Bank technology

An almost overwhelming amount of customer data can now be mined and used to improve marketing and product design efforts. But not all data needs to be stored and analyzed.

New channels and data analysis are making it easier for financial institutions to reach people with thin credit histories.

Videoconferencing and ATM ID palm readers will soon be de rigueur at bank branches, according to experts at a recent event.

Lots of mobile wallet products are hitting the market, but they'll only go as far as their usability takes them.

New types of data analytics can improve credit risk, but only if banks can deploy the technology quickly. A lot of tech firms say that's no problem.

CCG's Paul Schaus discusses common mistakes in risk management, such as over delegating.

PNC's foray into augmented reality as a way to locate ATMs and other locales is also about positioning the bank as an innovator.

Leading mobile initiatives at Citi, the New York based bank, is Tracey Weber, former COO of Travelocity. Six other bankers who have done outstanding work with mobile apps this year are also profiled.

New research from Javelin details how consumers are warming up to tablets.

Great Plains National Bank's customers include lots of firms in the oil industry. It's using new automation to manage the boom and bust cycles.

Over the past five years, student loan debt in the United States has nearly doubled to more than $1 trillion. Analysts say that a product to help struggling students and graduates with their debt could be a winner for banks.

Software vendors like Tom Shen's Malauzai arm small banks with competitive smartphone apps.

United Bank & Trust is using automated call back service from PhoneFactor.

Mitek's new remote capture product for prepaid customers requires a driver's license for added security.

Admirals Bank has a rather unusual retail strategy — replacing branches with iPad-toting, Mercedes-driving specialized tellers who make house calls.

Banks today are searching for ways to increase profitability while also navigating a growing number of regulations that require stronger risk management. The result is that banks are trying to pivot back into growth mode while simultaneously needing to manage their exposure more rigorously.

The Wisconsin bank is part of a growing trend of banks bringing anti-money laundering and fraud prevention platforms together.

The CFPB plans to make lenders responsible for disclosures and document integrity, even for services they farm out to third parties, such as appraisals, income verification and collections. Compliance vendors smell cash in the water.

What would happen if you took the creativity and user-focused design sensibility of Silicon Valley and applied it to one of the least consumer-friendly industries on the planet — financial services? What is the Apple of budgeting? The Facebook of lending? The Google of bill payment?

Swift, the international bank consortium, is trying to lead by example. The first product of its incubator may not transform banking, but meets an important test of any innovation: usefulness.