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for N years <unk> <unk> went to her neighborhood bank because it was convenient
a <unk> customer that banks <unk> for she did n't give much thought to the rates she was receiving nor to the fees she was paying
but in august first atlanta national bank introduced its crown account a package designed to lure customers such as ms. <unk>
among other things it included checking safe deposit box and credit card all for free plus a good deal on installment loans
all she had to do was put $ N in a certificate of deposit or qualify for a $ N personal line of credit
i deserve something for my loyalty she says
she took her business to first atlanta
so it goes in the competitive world of consumer banking these days
for nearly a decade banks have <unk> for customers primarily with the interest rates they pay on their deposits and charge on their loans
the competitive rates were generally offset by hefty fees on various services
but many banks are turning away from strict price competition
instead they are trying to build customer loyalty by <unk> their services into packages and targeting them to small segments of the population
you 're dead in the water if you are n't <unk> the market says anne moore president of <unk> research corp. a bank consulting firm in atlanta
ncnb corp. of charlotte n.c. recently introduced its financial connections program aimed at young adults just starting careers
the program not only offers a <unk> car loan up to $ N but throws in a special <unk> statement to help in saving money
in september union <unk> corp. of memphis tenn. launched the edge account a package designed for the <unk> crowd with services that include a credit card and line of credit with no annual fees and a full percentage point off on installment loans
the theory such individuals many with young children are in their prime borrowing years and having borrowed from the bank they may continue to use it for other services in later years
for some time banks have been aiming packages at the elderly the <unk> segment with the highest savings
those efforts are being stepped up
<unk> macdonald vice president of retail sales at barnett banks inc. of <unk> fla. says the company now targets <unk> within the market by <unk> its popular seniors partners program to various life styles
<unk> age geography and <unk> differences create numerous <unk> ms. macdonald says
she says individual barnett branches can add different benefits to their seniors partners package such as athletic activities or travel clubs to appeal to local market interests
an active <unk> in <unk> <unk> may care more about senior olympic games while a <unk> in panama city may care more about a <unk> on health she says
banks have tried packaging before
in N wells fargo & co. of san francisco launched the gold account which included free checking a credit card <unk> box and travelers checks for a $ N monthly fee
the concept <unk> a slew of <unk> but the banks stopped promoting the packages
one big reason thin margins
many banks particularly smaller ones were slow to <unk> and could n't target market <unk> that would have made the programs more profitable
as banks ' earnings were squeezed in the mid-1970s the emphasis switched to finding ways to cut costs
but now computers are enabling more banks to analyze their customers by age income and geography
they are better able to get to those segments in the wake of the deregulation that began in the late 1970s
deregulation has effectively removed all restrictions on what banks can pay for deposits as well as opened up the field for new products such as <unk> cds
where a bank once offered a standard <unk> savings account it began offering money-market accounts certificates of deposit and <unk> checking and staggering rates based on the size of deposits
the competition has grown more intense as bigger banks such as <unk> corp. of minneapolis and chemical banking corp. of new york extend their market-share <unk> into small towns across the nation
today a banker is worrying about local regional and <unk> banks as well as thrifts and credit unions says ms. moore at <unk> research
so people who were n't even thinking about targeting N years ago are scrambling to define their customer base
the competition has <unk> a much <unk> consumer
the average household will spread N accounts over a dozen financial institutions says michael p. sullivan who runs his own bank consulting firm in charlotte n.c
this much <unk> makes attracting and keeping today 's <unk> customers costly
packages encourage loyalty by rewarding customers for doing the bulk of their banking in one place
for their troubles the banks get a larger <unk> audience that is less likely to move at the drop of a rate
the more accounts customers have mr. sullivan says the more likely they are to be attracted to a package and to be loyal to the bank that offers it
that can pay off down the road as customers especially the younger ones change from borrowers to <unk>
packaging has some <unk>
the additional technology personnel training and promotional effort can be expensive
chemical bank spent more than $ N million to introduce its <unk> line several packages aimed at different segments in N according to thomas jacob senior vice president of marketing
it 's not easy to roll out something that comprehensive and make it pay mr. jacob says
still bankers expect packaging to <unk> primarily because more customers are demanding that financial services be tailored to their needs
these days banking customers walk in the door expecting you to have a package especially for them ms. moore says
some banks are already moving in that direction according to alvin t. sale marketing director at first union corp. in charlotte
