2014
For Whom The Hotel Bell Tolls
Spiros Margaris presented My Three Choices to UBS AG on February 2009. The hotel bell in my presentation visually emphasized the idea that customers must come first and that the focus must be on service. The new slogan in the presentation was 'U Bank Service'.
With the new UBS Check-in 2014 campaign the hotel bell idea seems to catch on.
The SNB's Investment Policy Reconsidered
THE BRAVE STEP article pointed out the growing problems of the current Swiss National Bank's (SNB) investment policy on August 18, 2013. The issues mentioned were SNB's inability of future payments to the Swiss cantons and federal governments and, not less importantly, the consequence of higher taxes on Switzerland's economic growth.
On January 6, 2014, the Swiss National Bank warns of $10 billion loss and the consequence of not being able to make profit distributions to the Swiss cantons (federal states) and federal governments. See The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
Jordan needs to reconsider the responsibilities of the SNB's investment committee
SNB-Anlagekomitte braucht Cracks, die sich öffentlich messen lassen
The Big Six Oscar 2014 Prediction Results
Of the Big Six* Oscar 2014 predicted categories; I got five out of six (83%) right.
Oscars 2014 Predictions I Spiros Margaris
Oscar-Gewinner 2014 Prognose I Spiros Margaris
When Nate Silver published his prediction for the Oscar 2013 Big Six categories, he got four out of six (67%) right. In that light, I am satisfied with my Oscar 2014 Big Six prediction results.
Nate Silver is an American statistician who correctly predicted the winner of all 50 States in the 2012 United States presidential election. Time magazine named him in 2009 as one of the 100 Most Influential People. In order to put the numbers in context, I compared my Big Six Categories prediction to those of Variety, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Atlantic, Race & Sports Book, Yahoo, Google, Washington Post, New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter.
* The Big Six Oscar categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress
2013
Win-Win Fee Model
THE BRAVE STEP introduced a fee refund concept already on June 27, 2013.
Charles Schwab, the brokerage giant, introduced a new fee refund concept The Schwab Accountability Guarantee™ on December 10, 2013.
Win-Win-Modell revolutioniert Gebührenmodell der Banken
The Win-Win Fee Model revolutionizes the banking fee business model
2009
My Three Choices (original version of My 3 Choices)
My Three Choices - an innovative client experience - was first presented by Spiros Margaris to the top management of UBS Switzerland in Februrary 2009.
Credit Suisse MyChoice, a discretionary mandate solution, was launched eight months later in October 2009.
Both seem very similar on the surface, but they are two different approaches.
With My Three Choices the clients take charge of their destiny which goes far beyond a mandate solution of Credit Suisse MyChoice. The new experience also changes the interaction between clients and the bank, where the bank becomes a Need-Fulfilling Destination for clients.
My 3 Choices: The New Banking Client Experience
My 3 Choices: Die neue Bankberatung
February 2009: My Three Choices (the orginal My 3 Choices) presentation to UBS AG (PDF)
October 2009: Comparison of original My Three Choices and CS McChoice