Significant segments of the population are increasingly dissatisfied and distancing themselves from traditional financial services providers – uh, banks – and that news and noise is all around us. At CU24, we've conducted market research with consumers on their perspectives and preferences and the message has been loud and clear. In terms of their banking relationships, people feel like they don't belong, banks are only out to get their money and they're just a statistic. Service is out the window and banks view their customers as just a source of fees. That's not me talking – it's straight from the mouths of consumers.

The data are evident too. More and more consumers, at nearly every strata of the economy, are opting for alternatives to traditional banks such as prepaid cards and newly emergent consumer and business finance companies.