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Author Archives: Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson

About Alex Johnson

Alex Johnson is an online marketing specialist at Zoot. In his role at Zoot, he is constantly studying the ways in which new marketing trends, techniques, and technologies are impacting the financial industry. As a member of Generation Y, Alex's insights and observations will undoubtedly be influenced by his generation's passion for/dependence on the internet.

A Healthier View of Bank Channels

By:  Alex Johnson
On: May 2, 2012
Topics: Customer Experience, Operational Efficiency, Trends
Tagged: , , ,

The debate over bank channels has reached an interesting place. Depending on whom you ask, branch banking is either a relic of a time gone by or an invaluable component of a successful retail banking strategy. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between these extremes.

I recently heard a very healthy perspective on the… Continue reading →

Underwriting Small Business Merchants: Seeing Risk More Accurately

By:  Alex Johnson
On: April 11, 2012
Topics: Customer Acquisition and Retention, Operational Efficiency, Trends
Tagged: , , , ,

According to a recent study, difficult economic times can spur greater entrepreneurship. The study, conducted by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, found that a majority of the largest, most successful companies in the world were founded during a recession or bear market. The study suggests that, paradoxically, recessions often provide entrepreneurs with the right market… Continue reading →

Learning from Apple: Creating a Great Customer Experience

By:  Alex Johnson
On: March 20, 2012
Topics: Customer Experience, Technology, Trends
Tagged: , , ,

I just finished reading Walter Isaacson’s biography on Steve Jobs. The book is full of interesting stories and insights, but there was one in particular that reminded me of a current problem faced by banks—creating great customer experiences that lead to increased customer loyalty and a stronger brand. This is a challenge that banks are… Continue reading →

Learning from Apple: Don’t give up on Branch Banking

By:  Alex Johnson
On: February 28, 2012
Topics: Customer Experience, Trends
Tagged: , ,

There were many insights I took away from reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs. One of the most relevant to the financial industry was Steve Jobs’ belief in the value of a physical retail channel. It’s common knowledge that Apple’s retail stores are an important component of the company’s overall success. The question I… Continue reading →

Where do Financial Products fit in our Hierarchy of Needs?

By:  Alex Johnson
On: December 20, 2011
Topics: Trends
Tagged: , , , ,

According to analysts at TransUnion, the recent trend of consumers prioritizing their credit card bills over their mortgage payments is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. In this blog post I would like to examine this trend by comparing it to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Up until 2008, consumers tended to focus on their payments… Continue reading →

Can Mobile be a Disruptive Innovation?

By:  Alex Johnson
On: December 15, 2011
Topics: Customer Experience, Technology, Trends
Tagged:

There are two fundamental types of innovation; incremental innovation and radical innovation. Incremental innovation is the improvement of existing products and processes in a linear fashion. Radical innovation is the creation of entirely new products or processes. Neither type of innovation is more important or necessarily more profitable than the other. Ford Motor Company made… Continue reading →

A Modest Proposal: Financial Literacy for the 21st Century

By:  Alex Johnson
On: November 15, 2011
Topics: Trends
Tagged:

Since the financial crisis, the idea of financial literacy has been a popular one. Teaching kids how to deal with money responsibly is an obvious response to a situation that was precipitated, in large part, by adults’ financially irresponsible behavior.

There is a recognized need for financial literacy to be incorporated directly into the core… Continue reading →