2017 marked a strong shift in the political climate with the election of a controversial American president. Nationalist and liberal factions are widening around the globe, climate change is lashing out at the planet with increased flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires, and NAFTA appears to be hanging by a thread. What does all this mean for banks? […]
Predictions for Retail Banking in 2018 Read More »
If you had a problem with your mortgage, which of these experts would you trust for advice? A) A bank advisor; B) a television personality; C) your parents; D) the internet. The answer might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people would have trouble figuring out the solution. We’ve talked before about the advice
Who Customers Turn to for Financial Advice Read More »
There is a growing trend for banks to partner with millennial-friendly retailers in the hopes of driving traffic and relevancy for their branches. From credit unions to large banks, such as Capital One’s foray into cafe experiences that rival some of the best coffee chains, the allure of finding a complimentary partner to drive branch
No, Your Bank Doesn’t Need a Coffee Shop Read More »
Jean-Pierre “JP” Lacroix of Shikatani Lacroix Design shows how technology has blurred the lines between the physical and digital world, both in the store and in the retail design process. The firm uses VR tools to do fast iterative design of retail environments and test them with customers. A digital shoe display knows which pair of Adidas one is examining in the
Building Stores for the Future – Where We Buy Read More »
Defining the future of banking is a difficult endeavor we have decided to take on, and one key aspect we are often asked about is whether or not the channel structure will resemble anything we are familiar with, or if it will drastically change. Before we look at how we believe the channel strategy will
What Will Channel Strategy Look Like in 2025? Read More »
Traditionally, food from convenience stores often focuses on packaged snacks, and hot food offerings may be perceived to be of dubious quality. Yet according to research from Nation’s Restaurant News, convenience store food quality is improving, shifting consumer perceptions and becoming a threat to fast food restaurants. However, if a fast food restaurant has moved in
Are Convenience Stores Becoming the New Quick-Service Restaurants? Read More »
Grocery chains, food specialty stores, even convenience stores and gas stations are serving up hot meals to millions of hungry, hurried customers – 2.4 billion meals in 2015 as a matter of fact. From Loblaws’ bakery-cafes serving coffee and cupcakes, to food halls with servers and salad bars at Whole Foods, grocers are tapping into
Should Supermarkets Launch their own Foodservice Brand? Read More »
Virgin Money got some well-deserved attention this week for its new UK retail space, which features bowling, air hockey, pool, and other lounge elements to redefine the banking experience. In an industry often seen as stodgy and old-fashioned, Virgin Money did the unthinkable – it made banking fun. So, whether you’re planning your own exciting new branch
7 Novelty Experiences for Retail Banks Read More »
Preparing an effective Request for Proposal (RFP) can make the difference between a successful or an unsuccessful bank transformation. This white paper covers six strategies for creating a strong RFP based on three decades of experience on both the client and supplier sides of the experience. Fill out the form below to download the full
Preparing Your Bank Transformation RFP Read More »
Avoid Branch Disruption The death of branches is a topic of many boardroom discussions, but has been greatly misunderstood and even exaggerated. From channel restructuring to branch footprint downsizing, as well as the use of new digital technologies to reduce the cost of transactions, banks have done a great job of reducing the customer experience to
Branch Transformation 2017 Read More »
How does anyone in retail sleep at night? Hundreds of retailers have filed for bankruptcy this year, including Toys “R” Us with over $5 billion USD in debt, making it the third largest retail bankruptcy in history. Some forecast that “Retail is Dead”, and with the collapse of companies like Sears it’s not hard to
Is Online Shopping the Demise of (Some) Retailers? Read More »
Small businesses are the epitome of what has been called the American Dream. Entrepreneurship, the idea that anyone who has something to offer can set up shop and earn their living contributing to their community, is in many ways a cornerstone of the American cultural identity. It is more relevant today than ever before, with
How Banks Can Drive Growth for Small Businesses Read More »
Suzanne Cluckey of ATM Marketplace wrote about Jean-Pierre Lacroix’s presentation at the 2017 Bank Customer Experience Summit: Some years ago, the president of [SLD], a company that specializes in brand strategy and customer engagement, sat in a meeting with senior leadership at Kodak, a client company. He was there to present research on a promising new business segment —
Branch Transformation by Design Read More »
Shikatani Lacroix and JLL Canada congratulate the Regional Municipality of York (York Region) for winning a Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award for its York Link campaign and 2017 EDAC Marketing Canada Award: York Link Twitter – Online Community Outreach. Located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), York Region is home to
Congratulations to the Regional Municipality of York! Read More »
The goal of any restaurant operator is to drive repeat visits. Loyal customers tend to drive better margins and greater sales (while also providing some predictability to same-store sales) and cost less to market to than new customers. When considering brand loyalty for food service operators, fostering a sense of belonging is crucial to creating
Brand Loyalty in Foodservice: How to Create a Sense of Place Read More »
Breaking Branches – Learning Lab For the unprepared, branch transformation can be a Herculean task. That’s why Jean-Pierre Lacroix, an expert in brand transformation, and Stephen Griffin, who led the transformation of Regions Bank branches, will lead a workshop on breaking (and rebuilding) branches at BAI Beacon. A select group of attendees will have the opportunity
Nobody can predict the future, but Apple and other forward-thinking companies have demonstrated that you can help create it. The banking industry is faced with numerous changes that are challenging banks to envision a future that looks quite different from the way we bank today. Before banks can seize the opportunity, embrace change and shape the future
How Banks Should Start Preparing for 2050 Read More »
In spite of nationalist movements, that are currently having a moment in western countries, the reality is that population growth is going to be driven by immigration. Generation Z will be the most racially diverse cohort the planet has ever known, many of them the children of immigrants or interracial marriages. With this demographic shift there
Marrying digital and foodservice is an ever-growing trend and is necessary to capture Millennials’ attention. That is why we sat down with Boston Pizza‘s Paulo Ferreira, Senior Director of Design, to discuss the restaurant’s new design and digital integration at their flagship Toronto location. Boston Pizza was trying to get Millennials off their phones and engaged
Behind the Scenes of Boston Pizza’s New Design Read More »
When researching the rash of stealth attrition currently unsettling the financial services industry, we collected lots of data about consumers’ banking habits, preferences, and behaviors. We’ve already broken that data down in several ways to highlight different things – for instance, we broke down the types of customers most likely to switch financial institutions to highlight their reasons for leaving
Breaking Down the Customer Loyalty Pyramid Read More »
