For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

What Europeans Expect From Financial Services Web Sites

And What eBusiness Executives Need To Do To Meet Customer Needs

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., October 6, 2009

Consumers go to financial services Web sites with different motives — some want to access their own accounts and some intend to research or buy a specific financial product, while others are looking for a solution that fits their needs. Visitors to financial . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

European Online Banking Users Employ Few Features

Online Banking Is Mostly Used For Information And Routine Transactions

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., Lauriane Camus, August 20, 2009

The number of Europeans who bank online has grown by 30% from 69 million in 2006 to nearly 92 million in 2009. Despite that growth, the behavior of online banking users hasn't changed much. Checking account balances, looking at statements, and viewing . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: How Commonwealth Bank Of Australia Redesigned The Secure Site For Sales

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., August 13, 2009

In the course of its "Finest Online" project, Commonwealth Bank of Australia redesigned its NetBank Internet banking service with the objectives of building an excellent customer experience and driving online sales. The bank has implemented new content . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Driving Sales On Banks' Secure Sites — Global Best Practices

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., July 20, 2009

Many retail banking eBusiness executives have realized that the secure online banking Web site is a good place to sell products to existing customers. To do so, eBusiness managers have to overcome a series of organizational and technical obstacles. Executives . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How Italian Banking Customers Use Different Channels

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., June 1, 2009

Italian banking customers' channel use differs from that of most other Western Europeans. While customers elsewhere in Europe migrate from the branch to the Web, branch use in Italy keeps growing and online banking use remains low. eBusiness and channel . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How French Banking Customers Use Different Channels

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., February 23, 2009

French banking customers remained true to the branch for a long time. In the past three years, however, the growth of online banking in France has finally started to draw customers away from use of their traditional channel — with online banking especially . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How German Banking Customers Use Different Channels

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., February 13, 2009

German banking customers tend to be adopters of either the Internet or the branch, with only a small group of people frequently using both channels. The migration of consumers from the branches to the Internet has regained speed as better educated, wealthier, . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Customer Advocacy 2008: How Customers Rate European Banks

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., Alexander Hesse, November 20, 2008

Customers who consider their main bank as a customer advocate that does what's best for them have more accounts at their main bank, are more likely to consider it for future purchases, and are more likely to recommend it to others. But only 29% of Western . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How German Savings And Investment Buyers Use Different Channels

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., November 18, 2008

The economic climate in Germany has encouraged consumers to save more and shift toward more conservative savings and investment products. Germans show distinct channel behavior when researching and buying different savings and investment products. While . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Dutch Savings Buyers Want Simplicity And Speed

The Credit Crisis Increases Competition In The Dutch Savings Market

by Alexander Hesse, Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., October 27, 2008

Almost nine out of 10 Dutch consumers have a savings or deposit account — the highest penetration in Europe. Dutch savings account buyers mainly use the Net to research and buy savings products: More than half of them have either used financial companies' . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Driving Sales Through Banking Shops

How Lessons From Retail Can Make Bank Branches More Successful

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., October 2, 2008

Banks have rediscovered their branch networks as a strategic sales channel and have renewed their focus on branch development. Innovative banks like Washington Mutual and Jyske Bank have taken retail stores as an inspiration and turned their branches . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How German Credit Buyers Use Different Channels

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., Alexander Hesse, July 11, 2008

Although more and more financial services firms in Germany let customers apply for mortgages, personal loans, and credit cards over the Internet, most Germans stick to in-person channels like branches and sales representatives when it comes to researching . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Segmenting German Financial Consumers

German Financial Firms Face A Challenging Mix Of Consumer Types

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., May 28, 2008

Our analysis of consumers' financial attitudes shows that we can divide people into four distinct types: Self-Directed consumers, Validators, Delegators, and Avoiders. Each customer type shows a characteristic behavior when it comes to making financial . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Sales Success Needs Customer Advocacy

Sales Strategies For The German Retail Banking Market

by Vanessa Niemeyer, Ph.D., April 17, 2008

Sales strategies in the German retail banking market range from passive customer advocacy to extreme sales orientation. The sales success of some of the sales-oriented banks begs the question of whether sales success needs customer advocacy at all. We . . .