One common misconception about digital banking is that customers no longer desire in-person bank interactions because they can get everything they need from their phones. However, the opposite is true, as a PwC survey found that 60% of traditional bank primary customers say it’s important to have branches in close proximity.
Community banks and credit unions need to focus their efforts on optimizing their customer experience both on digital platforms and in person. The challenge is ensuring consistency across the channels. In a Bank Administration Institute (BAI) survey, participants stated that the top way their banks could improve the customer experience was by delivering a “better omnichannel experience so I don’t always have to start over between channels.”
Improving the customer experience is a key component of banking customer relationship management, and is easier said than done. There are a lot of things to consider when creating a consistent cross-channel customer experience. That’s why we’ve got a few tips to get you started. Here’s what you need to know:
1. Understand Your User Needs
The way your customers navigate between digital and physical platforms will depend on their specific needs — some activities make more sense to complete online and others require in-person guidance.
For example, PwC found that 73% of customers begin with online research for investment products, but 59% would rather apply for a loan in person and 58% would rather apply for an account in person. And, sometimes customers seek a digital and human experience at the same time, as Accenture found that 49% want instant access to face-to-face advice via a mobile device.
It’s critical to have a comprehensive understanding of why and how your customers use your digital platforms, so you can design an intuitive, effective user experience. Do you have an effective bank crm system in place to retrieve the behavioral data you need? Conversely, you need to know the top reasons customers may choose to visit a physical branch, so you can structure your staff and offices in a way that is tailored to these needs.
Use data analytics tools to track customer activity so you can anticipate when users transition from digital to in-person services and vice versa. This will give you greater insight and allow you to meet your customers where they are with the information they need.
2. Prioritize System Integration
With customers engaging with your bank digitally and physically, the handoffs between your branches, service centers, and online channels need to be smooth.
Customers don’t want to have to repeat their account and demographic information each time they interact with your staff or online forms, meaning your channels need to communicate this information with each other. This is easier to accomplish when your systems are integrated. Integration makes it possible for your staff to view, manage, and analyze customer preferences, activity, and service requests across multiple interfaces. And, it allows customers to access the same information from your mobile app, a self-service kiosk, or a bank employee.
When your systems are integrated, customers benefit from a frictionless experience with your bank.
3. Keep Your Brand the Same
The way you present your company and brand also contributes to the overall customer experience for your bank or credit union. Your customers need to get the same impression of you on your website or app as they do in your physical branches.
According to Golden Spiral*, an integrated marketing agency with expertise in the B2B tech space, a consistent look and feel builds comfort and trust with audiences. You want to use the same color palette, fonts, and imagery styles across all platforms so your customers recognize you and develop a familiarity with your brand.
This applies to the messages you share, as well. The promises you make and products and services you tout online need to be part of your branch staff’s language and presentation. You have complete control in determining your brand personality and a responsibility to ensure its consistency.
A consistent brand helps you not only establish authority with your customers, but also gain their loyalty for a long time.
*Note: Golden Spiral is a partner of 360 View
Create Consistent Customer Experiences with 360 View
With the 360 View growth platform, your bank or credit union will be well-positioned to simplify customer relationship management with consistent cross-channel experiences for your customers. The platform generates critical insights around customer behavior and activity that can be applied to your customer experience strategy, and our open API enables seamless system integration.
We’d love to tell you more. Schedule a demo with our team, and we’ll show you how 360 View can work for your business.
Interested in reading other entries in this series? See previous posts below:
- A Closer Look at Data Analytics: 2019 Financial Marketing Trends [Part 1]
- The Importance of System Integration: 2019 Financial Marketing Trends [Part 2]
- Data Management Outsourcing: 2019 Financial Marketing Trends [Part 3]
