Last month Google unveiled its new Google Pay app—complete with a DDA-like account attached. This latest effort by Google is part of a trend of non-bank tech companies wading into payments territory.
Back in 1985, the first Macintosh computer debuted, and by today’s standards, it was a boxy, clunky, slow unit, yet Consumer Reports gave it a glowing review and cited the mouse and use of icons as technological breakthroughs. This demonstrates a key point: 35 years is a long time when we consider the rate of technological change.
In celebration of ICBA Bancard’s 35th anniversary, I sat down with our Chairman Greg Deckard, president, CEO and chairman of State Bank Northwest to reflect on key milestones that have led to the organization’s success.
Despite numerous warnings from the FBI, IRS and others, fraudsters are capitalizing on the pandemic to take advantage of consumers, highlighting the importance of community banks in supporting their customers in their battle against this opportunistic fraud.
In determining what this new business-as-usual will look like for your bank, it is important to identify where your customers are now and how their financial needs may change so that you can anticipate and deliver on their future needs.
We are in unprecedented times. “Shelter-in-place” acts help slow of the spread of coronavirus, but at the same time, they inject uncertainties into the economy and drive volatility in markets.
Community banks are the stars of the financial services industry, and during times of crisis community bankers burn brightly to provide a guiding light to their customers and community. ICBA Bancard knows that protecting your bank’s cardholders and customers is all part of the job.
Tina Giorgio: Whether I’m working with banking professionals or with entrepreneurs in the fintech space, I have one key piece of advice: I ask, “What is your why?” and encourage them to focus on that response. Because, when they home in on that, everything else falls into place.
Tina Giorgio: There are many factors involved in creating a successful real-time payment system and one of those factors is education. This month I have invited Steve Ledford from The Clearing House to share some information about real-time payments and to provide an FAQ about the RTP® network. Steve is the senior vice president of products and strategy at The Clearing House.
Tina Giorgio: In an e-book published last week by PYMNTS.com, “Fresh” is how I described payments in 2018. I can’t think of a time when we’ve seen as many innovations emerge in this industry than the past 11 months.
Tina Giorgio: Vince Lombardi had it right when he stated that, “Leaders aren’t born, they are made.” Leadership is a process. And, like any process it begins by envisioning a desired outcome and creating a framework of the steps to achieve that outcome. Sometimes there are real obstacles that prevent us from achieving our goals. By conducting a personal evaluation, we can often identify and address things that are standing in our way.
Tina Giorgio: Contactless transactions include everything from flashing your watch at the point-of-sale to paying for your groceries, via your refrigerator. As “smart” devices get even smarter and more prevalent, payment has become part of their foundational fabric.
Tina Giorgio: With so many possible applications, it’s hard to predict the path that artificial intelligence will follow. In her latest blog post, ICBA Bancard President and CEO Tina Giorgio examines present-day use cases to see where things are heading.
Tina Giorgio: The opportunities presented by financial technology are ripe for the picking but sorting through them all to find the solution that delivers the most value for your bank and your customers can be challenging.
Tina Giorgio: With threats continuing to emerge, I sat down with ICBA’s cyber expert, Jeremy Dalpiaz, assistant vice president of cyber and data security policy, to discuss what community banks can do to thwart cyberattacks. Our conversation uncovered three important tips for banks in navigating today’s cyber landscape.
Tina Giorgio: There’s something about the start of a new year that breeds optimism and fresh perspective. Challenges give way to opportunities, and obstacles become puzzles to solve. That positive tenacity intensifies for me as I look at 2018, a year in banking like no other. From the digital revolution to the role of fintechs, a new day has dawned, and in its light, we see the sprouting progression of community banking.
Tina Giorgio: When I gaze back on my career, I see peaks and the valleys; the times where I knew where I was headed and the times where I felt I was driving at night without headlights. In my role as a community banker, in particular, things seemed to accelerate with lightning speed. Sometimes, I was clairvoyant, reading that market crystal ball like a road map, and sometimes, well, let’s just say that we adapted.
Tina Giorgio: My goal is not only to ensure that community banks stay relevant when it comes to real-time payments but ensure that solution providers are delivering affordable, integrated solutions for community banks that are easy for them to deploy,
Tina Giorgio: While we wait for the details on the Equifax breach, we have found the community banks are taking the lead in protecting customer information.
Tina Giorgio: According to a new Price Waterhouse Cooper digital payments study, 46 percent of bank customers interact with their banks EXCLUSIVELY through digital channels (e.g., mobile, tablet and PC). This staggering trend away from traditional banking methods begs this important question: “What products and services is my bank delivering to customers living a digital life?”
