Financial Services

Blockchain is not a new technology; it has been available since the introduction of bitcoin in 2008. However, alternative applications in financial services have not yet achieved a critical mass of acceptance. There are some reasons for this, including the following. Regulatory Approval There is currently no legal framework that regulates the application of blockchain technology […]

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), which measures the satisfaction of consumers with the quality of products and services offered by companies across a variety of industries, released a report that suggests digital transformation is helping financial services companies increase customer satisfaction. The ACSI report, which is based on 17,861 customer surveys collected between October […]

Pharmaceutical companies selling their products in the UK need to consider the impact Brexit will have on their operations. Some changes will need to be made before the UK leaves the European Union on March 30, 2019. In a press release, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said: “The guidance document outlines the practical and simplified […]

In the mid-1980’s, a nascent technology was leveraged to invent the World Wide Web. Few could have foreseen the ubiquity of the internet in 2017. Likewise, blockchain is a relatively new technology, and its full potential may not be realized for some years. In the interim, and as further research continues, a number of applications […]

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is will be moving its offices from London to Amsterdam, due to the UK’s decision to withdraw from the European Union. According to a press release issued by the EMA, the relocation effort needs to be completed by the end of March 2019. The EMA currently employs close to 900 […]

In the interest of reducing cost and liability, financial services companies have started withdrawing from the advice market and are requiring non-high net worth individuals to bear responsibility for their own financial decisions. This trend is similar to a trend in healthcare called “patient empowerment,” where doctors no longer make a recommendation for a course […]

Adjusting to the new regulatory environment Recent problems with bank employees opening unauthorized accounts for consumers have focused the regulatory spotlight on sales practices in the industry. The fallout from sales practices problems has been spectacular and well-publicized: Hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and legal costs Destruction of shareholder value Brand and reputational […]

In simplest terms, blockchain is a technology that enables value to be transferred using only software; that is, without the need for trusted intermediaries. It is a record-keeping system where transactions are executed, validated, and recorded publicly. Let’s break down blockchain: 1. Blockchain is the technology behind bitcoin, the electronic currency. It is not the […]

Clients are more empowered than ever to make their own informed decisions, which has led to a dramatic shift in their expectations of financial services companies. Clients expect to be provided with the kind of personalized advice, support, and tools they used to only get from their financial advisors. While offering choices is an important […]

The Recordkeeping for Timely Deposit Insurance Determination rule, more commonly referred to as 12 CFR Part 370, or simply Part 370, became effective April 1, 2017. The rule details new recordkeeping and reporting requirements for the largest depository institutions that help ensure prompt payments to consumers in the event of institutional failures. Part 370 generally […]

Financial services institutions have several options when it comes to improving the decision-making process for investors. Reduce options Probably the least-attractive idea for many providers is the notion of limiting the number of options available to clients. Though there are many examples in the manufacturing industry where decreasing the total number of different products in […]

In his book Paradox of Choice, Dr. Barry Schwartz identifies several key reactions people have when confronted with too much choice. Escalation of expectations – Expectations can be significantly detrimental to one’s ability to be happy with a situation. If you are given only two options, your expectations are going to be fairly low. Regardless […]