Financial Services

The Future of Community Banking: Consumer’s Perspectives on Saving Community Banking

Community banks, once the backbone of the U.S. financial sector, are facing an existential crisis. More than 3,800 institutions have disappeared since 2004 due to industry consolidation, digital disruption, and changing consumer expectations. With competition from national banks, credit unions, and online-only financial institutions intensifying, community banks must rethink their role and redefine what it […]

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The State of Casual Dining and Fast Casual Chains: Customer Loyalty and Brand Promise

Retail / Annika Carroll

The casual dining and fast casual restaurant industries have faced significant challenges, with many well-known brands struggling or closing locations. Reports highlight an industry in decline, citing closures and bankruptcies of chains such as Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Denny’s. However, not all chains are experiencing downturns—brands like Chick-fil-A, Texas Roadhouse, and Outback Steakhouse continue

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Exploring Open Banking Branch Experience Opportunities

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

The State of Open Banking As we enter the next decade, Open Banking will accelerate from the regulatory to the implementation stages in North America. Look no further than Europe for positive clues of the impact on consumer banking with now more than 63 million Open Banking users led by the UK, followed by Germany,

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Future Of Cash in Retail Banking: Notes From Cash in USA Conference October 2024

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

The Cash in the USA conference, held on October 22nd in Nashville, explored cash’s current and future role in retail banking. The conference was well attended, and presenters reflected the diversity of the industry sectors that manage cash within the banking industry. SLD shared insights on how cash and its management are no longer a

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Elevating The Banking Customer Experience: Notes from the 2024 ICX/BCX Summit

Brand Strategy, Packaging Design / Annika Carroll

At the 2024 Networld Media Group Banking Customer Experience Summit in Charlotte, experts gathered to discuss how AI, sustainability, and evolving consumer behaviors are reshaping the customer journey across industries. From retail banking to tech-driven customer experiences, the summit highlighted the importance of aligning business strategies with customer needs in today’s digital age. Sustainability and

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SLD Wins Best Branch Design at The 2024 BCX Awards

Innovation Meets Recognition! SLD is Proud to Bring Home Four Awards at the 17th Edition GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN

Annika Carroll

We are excited to announce that SLD has been recognized at the GRANDS DU PRIX DESIGN Awards for our design works on the Chongquing Rural Commercial Bank (CQRC), the Child Development Institute (CDI), Clover Leaf Seafoods, and Merryberrybublé. “Awards are a testament to the strength of our partnerships and the hard work and innovation SLD brings

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Digital Signage Study: Impact And Insights

Retail / David Magnus

THINK Digital signage in bank branches has become essential in transforming customer experiences and communication methods. However, there remains a debate in many institutions on the value of investing in digital platforms within the branch. This report confirms the significant impact of digital signage from consumer and banker perspectives, identifying opportunities to improve digital signage

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Key Takeaways from the WBR Future Branches Conference: Strategies for Branch Evolution and Customer Engagement

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

The WBR Future Branches Conference in Boston on June 24-25 brought together banking industry leaders to discuss innovative strategies for branch evolution, customer engagement, and leveraging technology. Prominent speakers from national and regional banks and credit unions, as well as industry experts and bank executives at various levels, shared insights on transforming branch networks and

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Win The Race Of Branch Transformation: 5 Strategies For Banks

Uncategorized / Matthew Wilson

A massive investment swing from digital transformation to retail networks is happening among financial institutions. Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and PNC Bank recently made headlines with their billiondollar investments in branch refresh and transformation programs, which impact thousands of locations across the U.S. At the same time, many financial institutions are consolidating their networks,

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Navigate And Win The Branch Transformation Race

David Magnus

Many of the world’s largest banks are investing in redesigning their physical networks to better serve their customers. As financial institutions realize the impact that branches have on customer loyalty, it has become increasingly important to prioritize the physical experience. How can mid-size or regional banks keep up? Our webinar, “Navigate And Win The Branch Transformation

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Six Things That Banks Should Avoid During Customer Experience Transformation

Brand Strategy, Financial Services / Matthew Wilson

For banks, Customer Experience (CX) transformation is full of challenges and opportunities. As markets evolve, new regulations are introduced, and financial behaviors shift, businesses must adapt and reinvent themselves to stay relevant. Drawing insights from our studies, particularly from our white papers “Overcoming Stealth Attrition In Retail Banking” in 2017 and “How Branch-Focused Customer Experiences

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a view in the CQRC bank looking at reception and a two storey digital wall

SLD Recognized at The China Business Impact Awards

Matthew Wilson

We’re thrilled to share that SLD was awarded second place for the “Most Innovative Business Solution of the Year” under the China Business Impact Awards, in recognition of our new prototype branch design project for Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank (CQRC)! The China Business Impact Awards are organized by CanCham Shanghai, supported by the Consulate General

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Is Retail Banking Ready For AI-Driven Advice?

