Customer Engagement

When COVID caused widespread closures in March, Fifth Third Bank pivoted quickly. They closed branches to walk-ins, promoted drive-thru window transactions, and extended the ability to make one-on-one appointments to all customers who wanted to meet with a banker either in-person or by phone. As part of the recent Future Branches Digital Summit, Engageware had […]

Online and traditional media outlets have been well populated with stories of the ways that banks and other financial institutions have responded to the pandemic, and how, despite the disruptions to our normal way of doing business, have provided unparalleled levels of service to their customers in need.  We spoke to one of Engageware’s many […]

As states begin to gradually reopen their economies, retailers are preparing for what’s next. Brands are now re-imagining the world of physical shopping, factoring in new operational and hygiene processes, redesigned store layouts, and social distancing practices to ensure employee and customer safety. One trend that analysts expect to remain long after the pandemic subsides […]

With so many predictions and trends swirling around, we’ve picked the top 4 banking trends we think are most important for banks and credit unions to pay attention to – and act on – in 2020. Note – They don’t involve blockchain or FinTechs, but rather key, yet manageable tweaks you can make to improve […]

The retail world, like everything else, is different than it was a month ago. Thousands of retailers have been forced to close brick-and-mortar operations as social distancing orders to combat COVID-19 took effect. Consumers, shut indoors across the country, have changed the way they shop and interact with retail brands. As stay at home orders […]

Small businesses in need of urgent financial assistance from COVID-19 disruptions are looking to banks for help. Specifically, there is a rush to apply for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. The $349 billion small business loan program, part of the CARES Act, was launched last week, but a confusing set of guidelines from the […]

A recap of the March 31st webinar – How to Provide the Best Digital Support as Banking Customers Shift to Digital Amid COVID-19. The effect of COVID-19 on banking has been significant. Almost overnight, banking customers were forced to switch to digital banking. The impact was significant. Banks and credit unions were forced to direct […]

In response to overwhelming demand for a scheduling solution that’s quick to implement, but still powerful enough to balance COVID-19 restrictions and a coming surge in banking demand resulting from the CARES Act, Engageware created the Essential Banking Package. Here’s why. An Immediate Need to Revamp Operations While most of the nation is shut down […]

As individuals and organizations, we’re all navigating a sea of uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. Banks and credit unions are not exempt, and are being forced to make tough decisions that balance the need to protect employees and customers, while providing much needed support and service.  Thankfully, investments in digital banking technology are enabling banks and credit […]

As the events of the last few weeks unfold, there is no questioning it  — we have found ourselves in an unprecedented situation – locally, nationally, and globally. The changing tide of the COVID-19 pandemic has set forth widespread economic, health, financial, and lifestyle changes, and it seems that no business, industry or sector remains […]

Let’s face it.  Today’s headlines are a little scary.  COVID-19 and the global pandemic has caused significant change across every citizens life.  Whether people face the hard task of being self-quarantined at home to the average high school athlete’s spring sports season being entirely canceled, people have to deal with the “new normal” while health […]

According to McKinsey & Company, when it comes to retail personalization, the next digital frontier is in the physical world. That should not come as a surprise. While e-commerce growth is real, more than 90% of retail sales take place in a physical store. Even Amazon is opening more brick-and-mortar stores, a telling sign  that […]

It’s estimated that 3 in 5 financial institutions have recently gone through a digital banking conversion or will in the next 18 months. While there are endless resources outlining the planning, and implementation from a technical perspective, what is often underestimated is the impact on your customers and staff. We recently talked to a Credit […]

Empower sales teams to sell more with less admin burden Sales and support teams are busy, but frequently not in the most productive ways. A slew of recent research, including the Salesforce State of Sales report, found that sales reps spend just over one-third (34%) of their time selling. The rest is devoted to admin […]

The financial services industry is in the midst of a generational transformation. By 2030, millennials will likely be well on their way to becoming the age group with the largest investable wealth. Yet only 4% of Americans ages 18-24 and 7% of those ages 25-34 currently use a financial advisor, presenting outsized untapped opportunities for […]

