Businessmodel of Capital One

Customer Segments

Capital One provides a broad range of credit and lending products and services to a large customer base. The Company divides its customers into three principal categories:

• Consumers, comprising individuals from the general consumer market across multiple jurisdictions;
• Small Businesses, comprising small local and regional businesses, typically privately-owned companies including accounting firms, real estate agents, and administrative service providers; and
• Commercial and Industrial, comprising larger enterprises from a range of business sectors, typically defined as companies with annual revenues between $10 million and $1 billion. According to one corporate profile, Capital one serves around 50 million customers. In addition to its core credit and lending services, the Company also provides asset management services to institutional and high-net-worth clients.

Capital One’s principal market is the US, which accounts for the majority of the Company’s business. Around 31% of the Company’s commercial loan portfolio is concentrated in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and its credit card loan portfolio is concentrated in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Capital One also provides services to customers across Canada and the UK.

Value Propositions

Capital One provides value to its customers in the following ways:

• Its brand name and industry standing, with the Company established as a leading credit and lending institution, having a widely recognisable brand name and track record of providing reliable and effective services to its customers;
• Its technology systems, with the Company employing up-to-date, efficient, and flexible computer and operational systems – including cloud technology – to support its marketing and account management strategies, the servicing of its customers, and the development of new and diversified products;
• Its intellectual property portfolio, with the Company protecting its proprietary technologies with various patents and trademarks, enabling the Company to provide unique and innovative products and services to its customers;
• Its international reach, with the Company serving an extensive domestic customer base in the US, as well as large audiences across Canada and the UK; and
• Its accessibility and flexibility, with the Company offering its customers a range of online and technology-based products and solutions – including customer portals and mobile apps – that allow them easily manage their accounts from anywhere and at any time ### Channels

Capital One operates a website at www.capitalone.com, through which it provides information on its various consumer, small business, and commercial products and services, as well as its locations and other activities. The Company operate the largest online direct banking institution in the US, providing a range of online forms that allow customers to apply for products directly through the Company’s website, as well as an online customer portal – including a range of online tools and resources – that enables customers to access their accounts, make payments, and receive alerts via the internet. Capital One also provides iOS and Android mobile apps to its customers.

Capital One additionally serves its customers through its network of branches, its direct sales and marketing force, and dedicated service teams. The Company’s branch network, as well as its network of automated teller machines, is principally distributed across New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia. Outside of the US, Capital One provides services in the UK through Capital One (Europe) PLC, and in Canada through a branch of Capital One Bank (USA) National Association.

Customer Relationships

Capital One provides a range of products and services to customers on a self-service basis. This notably included the Company’s extensive online and mobile banking platform, which allows customers to access certain online tools and resources, manage account details, and make payments online without interacting directly with members of the Company’s sales and marketing personnel.

Much of the Company’s services are provided directly by the Company’s sales and service staff, who operate out of the Company’s network of branches. Through its branches, Capital One is able to provide personalised service, with staff members consulting directly with customers, providing in-person guidance tailored to their individual needs and circumstances. The Company’s larger commercial and industrial customers, in particular, receive a personalised service, with the Company seeking to establish long-term relationships.

Capital One provides ongoing support to its customers, both through its branches and via other channels. The Company provides a range of contact numbers relating to its various product and service lines, which customers can use to contact relevant support staff directly. The Company also offers various online support resources, including user guides and FAQs. Capital One additionally provides customer support through its Twitter accounts. It also operates social media accounts with Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram through which it is able to interact directly with customers.

Key Activities

Capital One is a financial services holding company. It offers a broad portfolio of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through its network of branches, its online banking portal, as well as other digital and physical distribution channels.

Capital One aligns its operations into three reportable business segments: Credit Card, which comprises the Company’s consumer and small business card lending in the US, as well as its international card lending businesses in Canada and the UK; Consumer Banking, which comprises the Company’s branch-based lending and deposit gathering activities for consumers and small businesses, including national deposit gathering, national auto lending, and consumer home loan lending and servicing activities; and Commercial Banking, which comprises the Company’s lending, deposit gathering and treasury management services to commercial real estate, and commercial and industrial customers.

Key Partners

Capital One works closely with a network of partner companies and organisations in order to provide its customers with efficient and effective services. These partnerships can be categorised broadly as:

• Supplier and Vendor Partners, comprising suppliers of services, tools, and equipment that support the Company’s various in-house operations, as well companies to which certain functions can be outsourced;
• Technology and IT Partners, comprising various technology and IT service providers that assist the Company in developing and maintaining effective and efficient IT systems and infrastructure;
• Marketing and Affiliate Partners, comprising various brands and online companies that collaborate with the Company on marketing projects and assist in driving traffic to the Company’s website;
• Strategic and Alliance Partners, comprising market leading companies form a range of sectors, with which the Company shares certain resources and works on joint projects; and
• Community and Social Partners, comprising various charitable organisations and non-profits, with which the Company collaborates on social and community projects. Capital One has agreed a number of recent partnerships. This includes a co-branding deals with Uber and Hotel Tonight – under which Capital One customers receive discounts and deals, and tie-ups with healthcare IT firms Gem and PokitDok to build a new medical claims service.

Key Resources

Capital One’s key resources are its intellectual properties and technologies, its online and mobile banking platform, its IT and communications infrastructure, its network of branches and offices, its partnerships, and its personnel.

Capital One owns a number of patent and trademarks that are key to its provision of unique products and services. Searches of records published by the US Patent and Trademark Office identified a number of patent applications filed in Capital One’s name, including applications entitled ‘System and method for capturing sales tax deduction information from monetary card transactions’, ‘Wireless devices for storing a financial account card and methods for storing card data in a wireless device’ and ‘Same-day settlement of financial transactions’.

Capital One also owns and or leases a range of physical properties, comprising 15 million square feet of office and retail space, of which approximately 10.8 million square feet of space is dedicated for various corporate office uses and approximately 4.2 million square feet of space is for bank branches and related offices.

Cost Structure

Capital One incurs costs in relation to the development of its technologies, the development and maintenance of its digital banking channels, the maintenance of its IT and communications infrastructure, the operation of its branch and office network, the implementation of marketing and advertising campaigns, the procurement of professional services, the management of its partnerships, and the retention of its personnel.

In 2015 Capital One accrued expenses related to the payment of salaries and associate benefits in the amount of $4.98 billion, premises and equipment costs – including land, equipment, and computer software costs – of $3.58 billion, marketing costs of $1.74 billion, and professional services costs of $1.29 billion.

Revenue Streams

Capital One generates revenue through the provision of various banking, credit, and lending products and service to consumers, small business, and commercial enterprises, and the collection of associated fees.

In 2015 Capital One generated annual net revenue of $23.41 billion, up on the $22.29 billion recorded by the Company in 2014. The majority of the Company’s revenue is derived from its credit card business, with the Company’s Credit Card segment accounting for $14.58 billion of the Company’s net revenue for the year. This was followed by the Consumer Banking segment, which generated $6.47 billion.