Higher Net Interest Margin With Less Risk – Fact or Fiction? [VIDEO]
Most banks chase NIM by matching rates. Top banks raise pricing by changing positioning. Here’s how they do it.
Welcome to the Top 5 Percenter™ Blog
Don’t Let Your Customers Have “Frightening” Customer Service Experiences
Are your employees scaring your customers away because of their “ghoulish” service?
Do your team members know how to convert someone asking for a rate into a client delighted to pay premium pricing and immediately bringing all their accounts?
Most banks know they should mystery shop, and almost all the good ones currently do. But when it comes to getting the benefits out of that shopping—catchy sneaker slogans aside—“Just Do It” isn’t going to cut it. You’ve got to do it well. Unfortunately, even those banks making the effort to shop generally aren’t doing it right and in the process, they waste thousands of dollars in mystery shopping budget, and worse yet, millions of dollars of bottom-line impact.
It’s about more than just smiling and answering the phone in three rings… it’s about seizing a unique opportunity to teach employees how to stop a caller in their tracks from shopping around and then bringing all their business to your bank.
More From The Blog
Rate Risk is a Big Risk—Play Smart [VIDEO]
Guessing interest rates is not a strategy. Here’s how top community banks remove rate risk and stay profitable.
Why Community Banking Matters—Especially at Christmas [VIDEO]
A Christmas reflection on why community banking matters—and why your leadership impact extends far beyond transactions.
Life in the World of Over-Regulation [VIDEO]
Top banks don’t complain about regulation—they execute around it. Here’s how the elite outperform anyway.
Why Is It So Important to Hold On to Low Cost Deposits [VIDEO]
Low-cost deposits are the ultimate margin advantage. Discover how top 5% performers attract them consistently—and why most banks fail to compete.
Can Strategic Thinking Be Taught or Nurtured [VIDEO]
Banks don’t fail from a talent shortage—they fail from a thinking shortage. Discover how critical-thinking systems like the SIR Formula build your future executives now.
A State of Gratitude [VIDEO]
A powerful Thanksgiving message on how gratitude shifts leadership presence, reframes pressure, and strengthens your bank’s performance culture.
How to Tie Everyone to Profit [VIDEO]
Most employees believe they’re top performers but can’t show how they drive profit. This episode shows how to tie every role to the bottom line, boost profit per FTE, and build a high‑performance culture in your community bank.
The Dangers of False-Attempt Sales Training [VIDEO]
Traditional sales training fails because it focuses on tactics, not transformation. Discover how to shift from sales training to sales culture and achieve lasting growth.
Master the Four Levels of USPs [VIDEO]
Escape commodity pricing. This episode shows how Level-4 USPs—proprietary, client-valued processes—let community banks command +150–200 bps and keep deposits loyal.