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In many ways, the most critical results were not measurable. These were the results that would allow the breakthroughs to be not only sustained, but extended over time...a lasting belief [...]

Retail banks can significantly improve their competitiveness by turning their call centers into true sales-and-service retail delivery channels for serving time-strapped customers. Given that clients are spending less time in branch offices, banks would do well to provide them with alternative contact points to provide them better service and to keep them from transferring their accounts to other banks with good call centers. Besides, a telephone-based delivery of service is much less expensive than conventional brick-and-mortar banking. In developing effective call centers, banks need a nationwide telephone number and a single, enterprise-wide database. Call-center employees should have persuasive abilities and verbal skills while body language, colorful sales tools and gestures are no longer pertinent.

PATRICK J. SWANICK vice chairman KeyCorp Key Challenge: "Many Americans are time-starved. They simply prefer to do some or all of their borrowing, investing and account reconcilement on their phone […]

Focuses on the importance of Internet for consumers and small businesses in the U.S. Total number of people with Internet access; Increase in the number of people doing electronic commerce; Business priorities of manufacturers.

The article argues that consumers should ask merchants for a discount when they use their debit cards because they persuaded the U.S. Congress to pass debit-card transaction fees legislation.

Profiles Patrick, Swanick, retail bank president of KeyCorp. Effort to change the 81 billion dollar asset; Plan to have distribution management strategy; Sales of KeyCorps dont through Internet.