For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How Dutch Consumers Use The Net To Research And Buy Financial Products

The Web's Role As A Sales Channel Is Growing Fast In The Netherlands

by Alexander Hesse, November 20, 2009

The Internet's role as a distribution channel for financial products is growing fast in the Netherlands. Nearly half of Dutch Net users researched at least one financial product online in the past year, compared with 40% in 2007, and one in five bought . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Online-Influenced Sales Exceed Direct Sales In Financial Services

How The Internet Influences Sales In Other Channels

by Brad Strothkamp, November 20, 2009

In 2008, the majority of US online adults who researched a financial product did so online, and the majority of those online researchers applied in a channel other than the Web. These cross-channel shoppers illustrate the importance of online-influenced . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Qwest Connects With Customers Through eBills And ePayments

Biller Survey Shows Stronger Relationships Result From Viewing And Paying Online

by Emmett Higdon, November 3, 2009

Through an extensive billing and payment study of its residential customers, telecommunications provider Qwest Communications found that those customers who received their bills online and paid electronically had up to 25% less attrition and were up to . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

European Banking Customers Continue Migrating Away From The Branch

Branches Are Losing Their Role As The Heart Of The Customer Relationship

by Alexander Hesse, October 28, 2009

The number of consumers visiting branches each month is falling slowly but steadily across Europe. Branch users tend to be lower-value customers who use branches mainly for day-to-day transactions like depositing and withdrawing money. Although online . . .

For Consumer Market Research Professionals

Technographics® Survey Highlights: US Online Consumers' Investment Behaviors  (549 KB PPT)

by Jacqueline Anderson, October 28, 2009

This highlight deck summarizes the key findings related to consumers' investment behaviors. This is the third survey highlight in a series from the North American Technographics Investments And Insurance Online Survey, Q3 2009 (US).

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Seizing Insurance's Mobile Opportunity

Customer Adoption And Investment Grow As US Insurers Play Catch-Up

by Chad Mitchell, October 22, 2009

Smartphone adoption among US insurance customers is growing, and customers are beginning to engage with insurers via the mobile Web for policy administration, claims, and bill pay. eBusiness and emerging channel strategy executives at US insurers like . . .

For Consumer Market Research Professionals

Technographics® Survey Highlights: US Insurance Channel Preferences  (608 KB PPT)

by Jacqueline Anderson, October 19, 2009

This highlight deck summarizes the key findings from Forrester’s North American Technographics® Investments And Insurance Online Survey, Q3 2009 (US).This deck covers channel preferences for researching and buying insurance, policy payments, and customer . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

US Online Bill Payment Forecast: 2009 To 2014

Still Solving Old Problems, Banks Miss New Opportunities

by Emmett Higdon, October 19, 2009

Forrester predicts that online bill pay adoption will grow slowly but steadily over the next five years. That will raise the total number of US online bill payment households from 48 million to 66 million by 2014. Much of this growth depends on new Gen . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

How UK Banking Customers Use Different Channels

by Benjamin Ensor, October 9, 2009

The steady growth of online banking in the UK over the past decade is changing the way people use other banking channels. Half of UK adults still visit a branch each month, although the number of regular branch users has fallen. Banks' efforts to persuade . . .

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 Business Process & Applications Professionals

To Invest Wisely, Know The Business Value Of Diverse CRM Solutions

by William Band, September 30, 2009

To help customer relationship management (CRM) professionals make smart decisions and navigate the complex CRM technology landscape, Forrester surveyed 286 companies. The goal was to determine the business value-add adjusted for uncertainty of 19 types . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Royal Bank Of Canada Provides A Blueprint For A Next-Generation Sales Site

A Major Web Site Overhaul Drives Sales And Reduces Abandonment

by Brad Strothkamp, September 29, 2009

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) topped Forrester's Canadian bank public Web site rankings in 2009. Key to RBC's success in this year's ranking was a stronger focus on online sales delivered through a revamped credit card and accounts Web site. The work took . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Why Americans Research Financial Products Online But Buy Through Other Channels

Channel Switching Is Driven Largely By Security And Support Issues

by Edward Kountz, Peter Wannemacher, September 22, 2009

Many US customers use multiple channels when buying financial services products, crossing channels during their path to purchase. Among online adults, 41% of financial product applicants research online but buy offline. Security and a need for hand-holding . . .

