You already know what your vocal customers think. Those who love you tell their friends about you. Those who are frustrated with you tell you so, giving you the chance to fix the problem. The customers you should be concerned about are the silent majority. They are the most vulnerable to the marketing messages of your competitors. So, how can you change the narrative and turn those customers into raving fans? Customers switch financial institutions for a variety of reasons; some we can control, others we cannot. As bankers, we often do not see things through the lens of the customer, a thing we can control. When you are closing more accounts than you are opening or are at net zero, it is time to reevaluate three key areas: fees, culture and service. NUMBERS THAT MATTER First, move beyond a narrow focus on fees themselves. The metric we need to drive is total profitability. The profitability formula is simple: Total Profitability = Average Profits per Household × Number of Households. When it comes to maximizing a bank’s overall profitability, the focus is often on profits per household alone. The problem with this approach is that averages only tell you so much. What banks should focus on is the other half of the equation: the number of households. Rather than charging current customers more, you should increase the number of households. In doing so, your total profitability will soar. Most FIs can handle many more customers with little impact on operating costs. With a strategic approach to growth, community banks can double their number of new-customer acquisitions and sustain that growth for as long as they like. The Elephant in the Lobby What Your Customers Aren’t Telling You By ROBB REMPEL, Executive Vice President, Haberfeld 12 WEST VIRGINIA BANKER
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