Product details

The case discusses the launch of Advance bank, the branch-less bank in Germany to offer a full range of banking services and investment advice. A unique feature of Advance bank is that it was built from scratch without relying on the products and banking infrastructure of its parent company, a branch-based bank. The bank's concept is that of a virtual company that sources its services and products from different financial providers spread out all over Germany and integrates them through a seamless interface with the customer. The case also discusses how a bank combines the offering of its services through a variety of distribution channels (telephone, PC, and Internet). Customers can perform online standardised banking operations. For highly personalised and complex products, financial advice is offered by integrating telephone and Internet capabilities, thus allowing simultaneous voice and data communication with the customer. The case concludes by highlighting the future challenges facing the Advance Bank.