Wireless3 Comments

2007 Is Looking Like The Year Cell Phone Banking Gets Started – News by InformationWeek

Colin Henderson

Wireless Banking (as in looking at your cell screen, for the North Americans) is big everywhere in the world except North America.  Some are now predicting that the right elements are in place, including infrastructure and suitable devices that this might start to kick in, during 2007.  Mobile phone banking has yet to hit the United States, but look for a big push in the coming year, as customers already used to online banking buy faster, smarter cell phones and get accustomed to doing more data-intensive tasks on the go. Most banks, though, have a long way to go to provide … Continue reading 2007 Is Looking Like The Year Cell Phone Banking Gets Started – News by InformationWeek

Uncategorized

A classic Spider response to a Starfish problem: Microsoft’s aims to help banks integrate across channels

Colin Henderson

 I must be feeling really cynical today – perhaps its just those two books I just read … but this press release is a classic spider response to a starfish problem.  Absolutely Banks have a problem of legacy systems and inadequate response from web services and CRM to solve that.  But encapsulating the problem in a press release and linking yourself with a few partners is not an adequate answer.  Haislip: The Factory will provide architecture guidance, best practices and other information to help banks create a uniform environment for cross-channel integration. The goal is to provide better experiences for employees … Continue reading A classic Spider response to a Starfish problem: Microsoft’s aims to help banks integrate across channels

Social networks3 Comments

The Captcha is dead – MySpace to follow

Colin Henderson

 Markus is plainly a guy who gets it.  I trust his evaluation, and will watch MySpace closely over the next few weeks (or less).  There was some clue that this could happen back in July.  I assume that if Myspace doesn’t come up with a response soon it will decline quickly. Source: The Captcha is dead. « The Paradigm Shift Relevance to Bankwatch: Social networks have to be trusted.  Part of the implementation has to account for ‘bad guys’ trying to implement old thinking on a new idea. Kudo’s to Matt and his WordPress team for his exemplary work in … Continue reading The Captcha is dead – MySpace to follow

Uncategorized2 Comments

Book review: "The Starfish & the Spider" – Brafman/ Beckstorm

Colin Henderson

It has been fascinating to study this book at the same time as “Banker to the Poor”.  The insights are profound, and explain many seemingly inexplicable things such as: why eBay paid $2.4 billion for Skype why Google is leading the internet charge with nor apparent business model, beyond advertising why ING is blowing the doors off banking around the world why the US is incapable of beating Al quada (dangerous ground here!) why Microsoft, despite best efforts, cannot quite seem to “get it” why Toyota is #1, and why GM is going/ as gone down the tubes why music … Continue reading Book review: "The Starfish & the Spider" – Brafman/ Beckstorm

Open Source Banking, Social networks1 Comment

Book review: “Banker to the Poor” – Yunus

Colin Henderson

This book is remarkable on two levels. Its remarkable because of the personal association with the history of Bangladesh and Pakistan which is quite fascinating, and leads into the abject poverty experienced in Bangladesh and Pakistan as a result, and how Yunus observations and astuteness led him to develop a billion dollar bank, with a genuine sense of social purpose, going where no other bank has gone. There are some real learning’s here that can be applied in the social lending arena. Grameen Bank has made $ 3.4 billion dollars in loans to 2.4 million people. Yes … that’s an … Continue reading Book review: “Banker to the Poor” – Yunus

AI2 Comments

Web sales down on Black Friday – Yahoo! News

Colin Henderson

I find this headline fascinating. Internet sales are down this Thanksgiving compared to last year. Wayne Best, a senior economist at Visa USA, said Internet-based sales on “Black Friday” fared worse than last year, which he attributed to fairly good weather across the country driving shoppers to malls. Source: Web sales down on Black Friday – Yahoo! News Aside from what actually occurred, I am most curious that Visa would immediately leap to the weather related behaviour that drive traditional mall shopping. Have they asked themselves, “What if the convenience of internet means that the shopping doesn’t have to happen … Continue reading Web sales down on Black Friday – Yahoo! News

Business Models

The Retail Bulletin – missed opportunities by not selling online

Colin Henderson

An interesting viewpoint from Barclaycard on the missed potential from merchants not selling their wares online.  The research by Barclaycard Business has found that 69 per cent of retailers questioned do not currently trade online and are missing out on lucrative Christmas sales as millions of shoppers shun the high street to shop online. Source: The Retail Bulletin – The complete retail news resource Barclaycard have a vested interest from potentially lost transaction revenue, but hidden in here is the stat that older companies are less online than newer ones. “Our research shows that many retailers perceive setting up online as a … Continue reading The Retail Bulletin – missed opportunities by not selling online

Social networks2 Comments

Zopa blog | Capital Guarantee product for lenders

Colin Henderson

Zopa continue with their continual iterative improvements, this one being insurance to offer full protection for lenders, in return for a lessor interest rate. This might be a couple of days later (We’re awaiting final regulatory clearance, but the system is all built) – but we’re delighted to be able to offer an insurance product for lenders that guarantees your money back – no matter what happens with bad debts. Source: Zopa blog   Technorati tags: zopa, social+lending Continue reading Zopa blog | Capital Guarantee product for lenders

AI

Banks on people.connect via Net route- The Economic Times

Colin Henderson

 Some interesting stats about Indian banking, that surprised me at first. SURBHI GOEL TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2006 02:31:25 AM] Standing in a queue, waiting for the teller to give your withdrawal money or moving from one counter to another to deposit cash is a tale of the good old days. Now ‘Your Bank’ has reached you at your fingertip. Core banking systems and e-banking have enabled customers to interact and transact with banks seamlessly. Globally, about 10% of the customers regularly do online banking. In India, less than 1% of the millions of customers are using Internet … Continue reading Banks on people.connect via Net route- The Economic Times

Business Models4 Comments

PardonMyFrench: How To Make Money Embracing YouTube (- or not!)

Colin Henderson

Eric, I love these debates.  This quote from your post goes to the core of the business model discussion. However, I keep asking questions on how these companies, bands, etc make money in the long term  …. One thing is clear that going after the end-user who posts the content is wrong because at the end of the day, they make nothing off of it and after all this is about money right? Source: PardonMyFrench: How To Make Money Embracing YouTube Yes its the American way to say its all abut money.  But then from “The Starfish and the Spider” … Continue reading PardonMyFrench: How To Make Money Embracing YouTube (- or not!)