Victoria's Page

It is not just consumers who are more attuned to deposit products today. Bankers, in fact, want more data on their deposit holdings, too.

Rick Barham, the chief executive of Market Rates Insight, a market data company, says bankers are seeking more deposit pricing statistics from his company. Barham says that over the past six months, he has seen an increase in demand for pricing data on certificate of deposits, as well.

"Right now these are the products that people want," says Barham. "Within… Continue

The community banking industry has been able to remain fairly stable despite the troubles investment and larger commercial banks have faced this year.

Jim McCarthy, executive president and COO, Danvers Bank located in Danvers Massachusetts, says his bank has always stuck to traditional banking practices and principals. He attributes Danvers Bank’s ability to weather the financial storm to smart and traditional banking practices that were used all along.

"When it comes to money, if it looks too… Continue

Banks have stepped up their customer service game and Forrester Research Group has the data to prove that it’s working.

Forrester’s 2008 Customer Experience Survey ranks consumers’ recent interactions with different companies. Bruce Temkin, VP & principal analyst, customer experience, for Forrester says the survey gauges consumer satisfaction based on the criteria of usefulness, usability and enjoyment.

"This year’s index shows that banks made the largest jump in improvement," Temkin says.… Continue

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer making financial transactions face-to-face.

Others may be more forward thinking because P2P lending sites keep launching. The newest, ZimpleMoney, was launched last Monday.

Although I am not fully sold on online tools, I would seriously consider using this one.

For one, the site is inviting. The attractive purple-green-and-white layout and pleasing design made me want to look around. More importantly, as a P2P newcomer, the site is highly navigable. In fact… Continue

Quietly, the American Bankers Association, that stalwart of conservative American banking, has blessed a new "subprime" commercial loan product.

The ABA has formally endorsed the Proceed Business Loan program created by Promontory Interfinancial Corp., which was rolled out earlier this month. "ABA members can use the product to establish relationships with customers, gain deposits and accounts without adding balance sheet risk," says Lisa Gold Schier, senior vice president of the ABA's Corporat… Continue