BAI Online | Banking Strategies | November/December 2005 | RETAIL DELIVERY SPECIAL REPORT Part II

Relationships are built on experiences. Unless customers� perceptions of trust and confidence are secured in the lower levels of the hierarchy � safety, accuracy and professional interactions during routine transactions � banks will not be granted permission to evolve the relationship into the advisory stage.

This does not suggest that convenience, product features and pricing are not important. Our research found that some major customer segments acknowledge the convenience and product performance provided by their bank. They�re just not interested in forming a relationship with their bank, which is ultimately a process determined by the customer. Bankers cannot make a customer relationship; they can only generate a consistent set of experiences that ultimately guide a portion of customers to this desired state.