1998 In Review
Retail/Branch
Retail/Online
Retail/Phone
Affluent & Active Investors
International
Services For Investment Managers
Retirement Plan Services
Capital Markets & Trading
Mutual Funds
Community Service | 
No matter how high-tech the world becomes, there will always be a need for human contact. Whether customers seek advice on investment choices or simply want to open an account, they can get person-to-person help at their nearest Schwab office. About 50% of our retail net new assets come to us through the branch network. It seems people are just more comfortable starting their investing relationship in person, even if they later choose the phone or Web as their primary method of communication. About 70% of the U.S. population lives within 30 miles of one of our 291 branches. And because we emphasize consistency from branch to branch, customers who are away from home can walk into any Schwab office and get reliable service from a knowledgeable, helpful customer service representative. In a blend of high-tech and high-touch, most branches now feature live Web access so that investors can get a personal demonstration from a representative who remembers what it was like to navigate the 'Net for the very first time.

|  "Our success is measured by the relationships we build." KATHLEEN DIXON, Vero Beach, FL branch
 Sterling distribution and relentless marketing have given Schwab a preeminent brand in financial services. U.S. BANKER, July 1998 |