Customer service isn’t getting any better in the UK’s banks. All the UK’s major high-street banks scored below average in the latest Which? customer service ratings and many scored very similarly to their competitors – in other words they are all seen as ‘the same as’, and in many cases, ‘as bad as’ each other (apart from First Direct who led the field impressively(again!))!
So, how can a bank differentiate itself from its competitors? Well, I’ve highlighted the excellent customer experiences at First Direct many times previously and Metro Bank who are one of our 100 examples of 3D Thinking.
However, the lessons don’t seem to be being learned by other banks. In fact, Lloyds Bank staff have been told by their Chief Executive Antonio Horta-Osario that the key is to be boring!!!!
Speaking at a CBI Conference recently he said “To restore trust the industry must change. We must recast the banking model … retail and commercial banks should be simple and they should be boring”.
He couldn’t be more wrong – bank staff should be proactive, enagaging, value adding, take an interest in us and demonstrate that by creating great customer experiences (Er… just like First Direct!).
That’s not boring…. but it is rare! In fact for a high street bank it would be Dramatically and Demonstrably Different!
Maybe one of them should try not to be boring and start Thinking in 3D!
