cuts in January. The experience serves as a reminder to bank directors that the interests of investors cannot remain forever on the back burner.

Bartlett's article noted that Lake Michigan Credit Union in Grand Rapids emphasized the importance of creating a corporate culture that aligns with its mission and vision.

A growing promotional trend being utilized by credit unions is the offering of prize-linked savings (PLS) products, which provide consumers with the chance to win prizes in exchange for the consumer making one or more deposits into a savings account.

Moreover, the pro-dividenders argue, the special bonus dividend helps demonstrate the "credit union difference" in a concrete, tangible—and easily publicized—way.

NCUA's revised RBC — so-called RBC 2.0 — clearly demonstrates that the agency listened to the more than 2,000 stakeholders that made their voices heard with comment letters.

New technology has made amazing advances in business processes, but there's one common pain point that so many companies we talk to still share: printing and mailing paper checks.

The Massachusetts senator wants to induce more competition and diversity in the banking industry and improve the economic prospects of a majority of Americans. Both changes would benefit the financial services sector as a whole.

It's not enough for bank chiefs to delegate digital responsibilities to younger staffers. Only by understanding the mentality of tech-savvy customers can bank leaders develop smart strategic planning.

The vast majority of companies that collect customer payment information over the phone rely on interactive voice response (IVR) technology to streamline the process and reduce live agent staffing requirements.