By Roy Jugessur, VP, EMEA, Acoustic

The pandemic has heightened the demand for customer service excellence within financial services. Because the pandemic changed how we interact with each other, traditional banks increasingly compete against new, digital fintechs; finding new strategies for engaging consumers has become business-critical.

Email, web, and mobile channels all became even more fundamental to the customer experience, with people interacting less in-person and more online. Digital transformation has been prioritised, enabling customers and prospects to engage through online means.

Roy Jugessur, VP, EMEA, Acoustic explores how consumers still expect frictionless experiences in every interaction with a brand – including those in the banking & finance sector, and why it’s critical for businesses to adjust course.

Three top tips 

Financial services companies must do three key things: be authentic, express empathy, and implement personalised communications to continue effectively engaging customers. The customer’s voice was the loudest throughout the pandemic, and firms had to rethink how to stay in touch and in tune with their rapidly changing needs and demands without being able to do so physically.

Yet, while brick-and-mortar premises gradually reopen, firms shouldn’t ditch the digital investments accrued throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021.

1. Consumers won’t abandon the in-branch experience completely. Yes, people’s priorities will change as the pandemic ends and life returns to a (new) normalcy; they also might seek new investments, look to purchase a new house, or require new financial advice based upon a change in life’s circumstances. To remain successful, businesses will need to consider how they can deliver premier experiences within both the online and in-branch experience.
2. Keep evolving your messaging. Even though COVID continues to impact our lives, it’s clear that many of us are tired of the ‘doom and gloom’ and looking forward to better times. Incorporate themes of positivity, human connection and a broader sense of wellbeing in your messaging — themes that reflect current emotions.
3. Remain focused on digital transformation. As consumer behaviours continue to evolve in a hybrid world, financial services firms must change too. With the acceleration of digital transformation, it is imperative that financial firms continue to build a foundation of consumer trust with marketing tools and tactics that prioritise authentic, human connection.

How will CX evolve?

Consumer behaviour will never stop evolving, and the best marketing platforms will utilise real-time personalisation to meet these changing needs. Advanced algorithms built into the platform can personalise each customer experience as it’s happening. As a customer surfs your app, browses your website, or scrolls through any of your other platforms, algorithms can decipher what it is the customer is looking to accomplish and offer personalised recommendations in that very moment.

Personalisation can also help you account for the customer’s current life, enabling you to rely on more than just historical data like previous behaviour. As life circumstances change, what we need changes too. With real-time personalisation, fintech marketers can create messaging and content for the moment.

Conclusion 

Marketers are under pressure to deliver more value, but technology is not necessarily the solution to the problem. Yes, great MarTech tools eradicate a great deal of manual effort, but technology doesn’t remove the need for you to understand how the business can differentiate itself, what messages will capture customers’ attention, and what customers need to feel in order to buy a product or service.

We need to remember buying decisions are inspired by emotions: customers remember a great marketing message based on how it makes them feel. Tools and techniques such as personalisation within digital marketing creates trust and loyalty with a brand. MarTech should allow you to get a message in front of the right person at the right time, but it should never take the place of understanding how to create the best message.