Banking Apps Rank Higher Than Branches for UK Consumers
FICO's 2024 Bank Customer Experience Survey reveals a significant shift in UK banking preferences, with 75% of consumers ranking banking apps as their top or second most important factor for their primary bank account, while only 33% prioritize local branches. Traditional banks still dominate with 81.5% market share, compared to 12% for digital banks.
The study highlights a important balance between digital and human interaction: 80% of respondents value access to real people, and 64% consider customer service equally important as banking products. Age demographics show varying preferences, with over 50% of younger consumers prioritizing app quality compared to only 24% of those 65+.
Regarding communication preferences, consumers favor text messages for fraud alerts, ID verification, and payment notifications, while email is preferred for marketing and account updates. The research emphasizes that while apps are increasingly important, banks must maintain a strategic balance between digital solutions and human customer service, particularly during app outages.
Il sondaggio sulla Customer Experience bancaria del 2024 di FICO rivela un cambiamento significativo nelle preferenze bancarie nel Regno Unito, con il 75% dei consumatori che classificano le app bancarie come il fattore più importante o il secondo più importante per il loro conto bancario principale, mentre solo il 33% dà priorità alle filiali locali. Le banche tradizionali dominano ancora con una quota di mercato dell'81,5%, rispetto al 12% delle banche digitali.
Lo studio evidenzia un importante equilibrio tra interazione digitale e umana: l'80% degli intervistati valuta l'accesso a persone reali, e il 64% considera il servizio clienti altrettanto importante dei prodotti bancari. Le fasce d'età mostrano preferenze variabili, con oltre il 50% dei consumatori più giovani che danno priorità alla qualità dell'app rispetto al solo 24% di quelli di età superiore ai 65 anni.
Per quanto riguarda le preferenze di comunicazione, i consumatori preferiscono i messaggi di testo per gli avvisi di frode, la verifica dell'identità e le notifiche di pagamento, mentre l'email è preferita per il marketing e gli aggiornamenti sui conti. La ricerca sottolinea che, sebbene le app stiano diventando sempre più importanti, le banche devono mantenere un equilibrio strategico tra soluzioni digitali e servizio clienti umano, in particolare durante i malfunzionamenti delle app.
La encuesta de experiencia del cliente bancario 2024 de FICO revela un cambio significativo en las preferencias bancarias del Reino Unido, con el 75% de los consumidores clasificando las aplicaciones bancarias como su factor más importante o el segundo más importante para su cuenta bancaria principal, mientras que solo el 33% prioriza las sucursales locales. Los bancos tradicionales siguen dominando con una cuota de mercado del 81,5%, en comparación con el 12% de los bancos digitales.
El estudio destaca un importante equilibrio entre la interacción digital y humana: el 80% de los encuestados valora el acceso a personas reales, y el 64% considera que el servicio al cliente es tan importante como los productos bancarios. Las demografías por edad muestran preferencias variadas, con más del 50% de los consumidores más jóvenes priorizando la calidad de la aplicación en comparación con solo el 24% de aquellos de 65 años o más.
En cuanto a las preferencias de comunicación, los consumidores prefieren los mensajes de texto para alertas de fraude, verificación de identidad y notificaciones de pago, mientras que el correo electrónico es preferido para marketing y actualizaciones de cuentas. La investigación enfatiza que, aunque las aplicaciones son cada vez más importantes, los bancos deben mantener un equilibrio estratégico entre soluciones digitales y servicio al cliente humano, especialmente durante las caídas de las aplicaciones.
FICO의 2024년 은행 고객 경험 조사는 영국의 은행 선호도에서 중요한 변화를 드러내며, 75%의 소비자가 주요 은행 계좌에 대해 은행 앱을 가장 중요하거나 두 번째로 중요한 요소로 평가하고, 오직 33%만이 지역 지점을 우선시합니다. 전통적인 은행이 여전히 지배적입니다, 시장 점유율은 81.5%로, 디지털 은행은 12%에 불과합니다.
이 연구는 디지털과 인간 상호작용 간의 중요한 균형을 강조합니다: 응답자의 80%가 실제 사람에 대한 접근을 중요하게 여기며, 64%는 고객 서비스가 은행 상품만큼 중요하다고 생각합니다. 연령대에 따른 선호도가 다르게 나타납니다, 50% 이상의 젊은 소비자가 앱 품질을 우선시하는 반면, 65세 이상의 소비자는 24%에 불과합니다.
커뮤니케이션 선호도에 관해서는 소비자들이 사기 경고, 신원 확인 및 결제 알림에 대해 문자 메시지를 선호하며, 마케팅 및 계좌 업데이트에는 이메일을 선호합니다. 연구는 앱이 점점 더 중요해지고 있지만, 은행은 앱 다운타임 동안 특히 디지털 솔루션과 인간 고객 서비스 간의 전략적 균형을 유지해야 한다고 강조합니다.
