John Federman, CEO, JRNI
Customer behaviour has changed enormously over the past year. As customers, and as humans, we don’t just want to buy products or services – we want a truly unique experience. And providing that unique, human-to-human customer engagement is at the very core of where the financial industry is headed. The transition to experiences and a more adaptable, virtual world was already happening – the pandemic just made it happen that much faster.
As many companies have adapted their work policies to include working from home and working from anywhere, many customers now bank on the go – and expect to. Here are a few key things for you to know:
The empowered customer
The truth is the need for banking services has not changed. People still want to deposit cheques, open accounts, get a new debit card, refinance their homes and more. What has changed is the way technology enables customers to manage these services on their terms, and the empowered customer wants convenience, simplicity and options.
With flexible appointment modes from virtual technologies, you can give your customers the services they need anytime, anywhere, via any device, and this is exactly what the empowered, hybrid customer expects.
Physical branches aren’t going away
There will always be customers who prefer to bank in person. People value in-person, human-to-human connections. That’s why physical branch locations should supplement with a digital strategy, including remote video- and voice-based appointments.
A recent survey reports that 73 per cent of customers still prefer in-person interaction when receiving financial advice. So, while there might be less dependence on physical branches moving forward, they are still an important part of your business.
Embrace the right technology
That’s where appointment scheduling technology comes in. It can give your customers an unmatched level of service and the personalisation that keeps them coming back for more. Additionally, virtual queuing and capacity management can help your branch staff manage lobbies while simultaneously improving the customer experience.
Appointment scheduling
Appointment scheduling helps banks run safely and efficiently, reach a broader audience and provide the unique, personalised experience customers want and need.
There is a slew of appointment scheduling use cases for financial institutions and many ways to provide memorable experiences, but a couple worth mentioning are:
- Mortgage appointments: Video appointments have been a huge innovation for the mortgage market as advisers can now share documents online and customers can sign documents while on a video call. This makes the entire process more flexible and efficient.
- Wealth management appointments: According to Accenture, the trend is heading to a blend of face-to-face and remote interactions to provide more personalised and higher value interventions with advisers. By providing one-to-one, in-person and remote appointments, there are many opportunities for wealth management advisers.
With virtual appointments, you get the benefits of providing your services during non-traditional hours. The after-hours availability could be the difference between a customer staying loyal and moving to a competitor.
Virtual queuing
Another way banks can significantly improve the customer experience is through lobby management. Virtual queuing and capacity management technologies are helping banks do this at scale.
With virtual queuing, customers and members have the choice to go online, check-in and be notified regardless of their location when it is time for their appointment or to meet with a staff member. And capacity management can be used to set a limit, manage walk-ins at peak times and ensure there is enough space and distance in bank lobbies.
So, as we look to the future, it is important to embrace digital transformation and technology such as bank scheduling software to exceed your customers’ expectations. By giving your customers the option to do business with you on their terms and give them expert guidance, you will be well on your way to improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Click here to learn more about leveraging JRNI for your financial institution.