Financial Services

“Can you take a photo of us handing over a $500 check to a local charity?” It was one of the most annoying calls I ever took as a newspaper reporter. Don’t get me wrong, donating to worthwhile causes is great. But calling local media to come take a “grip ‘n grin” photo isn’t good…

Nobody likes having to pay for insurance. The only time you’re glad you have insurance is after something bad happens. And that feeling of relief is usually short lived. That’s because the claims process is only slightly less painful than major dental work. It’s time consuming and frustrating. I know from experience. After a bad…

Are you tired of hearing about millennials yet? Well it’s time to get used to the conversation, because this group isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Financial and marketing industries are quick to analyze their habits because soon they’ll have the most spending power of any generation. And, as it turns out, we may have something…

Financial institutions marketing to millennials isn’t groundbreaking. The truth is, the ones that don’t are likely to die off with their current customers. The challenge has always been getting the attention of the largest age demographic in the U.S. One of the favorite communication tools of this demographic is Facebook. So when the social media…

People expect certain businesses to be available 24/7 and especially their customer service departments. Many banks offer customer service phone lines for 24-hour support, but more and more are turning to a new medium – social media. These social media platforms, specifically Twitter and Facebook, are becoming a permanent outlet for customer interaction. As digital…

The newest installment of the Star Wars franchise opens in theaters next week. Count me as one of millions who are excited to see what new terror has developed three decades after Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance claimed victory over the evil Empire in that galaxy far, far away. Maybe it’s financial ruin? Okay,…

Joint bank accounts are kind of scary. I’m a bit of a Scrooge, so when I discovered my girlfriend also had penny pincher tendencies; I put a ring on it. No, that wasn’t the only reason we got married, but it was comforting to know she wouldn’t blow an entire paycheck on the latest DSW…

It’s not easy to stand out among the vast sea of .coms and .nets across the gargantuan cyberspace we call the internet. Any small distinction can help separate one site from another. Soon, banks and insurance companies will have a small claim to some unique turf with the introduction of .bank later this month and…

Perhaps the biggest draw to mobile devices is their immediacy. You’re always just a touch or click away from knowing a piece of trivia, getting directions to a new restaurant, or even transferring funds between accounts. Yes, mobile banking is on the rise. According to the Federal Reserve Survey for 2015, 52 percent of smartphone…

Games are fun. That’s why they’re called games. Webster’s Dictionary uses words like “diversion” and “amusement” when defining the word “game.” Now, in our ever-growing mobile world, “gamification” has emerged as a major force in marketing. Companies from Nike to Verizon have created mobile apps that deliver basic information and trackable goals to users through…