Le sondage sur l'expérience client bancaire 2024 de FICO révèle un changement significatif dans les préférences bancaires au Royaume-Uni, avec 75 % des consommateurs classant les applications bancaires comme leur facteur le plus important ou le deuxième plus important pour leur compte bancaire principal, tandis que seulement 33 % privilégient les agences locales. Les banques traditionnelles dominent encore avec une part de marché de 81,5 %, contre 12 % pour les banques numériques.
L'étude souligne un équilibre important entre l'interaction numérique et humaine : 80 % des répondants apprécient l'accès à des personnes réelles, et 64 % considèrent que le service client est aussi important que les produits bancaires. Les démographies par âge montrent des préférences variées, avec plus de 50 % des jeunes consommateurs priorisant la qualité de l'application, contre seulement 24 % de ceux de 65 ans et plus.
En ce qui concerne les préférences de communication, les consommateurs préfèrent les messages texte pour les alertes de fraude, la vérification d'identité et les notifications de paiement, tandis que l'e-mail est privilégié pour le marketing et les mises à jour de compte. La recherche souligne que, bien que les applications deviennent de plus en plus importantes, les banques doivent maintenir un équilibre stratégique entre les solutions numériques et le service client humain, notamment en cas de pannes d'applications.
Die Kundenumfrage zur Bankenerfahrung 2024 von FICO zeigt einen signifikanten Wandel in den Bankpräferenzen im Vereinigten Königreich, wobei 75% der Verbraucher Banking-Apps als ihren wichtigsten oder zweitwichtigsten Faktor für ihr Hauptbankkonto einstufen, während nur 33% lokale Filialen priorisieren. Traditionelle Banken dominieren weiterhin mit einem Marktanteil von 81,5%, im Vergleich zu 12% für digitale Banken.
Die Studie hebt ein wichtiges Gleichgewicht zwischen digitaler und menschlicher Interaktion hervor: 80% der Befragten schätzen den Zugang zu echten Personen, und 64% halten den Kundenservice für ebenso wichtig wie Bankprodukte. Die Altersdemografie zeigt unterschiedliche Präferenzen, wobei über 50% der jüngeren Verbraucher die Qualität der App priorisieren, während nur 24% der über 65-Jährigen dies tun.
Was die Kommunikationspräferenzen betrifft, so bevorzugen die Verbraucher Textnachrichten für Betrugswarnungen, Identitätsüberprüfungen und Zahlungsbenachrichtigungen, während E-Mail für Marketing und Kontoupdates bevorzugt wird. Die Forschung betont, dass, obwohl Apps zunehmend wichtig werden, Banken ein strategisches Gleichgewicht zwischen digitalen Lösungen und menschlichem Kundenservice aufrechterhalten müssen, insbesondere während App-Ausfällen.
- Strong consumer adoption of digital banking apps (75% prioritization)
- Traditional banks maintain dominant market position with 81.5% market share
- Clear consumer communication preferences identified for different services
- Declining relevance of physical branches (only 33% prioritize)
- Low consumer interest in chatbot services (only 35% consider important)
- Generation gap in digital adoption could affect customer retention
New FICO research finds that consumer preferences are switching from branches to apps, requiring a shift in the customer experience
Published in an ebook, free to download from the FICO website, the research highlights the critical balance between digital and human interaction for bank account holders. While apps are now favoured over a local branch by the majority, the expectation of access to bank staff remains high.
Highlights
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75% said a good phone app was the most important or second most important factor in their primary provider of banking services -
The younger demographics care more about the quality of their banking apps - just over half of all respondents from the three youngest demographics said this was most important, compared to only
37% of people aged 55-64, and a mere24% of +65s -
33% of consumers said it is most important for the bank where they hold their primary account to have a branch nearby -
80% claimed that having the ability to talk to real people was important -
51% of respondents 18–24 years old scored human contact 5 out of 5, compared to60% of over 65s -
64% believed customer service was as important as the products or services the bank supplied;22% thought it was more important.
The 2024 FICO Bank Customer Experience Survey provides unique insights into customer behaviours, preferences, and experiences with banks. The majority have two or three bank accounts but one primary account, which was chosen for length of relationship and a positive customer experience.
The advent of improved customer communications and apps has changed consumer expectations. However,
Currently, chatbots are less appealing to consumers than real human interaction, with just
According to the FICO study, the preferred communications method depends upon the subject of the message. Text to their mobile phone was shown to be the preferred method for warnings about potential fraud, ID verification and debt and late payment notifications. Email was preferred for marketing messages, updates to the terms and conditions, information requests and account reminders. Calls to house phones came out as the least popular method of communications in every category.
“Although banking apps have become more important to British customers, it is vital that banks recognise that they can’t rely on them entirely,” commented Mark Whale, a financial services partner at FICO. “A strategic balance between apps and human interactions is critical. Used intelligently, AI can prove invaluable in creating better customer interactions as customers move across to apps. Using analytics to determine the best channel for each individual customer will help brands be more strategic in all areas of communication with their customers, and ensure they foster positive customer experiences and lasting relationships.”
About FICO
FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 80 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by
FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the
1 Research conducted amongst 1,000 adults across the
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For further press information please contact:
FICO
Wendy Harrison/Parm Heer
ficoteam@harrisonsadler.com
0208 977 9132
Source: FICO
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