Digital Interactions Are Fine, to a Point: Consumer Survey Finds
The quality of those interactions — human or otherwise — has a lot of influence over whether members switch credit unions.
Technology has automated and digitized many aspects of the credit union experience, but findings from new consumer surveys find that in certain situations, people would just rather talk to a human.
Two surveys, done by New York-based financial services research and advisory firm Celent in February and released this month, asked over 2,300 U.S. adults when, how and why they want face-to-face interactions with their financial institutions. The surveys found that the majority (55%) wanted in-person interactions when they felt a conversation was necessary, and 77% wanted face-to-face engagement for “substantive conversations,” including for things such as getting advice, setting goals or applying for a new loan or account. Notably, even 93% of millennials in the surveys said they preferred some things to be handled in person.
“Consumers may have strong preferences for digital interaction when it comes to money movement or account balance checking (transactions),” the study explained.
Celent also found that when they want answers to quick questions, consumers would rather call a contact center than deal with text, chatbots or social media.
However, the quality of those interactions — human or otherwise — has a lot of influence over whether members switch credit unions.
According to the survey data, a poor branch experience was the most likely reason respondents said they would switch financial institutions, and half of the respondents who were mobile banking users said that a poor digital experience was a reason to switch.
Although the contact center was consumers’ favorite way to get in touch with a human, according to Celent, people over 60 years old were the most branch-centric, according to the findings. Overall, just 16% of the respondents and about a fifth of mobile banking customers used a branch when what they wanted wasn’t available digitally.
“Branch attributes most important to customers (and those likely to prompt attrition if unmet) have to do with having knowledgeable staff available conveniently with minimal wait,” Celent reported.
High-income consumers were comparatively more sensitive to these attributes, it added.
“Celent observes positive change results associated with placing staff in the lobby to proactively engage customers quickly. Office have their use, but staff needs to be on their feet, prepared to engage — tablet in hand,” it said.