Strategic planning for Retail Banking & Payments starts here
Retail banking is losing ground in four areas at once: deposits, fee income, digital experience, and the next generation of customers. Most banks have not accurately diagnosed why. We give retail banking leaders the research, benchmarks, and tools to go into planning season prepared.
The topics that matter most going into planning season
The areas where retail banking leaders are making their biggest investment decisions this planning cycle.
Customer experience and personalization
Consumer expectations are being set by experiences outside banking. The decisions that keep or lose customers to faster-moving competitors are being made now.
AI strategy and digital transformation
AI is changing retail banking operations faster than most planning cycles account for. Which use cases to prioritize and what they cost in production are the open questions.
Payments and fraud at the point of acquisition
Real-time payments bring new fraud risk at the point of customer acquisition and onboarding. Getting this wrong costs both in losses and in customer trust.
Open banking and fee income growth
Regulatory change is changing what banks can charge and how they generate noninterest income. Open banking creates new revenue opportunities that most banks haven't yet planned to capture.
What's on your agenda
The topics that matter most going into planning season
The areas where retail banking leaders are making their biggest investment decisions this planning cycle.
Customer experience and personalization
Consumer expectations are being set by experiences outside banking. The decisions that keep or lose customers to faster-moving competitors are being made now.
AI strategy and digital transformation
AI is changing retail banking operations faster than most planning cycles account for. Which use cases to prioritize and what they cost in production are the open questions.
Payments and fraud at the point of acquisition
Real-time payments bring new fraud risk at the point of customer acquisition and onboarding. Getting this wrong costs both in losses and in customer trust.
Open banking and fee income growth
Regulatory change is changing what banks can charge and how they generate noninterest income. Open banking creates new revenue opportunities that most banks haven't yet planned to capture.
Retail Banking & Payments strategic planning for 2027
Strategic planning follows a traditional framework. The number of steps varies by organization, but the underlying process stays the same. We’ve highlighted a range of resources below to support each stage.
Current State Assessment
- How are consumer behaviors and preferences shifting, and what does that mean for my planning priorities?
How Americans Pay Their Bills: Sizing Bill Pay Channels and Methods, 2026
Based on a survey of 4,057 U.S. consumers and analysis of 17.1 billion bills, this report tracks how payment behaviors are shifting by channel, method, and generation. Debit card usage has nearly tripled
The State of Retail Banking 2026
A Datos Insights study of 100 retail banking executives, 3,500 consumers, and 1,014 small-business decision-makers on the four pressure points defining the decade.
Strategy
- Where is the market heading and what should I be tracking?
Post-channel banking hub
Everything we publish on the shift to post-channel banking in one place. Research, and data on where the market is moving.
Noninterest income hub
Research and analysis on noninterest income strategies for retail banks, covering fee models, revenue diversification, and competitive positioning.
ATM hub
Research and market intelligence on ATM strategy, deployment, and the evolving role of cash in the customer experience.
The Real Cost of AI Deployments: A Framework for Banking Leaders
Hear from our advisors on the true cost of AI in banking: what programs cost in production, how to measure returns, and how to build a case that holds up to leadership scrutiny.
AI use case compendium
A practical library of how institutions are deploying AI in fraud and AML operations. Useful when pressure-testing your strategy and understanding where peers are investing.
Retail Banking & Payments Fintech Spotlight: Q2 2026
An independent read on where retail banking fintech partners and solution providers are heading.
Goals & Priorities
- How do I make the case for investment to leadership?
Why your budgeting model won't work in the AI era
A Datos Insights report on the fundamental shift in how financial institutions need to plan and budget for AI. Available October 2026.
Execution
- How do I evaluate and select technology partners?
- How do I build a credible budget for AI initiatives?
RFP library
Advisor-built RFP templates for retail banking and payments technology vendor selection. A structured starting point that covers the right questions from the outset.
Retail Bank Transformation Europe
November 17 to 18, 2026. London. The leading European retail banking event covering the technology, strategy, and customer experience trends shaping the industry.
The Planning Journey
A planning framework built for this cycle
We help you ground each step of your planning process in threat intelligence, peer institution benchmarks, and an independent read on where the vendor landscape is heading. Each resource below maps to a stage of your planning process and the specific questions it raises.
Current State Assessment
Scan what's changed in the market, competition, and regulation
Strategy
Assess current capabilities and where you stand against peers
Goals & Priorities
Set objectives and decide where to invest for 2027
Execution
Turn goals into roadmaps, budgets, and accountability
Current State Assessment
- How are consumer behaviors and preferences shifting, and what does that mean for my planning priorities?
Report
How Americans Pay Their Bills: Sizing Bill Pay Channels and Methods, 2026
Based on a survey of 4,057 U.S. consumers and analysis of 17.1 billion bills, this report tracks how payment behaviors are shifting by channel, method, and generation. Debit card usage has nearly tripled
eBook
The State of Retail Banking 2026
A Datos Insights study of 100 retail banking executives, 3,500 consumers, and 1,014 small-business decision-makers on the four pressure points defining the decade.
Strategy
- Where is the market heading and what should I be tracking?
Topic hub
Post-channel banking hub
Everything we publish on the shift to post-channel banking in one place. Research, and data on where the market is moving.
Topic hub
Noninterest income hub
Research and analysis on noninterest income strategies for retail banks, covering fee models, revenue diversification, and competitive positioning.
Topic hub
ATM hub
Research and market intelligence on ATM strategy, deployment, and the evolving role of cash in the customer experience.
Webinar
The Real Cost of AI Deployments: A Framework for Banking Leaders
Hear from our advisors on the true cost of AI in banking: what programs cost in production, how to measure returns, and how to build a case that holds up to leadership scrutiny.
Asset library
AI use case compendium
A practical library of how institutions are deploying AI in fraud and AML operations. Useful when pressure-testing your strategy and understanding where peers are investing.
Report
Retail Banking & Payments Fintech Spotlight: Q2 2026
An independent read on where retail banking fintech partners and solution providers are heading.
Goals & Priorities
- How do I make the case for investment to leadership?
Coming soon
Why your budgeting model won't work in the AI era
A Datos Insights report on the fundamental shift in how financial institutions need to plan and budget for AI. Available October 2026.
Execution
- How do I evaluate the buy vs. build question? And how do I identify, distinguish, and select the right technology partners for my organization?
- How do I build the right team and establish a credible budget and timeline for AI initiatives?
- What governance models should guide my AI development, validation, and deployment?
Asset library
RFP library
Advisor-built RFP templates for retail banking and payments technology vendor selection. A structured starting point that covers the right questions from the outset.
Event
Retail Bank Transformation Europe
November 17 to 18, 2026. London. The leading European retail banking event covering the technology, strategy, and customer experience trends shaping the industry.
Talk to our advisor about your planning priorities
Planning season raises questions that data alone cannot answer. If you want an independent perspective on your priorities or a deeper look at any of the topics on this page, our advisor are here.
Talk to our advisors about your planning priorities
Planning season raises questions that data alone cannot answer. If you want an independent perspective on your priorities or a deeper look at any of the topics on this page, our advisors are here.