According to Marketwatch, the 2017 holiday shopping season promises to be the second best since the end of the great recession – growing by 5.7 over the 2016 season.

Within the course of an hour, four TMG experts took the stage at the Omni Nashville Hotel to provide quick-hitting presentations on key TMG and industry updates.

To understand our future, we must imagine the unimaginable, think exponentially and embrace the power of human ingenuity.

“Omnichannel” is more than just a recent buzzword. It represents an expectation consumers have from their experiences with their merchants and their FIs. By understanding what drives consumers in this omnichannel environment, FIs can work to optimize the path to purchase.

Of the millions of Americans with smartphones, 55 percent reported using them for mobile banking last year. This illustrates how mobile banking has transformed the way consumers interact with their financial institutions (FIs).

While big data can help spot business trends and support fact-based decision making, small data contains the real information – the traces of consumer behavior left behind by actions taken every second of every day.

To keep pace with rapidly changing expectations, FIs should consider a different approach to managing the consumer experience. This means embracing the speed and functionality digital channels offer.

Mobile banking is an evolving and growing form of banking, which continues to have a significant impact on how American consumers conduct day-to-day financial transactions.

Growing smartphone and tablet usage, along with a rising number of online merchants, is driving an increase in online spending.

The introduction of Walmart Pay is a good example of a shift in the digital payment experience for consumers.

Consumers increasingly want convenience in every aspect of their daily lives, including how they buy their groceries. Enter the new smart fridge.

As voice-activated conveniences become more commonplace in consumers’ daily lives, consumers may expect their FIs to provide the same hands-free functionality.

Although marketing to Millennials seems like a no brainer, FIs need to be strategic in their efforts.

Community FIs can help protect consumers from mobile payment fraud by educating them on how to securely use mobile payment apps.

Consumers place value on a variety of credit card features, and unfortunately, creating a one-size-fits-all card isn’t possible.

While digital interactions can be key in providing positive consumer service experiences, they should not replace valuable human interactions.

To remain relevant, card issuers should offer consumers card conveniences and benefits that best meet their needs.

As more Millennials establish and advance their careers, they will seek out FIs to help manage their finances. The FIs likely to be strong contenders in this arena are those that make a significant effort to fulfill Millennials’ expectations.

Although EMV brings new levels of payment fraud protection, the rollout process has presented a new opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage of unsuspecting cardholders.

Community FIs can help curb charity fraud by educating consumers on the very real dangers of charity scams and how to recognize the warning signs.

When it comes to peer-to-peer payments, user friction, timing and cost play key roles in consumer adoption.

When deciding whether or not to offer a rewards option, credit card issuers would do well to choose rewards.

Blockchain lends security because it stores precious digital cargo in blocks that are digitally stamped and distributed across multiple sites.

What consumers want from their FIs in terms of banking solutions is often as diverse as the consumers themselves.

Subway is investing significantly in its digital channel to deliver a better overall consumer experience.