Sunday, May 23, 2004
By JO-ANN JOHNSTON
jfjohnston@tampatrib.com
ST. PETERSBURG - An independent investment and trust company said it sees a new opportunity in the David-and- Goliath competition occurring in Florida between small community banks and big national and regional institutions.
Sabal Co. wants to get on the side of the community bankers, the little guys, as a wholesale and low-cost supplier of investment and trust expertise, said Sabal president and chief executive Ward J. Curtis Jr. It's not a new marketing strategy: Raymond James Financial Inc. - the much-larger, St. Petersburg-based financial services company - has two units that offer similar services nationally, but to larger community banks.
Read more....!
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
We've had several inquiries from Banks interested in examples of prospective corporate customers to approach with the Kaizen workflow improvement process.
Click here for a sample list!
Monday, May 17, 2004
We have developed a work flow improvement program for banks and their corporate customers. It is based on the renowned Kaizen process by which every act in the work flow is assessed and measured for its efficiency in terms of time and labor.
Each stage is measured and worked through methodically with the objective of shortening each subsequent stage either by eliminating an unwanted element or combining a certain practice with something else.
Click Here For Details!
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Bank Senior Club Members struggling to pay for prescriptions might have some help from the very drug companies whose products they can’t afford.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the advocacy organization for the pharmaceutical industry, recently launched a Web site where anyone looking for a discount on a particular type of medication can enter personal information into a database.
The Web site then returns a list of printable applications for all the companies’ discount programs for which that person is eligible.
Anyone interested can visit www.helpingpatients.org The form asks the user what medications are needed, income, name, address and other information.
It then determines which of its members, which include all the major pharmaceutical companies, are willing to help. Patients can print the application forms, have them signed by their doctor and mail them into the companies, said Mark Grayson, PhRMA spokesman.
Eventually, patients might be able to return to the Web site at a later date to look for a different prescription, and the Web site will remember the patients’ profiles, Grayson said.
PhRMA started establishing a directory of financial-assistance programs available with its members in 1992, but it quickly grew outdated as companies merged or changed their programs, Grayson said.
In 2003, it put up a Web site to help patients navigate the programs. The latest addition, brought online in March, allows patients to access the application forms immediately.
"We’re trying to use technology to help make it easier for more people," Grayson said.
Monday, May 10, 2004
MONTREAL --(Business Wire)-- May 10, 2004 -- -- U.S. Bank To Streamline Marketing Process And Drive Revenue With SAS(R) Marketing Automation, SAS(R) Interaction Management -
SAS, the leader in business intelligence, today announced that U.S. Bank, a division of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), the eighth largest financial holding company in the United States, has selected SAS(R) Marketing Automation and SAS(R) Interaction Management to enhance its existing customer relationship management (CRM) processes.
These two solutions from SAS' customer intelligence suite will help U.S. Bank better understand the needs of its customers and help strengthen the effectiveness of its marketing programs to retain and grow its customer base. Read More!
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Saturday, May 01, 2004
By Michael D. Regan
The "open door policy" sounds good. Anyone can walk into your office at any time to discuss any issue. At first glance, it seems to promote openness and communication. What it does not promote is your ability to be a leader. If you want to be the type of manager or supervisor who takes the initiative to improve your department instead of spending every day reacting to (literally) every problem that comes walking through your door, you need to spend at least one hour of uninterrupted time by yourself each day to work, think, and learn.
I suggest instituting "private time" hours for yourself. At your next staff meeting, tell your direct reports that you intend to lock yourself in your office for one hour each day to work on their behalf at becoming a better leader. Lead them to reach consensus among themselves on which hour is best. Then, start immediately.
Block the hour off on your calendar for the next decade, and write "leadership meeting" as the subject. When you are in your private time, hang a sign on your door that says something like, "As agreed, I am in my private time from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. I would be delighted to meet with you at any other time during working hours." Turn your phone ringer off and turn off the sound your computer makes to tell you that e-mail has arrived. Cover your window to avoid visual distractions. If necessary, go to an empty conference room or hide somewhere else.
During this time, do not read or answer e-mails, listen to voice mail or return phone calls (do that during regular hours between interruptions). Use this time to work on something that will make you a better leader. So, what should you do? Reading is a great choice. For example, if you want to reduce the number of unwanted visits to your office, read up on how to deal more effectively with performance problems, the #1 time eater (and stress causer) for most supervisors. I recommend "Discipline Without Punishment", by Dick Grote. When I was a manager at Kodak I taught myself how to type faster (I used a program called "Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing"), which has been saving me time for ten years now (think about it). I am sure you can think of many other great ways to spend this time.
Of course, one hour per day is just a start. As you become a better leader, your people will need less of your time and you will be able to spend as much as four hours per day making yourself more effective, for them and your organization.
© 2001 Everest Consulting Group, Inc. (888) 910-8326.
