PR Newswire
The perceived product relevance gap between consumers and regional and community financial institutions continues to widen
Alkami Technology, Inc., a leading cloud-based digital banking solutions provider for financial institutions in the U.S., announced the release of its new national research study conducted in partnership with Jason Dorsey and The Center for Generational Kinetics (CGK). The report, titled Anticipatory Banking: Establishing Primacy Across Generations Through Digital Sales and Service, reveals significant generational shifts in how digital banking Americans engage with financial institutions—and what they demand next. The insights in this report are aimed to help bank and credit union leaders navigate an increasingly dynamic financial services spectrum from traditional to digital, by uncovering hidden generational behaviors, unmet needs, and emerging opportunities – identifying moments where the right digital experience, data-driven interaction, or artificial intelligence (AI)-powered engagements can move an institution from being reactive to anticipatory.
“This research confirms what we’ve long observed in the market: the winners in banking will be those who act now to close the relevance gap between what consumers expect and what they’re experiencing,” said Allison Cerra, chief marketing officer at Alkami. “Digital banking is no longer a service channel, it’s the primary brand experience where across generations, consumers are demanding a more anticipatory, intuitive, and proactive interaction. Institutions that prioritize seamless onboarding, engagement, and AI-informed recommendations for growth, will earn not only primacy, but enduring trust across these segments,” she continued.
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Highlights from the research findings include:
- Digital is the gateway for primacy
- 84% of digital banking users say the quality of the digital banking experience is a top factor in choosing a provider.
- 50% of digital banking Americans are willing to switch financial providers for a better digital experience; 31% already have.
- The primary or most important provider is where a debit card or mobile/online banking is used.
- A 5-minute digital account opening experience is essential to acquisition
- 41% of all digital banking consumers would be more likely to change financial providers if another offered a 5-minute mobile or online account opening experience for deposit accounts. For younger generations, the figure is significantly higher (49%).
- 37% of digital banking Americans expect to receive an inheritance in the next 10–20 years, highlighting a massive opportunity for financial institutions to guide intergenerational wealth transfers.
- Relevancy gap is widening; consumers want an anticipatory banking experience
- Only 38% of regional and community financial institution account holders say their provider’s product recommendations became more relevant over the past year, significantly lower than those of neobanks (53%) and megabanks (45%).
- 46% of digital banking Americans wish their primary financial provider did a better job at anticipating their financial needs and goals.
- 46% of digital banking consumers are comfortable with their financial data being processed by AI if it improves their banking experience.
“This is one of the most actionable studies we’ve done in banking,” said Jason Dorsey, president of The Center for Generational Kinetics and a leading generational researcher. “Each generation is redefining what financial partnership looks like, from Generation Z expecting immediacy and personalization, to baby boomers planning for retirement. This study gives financial institutions a roadmap to engage each generation on their terms, through the channels they trust most.”
The national study included a stringent methodology with 1,500 participants weighted to the 2020 US Census for age, gender, region, and ethnicity, with all participants active in digital banking. The full report offers strategic recommendations for how financial institutions can onboard, engage, and grow relationships with consumers in each generation by delivering anticipatory experiences across channels.
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