60% of Indians use mobile banking solely to check account balance

Accenture's survey revealed that just 42% of respondents rated their primary bank's customer service as excellent, and over half (54%) faced challenges in obtaining human support when required.

New Delhi: More than six in 10 Indians (67 per cent) said that the majority of their mobile banking logins are simply to check account balances, a new report said on Monday.

According to the global IT services firm Accenture, only 42 per cent of respondents rated their primary bank’s customer service as excellent and more than half (54 per cent) had problems getting human support when they needed it.

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“Banks in India have achieved significant digital penetration across their value chain. But they are now faced with the reality that digital channels are functionally correct but emotionally devoid. Banks need to bridge this divide by humanising and personalising digital transactions,” said Sonali Kulkarni, Lead — Financial Services, Accenture in India.

The report surveyed 49,000 consumers across 33 countries, including 2,000 in India.

Moreover, the report found that about 36 per cent rated their bank highly in terms of the range of products and services offered, and only 35 per cent rated their bank highly on the competency of tailored financial advice, leading consumers to seek out new providers.

Nearly nine in 10 (88 per cent) recently acquired a financial services product from a provider other than their main bank.

About 78 per cent of consumers in India across age groups like seeing branches in their neighbourhood, as they portray stability and availability.

In addition, seven in 10 (70 per cent) turn to branches to solve specific and complex problems.

The report further said that many consumers, especially younger age groups find it difficult to manage their growing number of financial service providers due to increased fragmentation.

Around 53 per cent of consumers often lose track of their financial products and services.

The report suggested that banks can leverage artificial intelligence, and data and analytics to better identify customers’ financial intent, have more personalised conversations that flow seamlessly across digital and physical channels, and deliver relevant and holistic products and services, including non-banking offerings.