A bank does household chores; free antique appraisals; open a checking account fast--guaranteed. (Ideas That Work).

It probably isn't news to you that competition in the banking industry is growing more intense. Banks are getting bigger and more aggressive every day. Even state lines are not sufficient barriers anymore.

You are not, however, without resources. Here are a few ideas, already in use, that may put a smile on your customers' faces:

Good Neighbor Policy. New Haven (Conn.) Savings Bank chose to emphasize its hometown roots with a promotion campaign titled "Today. Tomorrow. Together." When customers dropped in to one of the bank's 31 branches, they had an opportunity to win one of several unique neighborly services. Bank employees might be enlisted to walk a customer's dog every morning for a month, cut the grass once a week, pick up (and pay for) the dry cleaning every week, or come over to cook dinner. Business clients had the choice having ice cream delivered every week, or bagels and coffee, the use of a local movie theater for a private screening, or a catered soiree aboard a chartered schooner.

The offer, which was also available to noncustomers, was announced in the company's 2002 annual report.

"Cow Licks." The Colombia Bank, in Columbia, Md., expanded its regular summer in-bank picnics (free hot dogs and snow balls) to include free "Cow Licks" ice cream sandwiches from a local ice cream parlor. Also, at selected branches, a local antique dealer offered free appraisals of customer keepsakes and heirlooms.

Quick Switch. Enter Hawthorne Savings in El Segundo, Calif., and they'll open a new checking account for you in less than eight minutes, 34 seconds, guaranteed. (If they don't make it, they owe you a Swiss Army watch.) Hawthorne decided on the time based on "field research" that indicated this was the average time required to open an account.

To make it clear that they're serious, Hawthorne has placed display cards on their counters, with stopwatch attached, so customers can time the transaction for themselves.