I am surprised to read this on a marketing blog in 2008. Conversations happen everywhere. To my simple mind the issue is not that the stock price event occurred … the issue is how the branch dealt with it. If there is a TV in the branch, the staff need to be aware, the PR dept need to be aware. Staff can chat with the customers about it …. this is the new world. Not the sanitised version outlined in the 2nd paragraph quoted below [strikethrough emphasis mine 🙂 ]
The Story » Blog Archive » Know how to use your bank technology
During the summarization of that day’s stock market activities, a newsflash came up in gigantic letters stating that my bank’s stock prices had dropped significantly. To say the least, that’s probably not what the bank wants to broadcast in its own branches.
What this little blunder said to me was that the bank marketing team didn’t fully think through their purchase of these LCD monitors. They snapped up the new technology before they knew what to do with it, or how it was going to enhance their brand.
Bankwatch 
Wow, you’re posts lately are making me want to comment.
I read this post on the story a few days and it kind of made sense to me. I’m not saying that you’re wrong — you’re right, people are going to hear about stock prices falling regardless of if they see it in the branch or if they see it at home while they’re watching the news and eating their tea.
I think the sentiment in this post was more about efficiently using the technology to enhance member experience.
Having a LCD TV in the branch showing the news, I would suggest is a waste of an LCD TV. Sure it looks nice, but what is it doing? It’s not enhancing your brand. It’s adding noise and clutter to your branch.
(And not to mention people probably don’t want to watch the news while they are waiting in a teller line – they’d probably rather get served and get out of there. So if all you are going to do with that TV is play the news… why not actually make the branch more convenient and invest the money spent on the TV into some relevant customer technology… like an extra ATM out front, or something).
Back to the point – if you’re going to have this fancy LCD TV in the branch, why don’t you use it to enhance customer experience. Display new and relevant products or messages to members. ‘Tired of waiting? Fill out a deposit slip and speed up your time with our tellers”. You know, that kind of thing.
@james … I hear you, but my only point was that you cannot control the message anymore. My sense from the CBC post was just that.
I hear you on the advice/ empathy thing on lcd in the line up for customers.
I think my broader concern here is whether Banks ought to insulate customers from the conversations that are occurring, or ought to “embrace the chaos”, dive in, and engage in the conversations that result. My sense from the CBC post was that companies ought to control the message, hide the bad stuff that is going on, and not engage in the conversations that are occurring organically.