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"Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing."
– Warren Buffett
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Better Business Decisions via
Voice of Customer Insights
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Welcome to the Verde Edition quarterly newsletter.
As we move through 2026, leaders across across all business sectors continue to face a familiar challenge: making confident business decisions in an environment defined by economic uncertainty, changing customer expectations, digital disruption, rising service costs, and increasing competitive pressure.
Throughout the second quarter, our team focused heavily on the financial services and insurance sectors, exploring the issues that matter most to executives today. Whether in retail banking, commercial banking, wealth management, or insurance, organizations are asking many of the same questions:
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- Where is friction creating unnecessary revenue loss?
- Which operational challenges are having the greatest impact on growth, retention, and profitability?
- How do we prioritize investments when resources are limited?
- Which issues deserve executive attention today versus tomorrow?
- How can leaders cut through data overload and focus on what matters most?
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At The Verde Group, we believe the answer starts with identifying the specific problems that create the greatest economic impact on the business. Rather than focusing on symptoms, we continue to demonstrate how our Revenue@Risk® methodology helps organizations isolate the operational, digital, service, and process breakdowns that most directly influence customer behavior and financial performance.
Over the past quarter, we have shared perspectives on topics ranging from customer attrition and digital adoption challenges to branch transformation, commercial banking relationship management, insurance renewal risk, operational efficiency, and growth strategy. Across each discussion, the underlying theme remains consistent: organizations create the greatest value when they understand which obstacles matter most and how removing them improves business outcomes.
This quarter, we are also excited to announce the launch of PaulaCourtney.com (coming soon), a new platform dedicated to executive perspectives on leadership, decision making, growth, organizational transformation, and business performance. The site will serve as a resource for leaders seeking practical ideas and fresh thinking on navigating today's increasingly complex business environment.
In addition, we feature our Fast Five, which highlights emerging trends, business challenges, and practical solutions impacting the B2B banking sector. Each edition is designed to provide concise insights that banking leaders can apply immediately as they navigate shifting client expectations, technology investments, relationship-management challenges, and competitive pressures.
Looking ahead, our third quarter newsletter will feature additional industry data, executive perspectives, business case examples, and practical frameworks designed to help organizations make better decisions, focus resources more effectively, and unlock new opportunities for growth and profitability.
As always, thank you for your continued interest in our work. We look forward to sharing new ideas and perspectives that help leaders transform complexity into clarity and business challenges into measurable opportunities.
Cheers!
The Verde Group
| | Coming Soon: PaulaCourtney.com | |
Something new is on the horizon.
This summer, Paula Courtney will launch PaulaCourtney.com, a new home for her thought leadership on customer experience, leadership, customer loyalty, and business strategy.
Whether you're interested in improving customer retention, strengthening organizational performance, or gaining fresh perspectives on today's business challenges, you'll soon have direct access to Paula's latest insights and expertise.
Watch for the official launch in next quarter's newsletter.
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Rethinking Value in Commercial Banking:
What Really Drives Retention and Growth
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Commercial banking customers have more choices than ever before, and many financial institutions continue to invest heavily in products, technology, and digital capabilities. Yet The Verde Group research consistently shows that what drives retention and growth often has less to do with products and pricing and more to do with the experience customers have throughout the relationship.
In our new blog post, we explore what commercial customers value most in their banking relationships and the customer experience factors that have the greatest impact on loyalty, share of wallet, and long-term growth.
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From reducing operational friction to strengthening trusted advisor relationships, our findings reveal where financial institutions have the biggest opportunities to create meaningful competitive advantage.
Read the full article to find out where the biggest opportunities lie.
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The Commercial Banking
Customer Experience Connection
| | What commercial customers value most and where banks have the biggest opportunities to strengthen loyalty. | Building and sustaining new commercial banking relationships is important, but long-term growth depends on a lot more than products, rates, or lending capabilities. As commercial banking becomes increasingly competitive, customer experience has emerged as a primary driver of retention, relationship growth, and market share. | | | |
Commercial clients expect their banking partners to be easy to work with, responsive, knowledgeable, and proactive. When friction enters the relationship, loyalty and growth opportunities can quickly erode.
In our latest Fast Five, we've identified five factors that most strongly influence commercial banking customer retention and growth:
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Simplified Administrative Processes | Businesses value efficiency. Streamlining onboarding, account maintenance, lending processes, and routine transactions reduce customer effort and improve satisfaction.
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Knowledgeable and Responsive Support Teams | Commercial clients expect accurate guidance and quick resolution when issues arise. Well-trained frontline teams build confidence, strengthen trust, and improve loyalty.
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Seamless Multi-Channel Experiences | Customers want the flexibility to engage through digital, self-service, and traditional channels without disruption. Consistency across channels improves convenience and strengthens relationships.
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Trusted Relationship Management | In an increasingly commoditized marketplace, strong account managers remain a key differentiator. Trusted advisors who understand a client's business often influence retention and growth more than products alone.
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Proactive Customer Engagement | Regular check-ins, business reviews, feedback collection, and ongoing communication demonstrate commitment to customer success and help identify opportunities before problems emerge.
| | The institutions that excel in commercial banking are the ones creating experiences that make it easier for businesses to succeed. By reducing friction, strengthening relationships, and focusing on what matters most to customers, banks can improve retention, deepen relationships, and drive sustainable growth. | | READY TO TALK? Book an intro session with Dennis Armbruster, Verde Group Executive VP, to discover how you can enhance the impact of your CX program. We want to help you find methods to anchor your customer insights firmly within your business framework, driving stronger ROI and increasing executive buy-in. We want to learn more about your current challenges. | | Visit Our CX Strategy Toolbox | | |
From quick-hit blogs and insight-rich newsletters to in-depth white papers and proprietary research (including our Revenue@Risk® framework), there’s something for every CX leader in our growing resource library.
We’re passionate about helping organizations rethink customer experience through data, strategy, and decades of real-world insight. Dive in, explore, and see what ideas rise to the surface when you challenge the status quo.
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