Engageware has concluded a preliminary study of appointment data and the surprising results may help Credit Unions better prepare for the peak times their customers want to engage with them. After a review of over 1m appointments across thousands of locations over the 6-month period beginning in June 2019 and ending in December 2019, the […]

Here’s how to create a retail environment that prioritizes people and meaningful experiences for a demographic with serious purchasing power. While Gen Z’s preference for online shopping steals most of the headlines, what this influential consumer demographic say they really want is more personalized and in-person retail interactions. The most recent research on Gen Z, […]

At National Retail Federation 2020 in New York City, the trend continues towards automation and harnessing AI to make it easier for customers. One could say that it’s “The Rise of the Machines”, but in fact, the Machines are increasingly being used to connect customers with the right employees – not just a bot. My […]

As consumers, each time we interact with a company, it leaves an impression. Whether we’re placing an order, chatting with a live agent, visiting a physical store or branch, or browsing a website, these encounters have a major impact on how we perceive that brand. In an age when customers have more choices than ever […]

Consumers continue to favor in-store shopping at locations where they can have conversations with knowledgeable employees and interact with physical products. The findings, according to the 2019 Future Stores Consumer Report, comes even as online shopping hits record revenues. While that seems like contradictory information, a deeper dive into consumer preferences show that shoppers of […]

Let’s be honest, your customers don’t look forward to visiting your service stations. They’re visiting because they have a problem or need preventative maintenance for their vehicle. Not exactly something you would see on an Amazon wish list. But this doesn’t mean you can’t make them happy, loyal customers through a streamlined service process that builds trust between them and your business. […]

If you’ve visited a business website, you know just how popular chat platforms have become. They enable businesses of all types and sizes to communicate directly with prospects and customers in near real-time. There are typically two types of chat functionality: live chat during business hours and after-hours chatbots for nights and weekends. Adding chat […]

One of the best parts of my job is speaking with customers and learning how they’re using Engageware to improve the in-branch experience. I recently participated in a Future Branches Digital Summit  with Krystal Adams, vice president of member experience for Tucson Federal Credit Union.   Krystal is responsible for member experience across six retail branches and the credit union’s call center, as well […]

Providing powerful alerts for customers and staff to increase on-site appointments while creating better customer experiences Text notifications are one of the best ways to engage with people. Not just consumers, or staff… People! With everyone inundated with email marketing and other notifications, it’s easy for your opt-in notices to go…well unnoticed!   According to a […]

The benefits of online appointment scheduling for consumer retail, banks, and credit unions are well documented and include higher sales, loyal customers and members, and more engaged employees. But with most locations, there is a constant mix of pre-scheduled customers and walk-in traffic that must be engaged. This inconsistent visitor traffic can often lead to crowded lobbies and waiting areas, consumer confusion, and frazzled employees who need to balance a full calendar of scheduled meetings […]

In today’s always-on world, consumers are in the driver’s seat and the expectation is that brands will deliver what customers need when and where they need it, whether that’s online via mobile, or in-person. To best reach consumers in the moments that influence their decisions, leading brands have turned to intelligent appointment scheduling and communication tools to […]

Given the dramatic increases in customer expectations as well as the ever-growing number of options consumers can choose from today, brands ranging from national retailers to regional credit unions are overwhelmingly adopting new customer engagement strategies to drive high-value interactions, inspire repeat visits, and grow their business. One of the best ways to deliver more […]

As online giants like Amazon enter new categories and seek to expand their share of e-commerce revenues, retailers have shifted strategy to boost their digital competitiveness. Given the growth of digital spending, it’s easy to overlook an important point — more than 90% of purchases still happen in-store, and consumers still value in-person interactions. They […]

Chatbots are a hot topic in banking. As the shift towards a digital-first world accelerates, we are quickly approaching the intersection of business value and consumer expectations. Banks and credit unions are seeing the benefits of automation – lowered support costs via robust self-service all while fulfilling the consumer expectation of being able to complete […]

Here’s How to Facilitate a Meeting That Delivers on a Customer-Centric PromiseIn today’s economy, consumers are firmly in the driver’s seat. They expect personalized service and instant gratification, and if they don’t receive it, data shows they’ll choose a competitor. That’s why savvy businesses need to embrace the “Power of Now,” engaging with customers on […]