Articles by Jim Marous

Jim Marous is a financial industry strategist, co-publisher of The Financial Brand, and one of the top 5 most influential people in banking.

Research predicts rapid change in key industry functions, prompting a shift of business models, but slower-than-expected change elsewhere.

These unconventional growth strategies will increasingly replace historically reliable approaches like retail branches or buying banks.

Deep cultural forces keep innovation bottled up at too many banks and credit unions. Several core truths will help unlock the potential.

Financial institutions are experiencing an unacceptable rate of digital account opening abandonment due to slow and broken processes.

Reflecting the massive explosion of neobanks and fintech providers, more people now use digital banking solutions than they do social media.

By tapping data and advanced analytics, banks and credit unions can deliver meaningful solutions to underserved communities at scale.

Financial institutions anticipating ongoing disruption will be better prepared for future challenges and competitive opportunities.

Google's abandonment of Plex digital-only banking should not bring comfort to traditional banks that are slow to respond to neobank offerings.

Priorities are fundamentally shifting in banks and credit unions as they grapple with the challenges (and opportunities) of the marketplace.

Any CX strategy that ignores underlying business models, back-office efficiencies, or operational excellence is a recipe for failure.

PayPal launches a new personalized app with the goal of becoming an all-in-one financial and shopping solution.

The development of open banking solutions by banks and credit unions requires significant support beyond existing third-party partnerships.

In a digital world, poor CX can undermine even the best marketing, but a great experience can have a positive multiplier impact.

Digital loan application completion speed on both web and mobile apps see big strides among incumbents, but key elements still lag nonbanks.

Building on the momentum created during the pandemic, financial institutions are creating a culture of innovation as a way to differentiate.

Leaders in delivering modernized digital solutions have the best satisfaction scores and rank highly in both profitability and efficiency.

With the FDA approval of the first vaccine, consumers and employers are increasingly supportive of mandates that keep others safe.

Financial institutions must embrace the open banking movement as a path to relationship growth and organizational efficiency.

Banking organizations must find ways to improve consumer experiences by participating in embedded financial opportunities with third-parties.

The most important sources of new businesses and revenue is engaging with customers to build trust, improve experiences and reward loyalty.

To survive, banks and credit unions must build the digital infrastructure and competitive mindset that can make an organization future-ready.

Successful digital banking transformation requires prioritizing what is needed today against what's required for the future.