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, generative AI has been a popular topic of conversation. Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini, and Claude followed, as ChatGPT ignited an AI race. What was once science fiction is now a reality, with AI assistants that can respond to almost any question. Since their introduction over a year

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CQRC

David Magnus

https://www.sld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/SLD_CaseStudy_CQRC_Header_720.mp4 BRANCHING OUT INTO COMMUNITY A prototype design for banks that harmonizes financial service with local nature and culture. CLIENT Chongqing RuralCommercial Bank PROJECT New Prototype Branch Design RELATED SERVICE Retail DesignDigital Experiences https://www.sld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/SLD_CaseStudy_CQRC_ReceptionDigital.mp4 THINK To demonstrate its commitment to the local community, Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank (CQRC) needed a modern and approachable prototype design.

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5 Great Examples of Bank Branch Design

Digital Experiences / Matthew Wilson

Bank branches are often perceived as transactional spaces, lacking in human touch. However, when thoughtfully designed, they possess the power to attract foot traffic and constitute a major part of a bank’s brand identity. In this blog, we’ll showcase five exceptional examples of thoughtful branch design, from Asia to Europe and North America. Each highlights

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Think Ahead for 2024: What Brands Need to Know

Brand Strategy / Matthew Wilson

2023 has witnessed many changes in brand transformation, from the controversial rebranding of Twitter to X, Nokia’s futuristic wordmark, and PepsiCo’s new logo and identity. Many of these changes were driven by the need to remain relevant to existing consumers while appealing to younger segments who look for brands to reflect their self-image. With the

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The Future of Seamless Banking and Financial Advice: EU/UK vs. North America

Digital Experiences / Jean-Pierre Lacroix

Shikatani Lacroix Design (SLD) was invited to speak at the ebankIT Summit in Portugal on the future of seamless advice and its impact on customer loyalty in the banking sector. The presentation was based on a consumer study with a detailed comparison of the banking industry in North America and the EU/UK. It revealed nuanced

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Unlocking a World of Seamless Banking: Empower Customers at Every Step

Digital Experiences, Financial Services / Matthew Wilson

The financial industry is transforming rapidly. From multi-channel approaches to omnichannel experiences and the rise of AI-driven seamless banking, institutions are embracing changes at various stages. This transformation is being accelerated by Europe’s enthusiastic embrace of open banking, which will shortly be followed by open finance. Together, they offer customers greater control over their financial

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Banking On Advice – CXFS 2023

Matthew Wilson

In 2017, we began a study to understand better client loyalty in banking and the causes of stealth attrition. The findings were alarming, with only 4% of customers viewing their financial institution as a reputable source of financial advice, and many opting for online-only banks. According to a study we conducted on the state of

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Financial Services

The Future of Community Banking: Consumer’s Perspectives on Saving Community Banking

The State of Casual Dining and Fast Casual Chains: Customer Loyalty and Brand Promise

Exploring Open Banking Branch Experience Opportunities

Future Of Cash in Retail Banking: Notes From Cash in USA Conference October 2024

Elevating The Banking Customer Experience: Notes from the 2024 ICX/BCX Summit

SLD Wins Best Branch Design at The 2024 BCX Awards

Innovation Meets Recognition! SLD is Proud to Bring Home Four Awards at the 17th Edition GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN

Digital Signage Study: Impact And Insights

Key Takeaways from the WBR Future Branches Conference: Strategies for Branch Evolution and Customer Engagement

Win The Race Of Branch Transformation: 5 Strategies For Banks

Navigate And Win The Branch Transformation Race

Six Things That Banks Should Avoid During Customer Experience Transformation

SLD Recognized at The China Business Impact Awards

Is Retail Banking Ready For AI-Driven Advice?

CQRC

5 Great Examples of Bank Branch Design

Think Ahead for 2024: What Brands Need to Know

The Future of Seamless Banking and Financial Advice: EU/UK vs. North America

Unlocking a World of Seamless Banking: Empower Customers at Every Step

Banking On Advice – CXFS 2023

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