Credit unions of every shape, size and type recognize the benefits that mobile banking offers – a lower cost to serve, increased member satisfaction, retention and a higher return on investment. But for many, breaking through the mobile banking adoption glass ceiling has been challenging.

The mobile banking glass ceiling lies just beyond the threshold of early adopters, designated as the first 20% of a financial institution's online banking user base. Many credit unions are on a mobile banking adoption path that attracts the early adopters within a year of offering the service, but the trajectory then stagnates to include just a small additional percentage of adopters over the next two years.

To move beyond the initial wave of early adopters and reach more members, credit unions must promote widespread consumer acceptance. By leveraging the key drivers of consumer adoption, credit unions can realize a faster rate of adoption that will establish mobile banking as the norm.