Rachel Koning Beals

Article

Effective risk management starts with being risk-aware

Oct 10, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
From capital stress-testing to CRA prep and cybersecurity updates, banks and credit unions should regularly map out what risks may lie ahead.
Compliance, Regulation & Risk

Podcast

Fight check fraud with a strategic mindset 

Sep 23, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals, Greg Kanevski
ServiceNow’s Greg Kanevski joins the BAI Banking Strategies podcast to talk about check vulnerabilities, funding fraud recovery and why you can market your defenses as a competitive asset.
Fraud Prevention

Article

Updated payments offerings and embedded finance redefine community banking

Sep 3, 2024

By Will Sowell, Rachel Koning Beals
An interview with Pathward’s Will Sowell about the road from Midwest bank to prepaid card issuer to what’s next for Banking-as-a-Service.
Payments

Article

Understanding and attracting SMBs

Aug 29, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Small and medium-sized businesses are a key growth area for banks and credit unions. Winning this category requires relationship managers, payments ease, fraud defenses and more.
Business Banking

Article

Banks believe in embedded finance’s revenue potential, but regulatory challenges persist

Aug 22, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Sponsor banks rank reputational damage as top consequence of mishandling fintech compliance, Alloy survey shows.
Technology

Podcast

State of Deposits: What’s on the horizon

Aug 20, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals, Isio Nelson, Tom Hoscheidt
BAI’s Tom Hoscheidt and Isio Nelson join Senior Editor Rachel Koning Beals on the BAI Banking Strategies Podcast to dig deeper into a midyear snapshot of BAI deposit research.
Consumer Banking

Article

Banks adapted and now what? FDIC’s brokered deposit proposal rattles industry

Aug 14, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Ampersand’s Kelly Brown says the industry and its regulators should cool it over ‘hot money’ and consider a new approach to deposit fairness.
Compliance, Regulation & Risk

Article

Q&A with Simmons Bank’s Nick Kieffer: Invest in talent and you’ll invest in customers

Aug 13, 2024

By Nick Kieffer, Rachel Koning Beals
What matters most in the contact center—tech agility, call efficiency, agent continuity or soft skills? All of it. All of the time.
Talent & Workforce Management

Article

Digital ease boosts mortgage servicing reputations through tough interest-rate stretch

Aug 7, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
J.D. Power satisfaction survey flags cost challenges for servicers, financial health of borrowers.
Consumer Banking

Article

Modernizing payment methods: tough competition and a chance to differentiate

Aug 1, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Modernizing doesn’t have to mean abandoning the sound fundamentals at the core of your operation.
Payments

Article

Nurture small business customer service by meeting unique needs

Aug 1, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
A version of this article first appeared in BAI’s June Executive Report: Elevating customer service across the enterprise. You’ll find insightful coverage in the issue on SMB customer care, investing in call center talent and customer-focused SaaS...
Business Banking

Article

FedNow marks one-year anniversary — what you need to know

Jul 18, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
The real-time payments ecosystem is expanding in the U.S. Financial institutions remain mindful of fraud risks and determining the best applications.
Payments

Article

Embedded finance at credit unions: Think brand first and other trends in 2024 and beyond

Jul 15, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Digital platform Union Credit predicts 3 trends in embedded finance for credit union member growth.
Consumer Banking

Article

Meeting customer needs at every touchpoint within the bank

Jul 3, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Discover how best to position your entire organization to embrace a customer-service mindset.
Consumer Banking

Article

SCOTUS moves could impact financial services regulation – what should banks do now?

Jul 1, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
‘Chevron’ and ‘Swipe Fees’ decisions may accelerate what’s already been a shift to court tests of banking rules.
Compliance, Regulation & Risk

Article

‘Digital first’ isn’t enough — banks and credit unions must differentiate in a crowded field

Jun 28, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Customer-facing digital strategies have grown up. Just in time, too. Here comes mobile-tethered Gen Z, growing into their own sophisticated banking needs.
Consumer Banking

Article

Mind-money connection: More than 50% say finances trigger stress, anxiety or depression

Jun 21, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Jenius Bank survey shows shifting view of being “rich” away from material possessions to life experiences, while social media is popular for financial advice.
Consumer Banking

Article

This South Florida banker can teach us all about serving a dynamic market

Jun 20, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals, David Druey
Centennial’s David Druey talks tariffs, higher-for-longer rates and learning more about insurance than ever before.
Business Banking

Article

What makes CRE risk in 2024 and beyond different from recent bank failures?

Jun 17, 2024

By Kelly A. Brown, Rachel Koning Beals
Ampersand’s Kelly Brown talks balance sheets, diversification and more.
Compliance, Regulation & Risk

Article

A handful of states advance AI scrutiny — what does it mean for banking?

Jun 11, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Patchwork artificial intelligence regulation finds traction in select states including Colorado and California, well ahead of federal response.
Compliance, Regulation & Risk

Article

Bank loans can fill medical-insurance gaps — and everyone feels better

Jun 5, 2024

By Rachel Koning Beals
Our loan portfolio skyrocketed, our hospital partner restored its cash flow, and patients avoided the sting of double-digit credit-card interest, says one lending officer.
Consumer Banking