How to Attack the Root Cause of Net Interest Margin Compression

The constant “need” to match rates to win a deal is a symptom, not the cause of the net interest margin crisis in banking today.

 

The cause is much more profound.

It’s inside each of your lenders, and it may be inside of you. Frankly, it’s not your fault (or theirs). It’s unconscious and has been a limiting belief in the banking industry for at least 100 years (probably longer).

And don’t worry, if you’re frustrated with your margin, but feel you have to fight any way you can to keep the customers you have and get new ones,

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The Big Lie about Low Rates

Let’s get one thing straight. Low price IS a strategy.

And consciously or unconsciously, every time you match rates to win business, you’re saying, “Our strategy is to be the lowest price bank in our market.”

If you’re going to go the low-price route, at least make a conscious decision to pursue that strategy rather than have it be the result of dozens or hundreds of little unconscious decisions to match rate. And do it with the understanding of history.

Consider the history of the low-price strategy in business.

Let’s start with Sears.

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