Top U.S. Banks Have Improved CX During the Pandemic

We’ve been surveying Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) & Net Promoter Score (NPS) with the top banks for years as part of our Verint Experience Index: Banking edition.

Last year’s report was interesting because we were able to get two surveys into the field—one just before the pandemic hit and one after. We were able to see the impact of COVID-19 on customer experience (CX).

In 2021, we surveyed nearly 4,000 customers of the top 15 US banks. Every single top bank’s satisfaction score improved from 2020 to 2021! This is a remarkable feat to achieve in the midst of a year of social, political, and economic unrest.

The news is great for the top 15 banks since customer satisfaction is a predictor of positive business outcomes such as revenue, loyalty, recommendations, and cost-savings.

However, it could mean trouble for the other 5,000 banks in the U.S., because it will be that much tougher to compete on CX when the biggest banks are doing so well.

It is still possible for banks of all sizes to deliver excellent, relevant, authentic customer experiences across channels. What’s important is an integrated view of the customer journey across all touchpoints that has visibility at every level of the organization.

Key Findings

• Biggest gains in CSAT: American Express, U.S. Bank, Citizens Bank, and Wells Fargo posted the biggest gains in CSAT (see page 5).
• Biggest gains in NPS: American Express, TD Bank, and U.S. Bank also showed statistically significant increases in Net Promoter Score (see page 6).
• CSAT drives positive business outcomes: When measured using a predictive methodology, higher CSAT drives loyalty, trust, and recommendations (see page 8).
• More new accounts were opened last year: New accounts were likely driven by economic stimulus payments. Banks that want to focus on expanding relationships with current customers should focus on technology and customer service (see page 11).
• Customers are more likely to try digital first in 2021: (page 14) but digital doesn’t always work as intended (page 15).
• Consumers trust banks more than apps: Trust in traditional banks far outstrips trust in micropayment apps like Paypal, Zelle and Venmo; and Baby Boomers remain hesitant to use mobile apps (see page 17).
• Customers are more omnichannel than ever. Customers used an average of 4.1 channels per month in 2021, up from 2020. Generation X customers used an average of 5.3 channels per month (page 19).

For more information and to download the report, click here.

Watch how Atlantic Union Bank, a Verint customer and a midsize regional bank, has completely transformed CX to compete and win in a challenging year.