For Consumer Market Research Professionals

Technographics® Survey Highlights: Online Banking Usage And Customer Journey For Financial Products  (439 KB PPT)

by Olesia Klevchuk, September 15, 2009

This highlight deck summarizes the key findings related to financial services from Forrester's European Technographics Benchmark Survey, Q2 2009. This is the third survey highlight in a series from the European Technographics Benchmark Survey, Q2 2009.

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

iPhone Apps Fill Mobile Banking Gaps

Forgotten Functionality Holds Clues To What Banks Should Do Next

by Emmett Higdon, Alexander Hesse, September 15, 2009

Apple's iTunes App Store now offers more than 1,000 personal finance applications from banks and third-party developers for download. While today's iPhone apps from the largest banks add little value beyond what is already delivered through online banking . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Nationwide Insurance Uses Mobile To Offer Customers Self Service On The Road

A Mobile POST Case Study

by Julie A. Ask, Chad Mitchell, September 11, 2009

Nationwide Mutual Insurance was the first US insurer to develop a custom mobile application for the Apple iPhone. The firm's mobile application offers customers the ability to file a claim and upload pictures of an accident, follow a detailed accident . . .

For Consumer Product Strategy Professionals

Case Study: Bank Of America Makes The Most Of Mobile Banking

A Mobile POST Case Study

by Julie A. Ask, Seth Fowler, September 3, 2009

Bank of America's mobile strategy aims to offer customers control of their accounts and convenient information through the most advanced mobile services available. Connectors and SuperConnecteds, whose cell phone habits include using productivity-enhancing . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

2009 Canadian Bank Secure Web Site Rankings

RBC Posts Solid Scores In All Areas Of Forrester's Review

by Emmett Higdon, August 25, 2009

Forrester again this year evaluated the secure Web sites of the seven largest Canadian banks and credit unions — Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Desjardins, National Bank of Canada, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank, and TD Canada Trust — using our Competitive Site . . .

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

US Investors Continue To Adopt eStatements

by Bill Doyle, August 21, 2009

Investor adoption of eStatements continues to inch forward. What's holding back wider adoption of eStatements? Most brokerage clients say that they need a paper statement for their records.

For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals

European Online Banking Holdouts Want Security Guarantees

Net Users Still Need Security Guarantees And Incentives To Bank Online

by Alexander Hesse, Lauriane Camus, August 21, 2009

More than half of Western Europeans who use the Internet regularly — about 92 million — bank online. Thirty-two percent of European adults could bank online but don't do so — or have stopped doing so. Typically, these online banking holdouts mention security . . .

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 Customer Experience Professionals

Best And Worst Of Financial Services Brand Building Web Sites, 2009: Credit Card Providers

by Ron Rogowski, August 17, 2009

How good are the brand experiences offered by major credit card Web sites? To find out, we graded the sites of four top brands — American Express, Capital One, Citigroup, and Discover — on how well they communicate their Brand Image and deliver value . . .

For Customer Experience Professionals

Best And Worst Of Financial Services Brand Building Web Sites, 2009: Banks

by Ron Rogowski, August 14, 2009

The banking industry features some of the most recognizable brand names in the US, like Bank of America, SunTrust Bank, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo. But how good are the brand experiences offered by major banks' Web sites? To find out, we graded the sites . . .

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

US Teen Millennials Underscore The Vital Nature Of The Online Channel To Financial Services

Profiling The Financial Attitudes And Behavior Of US Online Teenagers

by Brad Strothkamp, Peter Wannemacher, August 13, 2009

There are roughly 20 million Teen Millennials — individuals between 13 and 17 years old — in the US. As consumers, Teen Millennials tend to be loyal to brands but mistrustful of financial providers. Forrester's data shows that despite educational efforts . . .