Businessmodel of SunTrust Banks

Customer Segments

SunTrust provides a diverse portfolio of banking services, which caters to a wide range of customers. The Company’s clients can be organised broadly into the following categories:

• General Consumers, comprising general consumers to which the Company provides consumer banking products and services, as well as high-net worth individuals to which the Company offers wealth management services;
• Commercial and Corporate Clients, comprising various commercial entities and large enterprises across multiple business sectors to which it provides dedicated commercially-focused services; and
• Institutional Clients, comprising various banking and financial services institutions, as well as non-profit and public institutions. SunTrust’s key market is its native US. The Company does not appear to have any significant international operations.

Value Propositions

SunTrust provides value to its clients in the following ways:

• Its industry standing and reputation, with the Company established as a reliable provider of banking and financial services to its customers, with a positive reputation within the banking industry;
• Its broad portfolio of products, with the Company offering abroad range of services that cater specifically to the needs of a diverse customer base, including individuals, commercial entities, and banking and government institutions;
• Its financial strength, with the Company controlling significant financial reserves, and having been awarded positive long-term debt ratings from major credit agencies;
• Its accessibility, with the Company providing services to its clients through various channels, including a branch network across the US, as well as online banking and mobile channels, making the Company’s services easy to access and utilise; and
• Its industry expertise and experience, with the Company employing large teams of highly-trained financial professionals across its operating segments, as well as a team of experienced industry executives. ### Channels

SunTrust operates a website at www.suntrust.com, through which it provides information on its various products and services, as well as its branch network. The Company also offers an online customer portal, through which clients are able to manage their accounts, move money, and monitor their financial products.

SunTrust provides much of its services to customers through its network of bank offices and branches across the US, including in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The Company employs in-branch sales and services employee who serve clients directly.

SunTrust additionally provides services to its clients through various full-, self-, and assisted-service channels, including call centre operations, third party origination partners, and a network of Teller ConnectTM machines and automated teller machines. The Company also operates a number of specialist subsidiaries that provide capital markets, mortgage banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management services to the Company’s clients directly.

Customer Relationships

SunTrust provides a range of services to its clients on a self-service basis through its online client portal, as well as its network of automated teller machines and Teller ConnectTM machines. The Company’s online portal allows clients to manage their accounts, transfer money, and monitor the performance of their various financial products without interacting directly with members of the Company’s sales and service teams.

Through its in-branch personnel, and other direct sales and service teams, SunTrust is able to provide personalised assistance and tailor products to suit the individual needs of each client. Clients can access direct support form in-branch personnel, as well as over the phone through the Company’s call centre staff.

SunTrust provides ongoing customer support, with customers able to contact the relevant departments and personnel over the phone, via email, or by post, receiving personalised responses to queries and complaints. The Company also provides various support resources through its online Help Centre, including FAQs, account information, and security guidance.

SunTrust additionally maintains social media presence – having accounts with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, and LinkedIn – through which it is able to update clients on company developments and interact with customers directly.

Key Activities

SunTrust functions as a bank holding company and a financial holding company. Through its principal subsidiary, SunTrust Bank, the Company offers portfolio of financial services targeted at consumers and businesses, including deposit, credit, mortgage banking, and trust and investment services.

The Company’s also operates a number of more specialised subsidiaries, through which it provides asset and wealth management, securities brokerage, and capital market services. SunTrust organises these various operations into three reportable business segments: Consumer Banking and Private Wealth Management, Wholesale Banking and Mortgage Banking.

It also operates a Corporate Other segment, which includes various investment, long-term debt, balance sheet risk management activities.

The Company serves its customers primarily through a network of branches and offices across the US, as well as through online and mobile banking channels.

Key Partners

SunTrust works closely with a network of partner companies and organisations that support the Company’s operations across its three segments. These partners can be organised broadly into the following categories:

• Supplier and Vendor Partners, comprising suppliers of services, equipment, and technologies that support the Company’s efficient provision of products and services, as well as companies to which certain non-technical functions can be outsourced;
• Social and Community Partners, comprising various industrial bodies, charitable organisations, and non-profits with which the Company collaborates on social and community projects across the US;
• Sponsorship and Marketing Partners, comprising various business and franchises with which the Company partners on sponsorship and marketing deals; and
• Strategic and Alliance Partners, comprising market leading companies across multiple industries with which the Company works on a range of projects and operations and shares certain resources. SunTrust has arranged a number of partnership deals in recent years. This includes a sponsorship deal with Atlanta United under which it is the team’s official banking partner, and a tie-up with Florida International University with which it is seeking to promote financial literacy.

Key Resources

SunTrust’s key resources are its financial reserves, its online portal and website, its IT and communications infrastructure, its physical network of branches and offices, its partnerships, and its personnel.

SunTrust owns and or leases a portfolio of properties across the US which are key to its ongoing operations. This includes the Company’s network of 1,401 full-service banking offices across Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, of which 562 are owned and the remainder are leased.

Cost Structure

SunTrust incurs costs in relation to the development of its website and online portal, the maintenance of its IT and communications infrastructure, the procurement of professional services, the management of its partnerships, the implementation of marketing and advertising campaigns, and the retention of its personnel.

In 2015 SunTrust recorded total non-interest expenses in the amount of $5.54 billion. This included employee compensation costs totalling $2.58 billion, employee benefits totalling $386 million, outside processing and network costs totalling $741 million, and net occupancy costs totalling $340 million.

Revenue Streams

SunTrust generates revenue through the provision of various banking and financial services to individuals, corporations, and institutions. The Company derives revenue in the form of various service fees, including transaction fees, investment management fees, and mortgage processing fees.

In 2015 SunTrust generated revenue for the year in the amount of $8.17 billion, down slightly o the $8.31 billion recorded by the Company in 2014.