The banking product is commoditized. The experience is not.

In this episode of Leaders in Lending, guest host Deepak Bhandari sits down with TJ Steele, director of digital channels at Eastern Bank, to discuss how banks can differentiate when rates, accounts and products look the same everywhere.

They cover: 
• How to turn the mobile phone into a “wingman” for customers
• Why AI is just another tool, not a strategy
• The importance of data, process and infrastructure below the waterline
• How to pilot emerging technology without chasing hype 
• Why customer experience beats feature checklists
• Real-time payments, digital wallets and fraud resilience
• Becoming the customer’s primary bank in a fragmented world If you lead digital, payments or customer experience strategy, this conversation is a blueprint for what actually matters.