In Deloitte’s 2019 Banking Industry Outlook report, the “Big Four” accounting firm notes that “the importance of the branch in attracting and retaining customers, contrary to conventional wisdom, should remain…branches will continue to have value, especially with greater digital enablement.” And their global consumer survey backs up this prediction – it showed that respondents were likely to increase branch use if the following features are offered:
- Extended service hours through virtual remote services with a representative 36{91edff4ab0179c213d4d62ccb73735ad51d636906a6f58336791bd911b76df7b}
- Digital screen self-service with representative help if needed 34{91edff4ab0179c213d4d62ccb73735ad51d636906a6f58336791bd911b76df7b}
- Ability to schedule a personal appointment for a virtual video meeting with a representative 31{91edff4ab0179c213d4d62ccb73735ad51d636906a6f58336791bd911b76df7b}
Key Takeaway: Of course, this 2019 poll was taken before the current pandemic, so one can only imagine that these percentages have risen. Whether your members need to meet with a product specialist or a contact center agent, appointments improve the efficiency and personalization of both face-to-face and virtual interactions.