Wesabe have released a tool that works in Firefox browser to update your Wesabe information.  Wheaties for Your Wallet » Blog Archive » The Wesabe Firefox Uploader “We’ve just launched a great new feature to make uploading your data to Wesabe a ton easier — but not just that. Along the way we’ve improved just about every aspect of getting your accounts into Wesabe. This marks the first release of the Wesabe Firefox Uploader …..   “ The key advantage is that Wesabe works for any Bank or Credit Union now, when you use this tool.  It also runs on any … Continue reading Wesabe release simple tool that works for any Bank or CU

Bruce at Forrester, offers up a generational and gender difference to consider in offers. The “Enjoyability” Genderation Gap « Customer Experience Matters Male Gen Xers want a lot more enjoyment. When it comes to every category of business except airlines, Gen X males were at or near the top in their willingness to switch providers for a more enjoyable experience. Seniors aren’t looking for more enjoyment. Female Seniors was one of the groups least likely to leave its current provider for a better experience – except when it came to the group’s dealings with general department stores. Male Seniors felt … Continue reading Genderation gaps | the enjoyability factor

Here is a brilliant, yet simple additional service provided by Tesco Finance. Finextra: Tesco launches online used car checker The online checker helps motorists to check if a car: has finance outstanding on it is registered as an insurance write-off is recorded as stolen on the Police National Computer has been clocked Continue reading Value added services to enhance the customer experience

Billeo announce some enhancements to their service this morning. They are up to over 6,000 billers, and have additional tools available including a toolbar. Press release here: SANTA CLARA, California – July 16, 2007 – Billeo, Inc. (www.billeo.com), today announced that the company has launched a series of solutions which give consumers unprecedented control and flexibility in online bill payment. Billeo lets you pay virtually any bill online, using any payment method desired, including credit cards and debit cards. If paying by credit card, the average Billeo user can reap over 5,000 additional points per year as part of their … Continue reading Billeo represent an example of dis-aggregated financial services

Paul at Finextra comes up with an interesting evolution that we have been eagerly awaiting;  a Bank (Tesco) aiming to provide price comparisons online. This aligns with what customers expect online, so lets see how far Tesco push it. Royal Bank builds its own glasshouse Interestingly, Tesco Personal Finance is thought to be gearing up to launch an online price comparison service in the autumn. Spokesman Matthew Dransfield confirmed to Finextra that the supermarket bank has registered the domain name tescocompare.com but refused to comment further. Technorati Tags: bank+price+comparisons Continue reading Price comparisons for Banks getting closer

Jim’s comment from his college age neice is perceptive.  Business will always try to stick traditional advertising into new media, and users are likely to generally resist it, unless new ways of approaching users can be developed.  Banner ads need not apply. The Aging of Facebook Makes it a More Appealing Platform for Financial-Services Firms (NetBanker) To her, it’s a privileged place for her friends to communicate: uncles, aunts, and especially parents, are definitely not on the invitation list. It will be interesting to see what happens to the hip kids as the establishment invades their turf. Technorati Tags: marketing, … Continue reading Advertising acceptance in FaceBook | banner ads need not apply

Jim notes the recent stats on Social Networks to draw out that all age groups are involved. I support this view – Banks should increasingly build out for GenX/Y all the while remembering that all generations will use it. Gen X/Y provide the future clues for strategy direction, but don’t assume those valuable boomers are not there too, because they are. The Aging of Facebook Makes it a More Appealing Platform for Financial-Services Firms (NetBanker) Significance for Banks As you consider your social networking strategy, don’t think it’s only for the under-25 crowd. Some of your prime customers, the 30-somethings … Continue reading While GenX/Y lead, Banks should watch their valuable boomer customers

This is another industry shifting change announced by Wesabe here.  While the implementation sounds, and is, technical in nature, the implications are, in my view, profound.  Wheaties for Your Wallet … … as a tool for getting your data out of your banks and credit cards, and into whatever form or program is going to most help you manage your money. Banks and their customers information is proprietary, and Banks have historically owned and treasured that information.  Internet has been all about information becoming free and available.  Open Source is a watchword for internet.  I am typing this blog post … Continue reading Wesabe does it again | “Your bank has a REST API now (shhh! — don’t tell them)”

IBM reflects on the results of the 2007 Wimbledon site, and Second Life space.  They had 8.5 million active users over the two weeks, visiting over 40 million times.  Lots of discussion on technical matters, and how they think about scale, and have moved on from hits per minute and consecutive users.  But I liked this paragraph, and its relevance to marketing/Banking. eightbar » Blog Archive » Wimbledon, that’s a lot of users 8.5 million Things such as the times article reached many people as did the extensive blog coverage by everyone. This approach to reaching people is in itself … Continue reading IBM Wimbledon | “This approach to reaching people is in itself a good lesson”