Bank 2.0: How Customer Behavior and Technology Will Change the Future of Financial Services

My first impression of Brett King's book is that it speaks my language. As advertised, this is truly "not a book for bankers that want to maintain the status quo." Brett dives into his topics with enthusiasm and talks very directly about how customer behavior and technology, always disruptive forces, are dramatically changing the financial services industry. The book covers everything from measurement of customer/client/member expectations and experience, and offers very good insight on how to improve service levels through the very disruptive forces that often befuddle this industry (e.g. new technologies like social media, mobile payments, OFM). He dedicates entire chapters to topics like the call center, brick and mortar branching, CRM, and VRU systems to manage customer interactions. Who else writes about VRU systems in banking and the impact on the customer experience? He offers sage advice on the state of web development in meeting customer needs (lacking in many industries quite frankly) and other self-service channels like ATMs and online/remote banking. He does a good job of providing some context for technology changes, and how recent innovation will impact banking over the next decade. If you are in financial services industry and are interested in where banking is heading, you'll be well served by picking this book up and being part of ongoing trends that will be impact our industry. With technology changing every day, join the conversation at [...] and the author's Bank 2.0 blog at [...]. Last tip: Be prepared for the next decade in banking by setting your road map today. Pick this up before your Chairman or CEO does!

As a professional working in retail banking, I have found this book an excellent guide to the future of the retail environment. Packed with great observations, opinions and ideas this book should be read by anyone with an interest in retail banking and technology.

I bought this book to learn about the future marketing challenges faced by people working in the banking industry. This book gave me what I wanted, both an opportunity to see inside the banking industry and a strong viewpoint as to what will make banks successful. Brett King portrays the industry as a slow moving, non-customer centric business still structured around the branch channel. He challenges the industry to move with their customers and in particular to exploit the opportunities provided by advances in technology to better meet customer needs. Key capabilities required going forward are excellence in understanding how customers interact with their bank cross-channel, supported by teams capable of delivering streamlined and personalised customer experiences at every touchpoint.If you are a non-financial marketer or an interactive marketer familiar with customer needs analysis and usability best practices then you may find that some chapters of the book 'preach' what you already 'practice'. This is not a criticism of the book itself, as it appears evident that the banking industry can adopt many best practices already established in other industry verticals. Bank 2.0 is targeted at people working in the banking industry, and provides a clear, well researched and structured viewpoint of how the industry should develop.

I found the book to be interesting, Brett brings to light some emerging trends but I found overall it to be pedantic and academic. No real meat on the bone, like most "business pop culture" style books, it just doesn't go deep enough to break any new ground.

If you are in the banking or financial services arena, this book is an absolute must read. Brett King takes the reader through an analysis of the future of banking - especially at the consumer level - that will leave the traditional brick and mortar branch oriented community banker shivering in their shoes.Exploring the interaction of e-commerce, mobility, consumer behavior, empowerment and the evolution of a paperless society, King paints a picture of a virtual banking environment that will hold much of the transaction and interaction volume of the future. Coupled with a view and vision of a branch environment that is more coffeehouse and less queue, the book will shake up your thoughts about the banking industry.A thought provoking read for the financial services executive.