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Banks exist to serve the financial needs of consumers, through whatever avenue works best. With the rapid evolution of technology, more tools and resources are available than ever before to determine and meet those needs. Personalization in banking works when the customer is the focus, but without customer-centricity as their anchor, banks drift from what really matters. What steps can banks take to stay focused in today’s changing financial environment?

A bank won’t survive without customer trust; if customers don’t feel safe entrusting their finances with their bank, they will move on. Gaining that trust in the Digital Age is more complicated than in the past, with new banking channels available to a new generation of customers with new cultural priorities. Astute bank leaders are working diligently to maintain the crucial human (H) factor, prioritizing culture alongside more traditional top objectives.

Impact investing, which places social and environmental goals as equal partners with risk and reward, is continuing to reshape the financial sector worldwide. One example is the new impact-focused Scottish Stock Exchange, which will require companies seeking to list to meet the demands of today’s socially conscious investor. Capital markets are in a state of flux within a changing world, and it is incumbent upon all financial-sector players to face this reality.

Everyone recognizes the benefits of going digital these days, especially governments seeking to advance their economies. The value of any national economy hinges on its assets, and a digital economy has its own assets that are distinct from those of traditional economies. These digital assets joined together within a thriving ecosystem are intrinsic to the formation of a truly inclusive digital economy.

No one can deny that around the world, bank branches are shutting their doors, alarming consumer advocates. But who is mainly behind the trend away from brick and mortar and toward digital? As research proves, the prime mover is the customer, whose changing demands and expectations are causing the shift. Fortunately, today’s two main banking channels are not mutually exclusive; they can work successfully in tandem.

Trade finance fuels trade; if firms are unable to access it, this can have significant consequences for business development and global commerce. The current US$1.5 trillion gap between the demand for and supply of trade finance is undeniably a substantial barrier to economic growth. A recent BNY Mellon survey canvassed industry participants to discover what steps they think should be taken to close the gap, and the results point to two potential sources of relief: technology and regulatory revision.

Developing markets surmount trials not faced by developed markets, as do their financial-services providers. Forward-looking banks in developing countries implement innovative approaches to maximize customer satisfaction in trying times. One such bank is Kenya’s Guardian Bank, which in its quest to provide its customers with only the best banking experience has developed initiatives that may set a new trend for banks worldwide.

Lebanon’s AM Bank is guided by a simple but powerful modus operandi: CAN-DO. According to this innovative bank, Can-Do means that its staff can provide exactly what its customers require of them: “a positive outlook and a will to deliver products, services and solutions that really answer” their needs. COO Nahla Bou-Diab spoke with us about the bank’s guiding motto and how it has yielded satisfied customers and staff alike.

A persistent problem in Africa is the financial-inclusion deficit. With 11 million citizens in South Africa alone being either underbanked or unbanked, the need to gather them into the banking fold is urgent. Recognizing this imperative, innovative teams such as Nedbank’s Retail and Business Banking have prioritised customer-centric digital avenues to reach more customers, entrenching themselves as the money experts who do good and give clients back the gift of time.

Artificial intelligence is infiltrating almost every industry, including banking, and automating tasks in ways that outperform humans. But is this cause for nail-biting or rejoicing? A lot depends on how intelligently artificial intelligence is first viewed and then put to work by humans. Banks worldwide, such as Alawwal bank in Saudi Arabia, are proving that this powerful technology, if exploited smartly, will be transformational for banks and customers alike.