first union he says now has packages for seven customer groups
soon it will split those into N
says mr. sale i think more banks are starting to realize that we have to be more like the department store not the <unk>
iras
<unk> inc. said it will <unk> a registration statement filed with the securities and exchange commission to <unk> a plan to sell N newly issued common shares
the chandler ariz. company said it will <unk> the registration to cover only the N million warrants each exercisable for the purchase of one common share
currently <unk> has about N million common shares outstanding
<unk> develops and markets low-cost software peripheral equipment and accessories for computers
five things you can do for $ N or less
N buy a new chevrolet
N take a <unk> vacation
N send your child to a university
N buy a diamond <unk>
N make a lasting difference in the regulatory life of an american savings-and-loan association through the foster corporate parents plan
americans today spend $ N like <unk> change they do n't think much about it
but for an ailing savings-and-loan association <unk> on <unk> it can lead to safety from imminent demise and to a future full of promise
your $ N will help keep a <unk> savings and loan <unk> and out of the federal budget deficit
as a foster corporate parent you 'll be helping a neighborhood s&l in areas crucial to its survival
like healthy regulatory capital
a steady deposit base
performing loans
at the same time you 'll give your foster savings institution the gift of hope and freedom from the federal regulators who want to close its doors for good
as a foster corporate parent you will experience the same <unk> felt by robert bass lewis <unk> william simon and others who find ways to help troubled savings institutions and their employees help themselves
that builds confidence <unk> <unk> not to mention critical regulatory net worth
do n't wait a savings institution needs your help now
every day you delay a savings institution 's health and the federal budget deficit grows worse
think about the good you can do for just $ N a month about the cost of a <unk> chevrolet or two <unk> at a state university
then send your support to a savings institution that has taken a bad <unk> in the press and on its bottom line
every $ N you send will go a long way to boost sagging net worth and employee morale and keep your foster savings institution off the federal budget deficit
mr. <unk> is a lawyer in new york
the chicago mercantile exchange said it plans to institute an additional circuit breaker aimed at stemming market <unk>
separately john phelan told a closed house subcommittee meeting in washington that he would support securities and exchange commission halts of program trading during market <unk>
but the new york stock exchange chairman said he does n't support <unk> a collar on program trading arguing that firms could get around such a limit
the chicago merc said a new one-hour price limit would take effect in its standard & poor 's N stock-index futures pit once s&p N futures fell N index points the equivalent of about a <unk> drop in the dow jones industrial average
if the <unk> limit is triggered after N p.m chicago time it would remain in effect until the normal close of trading at N p.m
with the limit in effect members would be able to execute trades at the limit price or at higher prices but not below it
the exchange said it decided a new circuit breaker was needed following a review of the tumultuous trading in stocks and stock-index futures on friday oct. N when the dow jones industrials plunged N points and stock-index futures prices skidded as well
late that afternoon the s&p N stock-index futures contract fell a total of N index points hitting a merc circuit breaker limit that remained in effect for the rest of the trading session
the merc said that its existing <unk> <unk> limit on s&p N stock-index futures trading equal to about N points on the dow jones industrials which was triggered oct. N will remain in effect
leo <unk> merc executive committee chairman said that the <unk> limit appeared to <unk> the selling panic oct. N
but when the contract reopened the subsequent flood of sell orders that quickly knocked the contract down to the <unk> limit indicated that the intermediate limit of N points was needed to help keep stock and stock-index futures prices <unk>
several traders maintained that the merc 's <unk> <unk> <unk> the market slide oct. N by <unk> additional selling pressure to the floor of the new york stock exchange
all of the changes require regulatory approval which is expected shortly
the exchange also said that the <unk> circuit breaker which currently provides only a one-hour <unk> during market <unk> will become the maximum one-day limit for the s&p N stock-index futures contract the one-day limit now is N index points
a final <unk> was made to the <unk> opening limit for the contract
the merc said that <unk> limit will remain in effect for the first N minutes of trading
the limit <unk> under current exchange rules if contracts trade above the limit price during the opening N minutes of trading
in washington house aides said mr. phelan told congressmen that the collar which banned program trades through the big board 's computer when the dow jones industrial average moved N points did n't work well
he said that firms could get around the collar by executing trades <unk>
in a <unk> news conference mr. phelan who has publicly expressed concern about market volatility said he told the house finance and telecommunications subcommittee that he would support the program-trading halt proposal providing the sec would be comfortable with the language in a bill