Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. is a leading provider of technology solutions and payment processing services primarily for the financial services industry. Its ProfitStars® division today announced the general availability of Kernel™, a targeted digital marketing tool that helps financial institutions deliver relevant content to consumers and enhance lead generation.
Springfield, Mo.-based Great Southern Bank began beta testing Kernel six months ago, shortly after it launched a new responsive design website with ProfitStars. Diane Zipf, marketing manager at the bank, commented, "We have been watching Kernel develop since it was first introduced at Finovate. The ability to pinpoint our customers' activities and interests brings us one step closer to winning more of their business."
Kernel delivers a true one-to-one marketing experience by exposing a modern Web application programming interface (API) for integration across any channel. It adjusts advertisement delivery between mobile, online banking, and other experiences based on users' interest and interaction with each channel. As a result, banks and credit unions can cultivate stronger leads and actionable opportunities for their products and services.
Great Southern Bank is using Kernel to monitor prospects' interests and respond accordingly for campaigns surrounding its consumer loans, auto loans, savings, mobile banking and Loyalty Lines (a home equity line of credit, or HELOC, for customers with more than one existing account). The bank sends weekly promotions, such as an offer for an extra quarter of a percent off on interest rates, to individuals who have clicked through advertisements but have not yet taken action. Kernel's ability to deliver communication to each customer's preferred channel is also advantageous for Great Southern Bank, which generates 29 percent of its traffic from mobile devices and experiences 40 percent click-through rates on mobile advertisements.
Russ Bernthal, president of ProfitStars explained, "Financial institutions of all sizes are in a race to know their customers better and communicate accordingly. Kernel allows banks and credit unions to address consumers' interests with purpose and accuracy, and improve service levels by delivering the right product messages and promotions to their preferred devices. We are excited to work with leaders like Great Southern Bank who are paving the way in the industry by implementing technology that analyzes customer behavior to support a more targeted, personalized service experience."
Kernel's automated advertising campaigns are based on the best performing promotions; new website visitors will see ads that have gained the highest click-through rates. Additionally, it tracks leads through a dashboard that distinctly shows what users are viewing on an institution's website, what they click through, and which advertisement is displayed at that time. This gives the financial institution actionable insights to further engage consumers.