Mobile banking continued its global conquest in 2015, as revealed in the annual Bain survey of around 115,000 bank customers in 17 countries. In Germany, the share of mobile interactions has now reached a good 20 percent. And no other channel received such a positive rating than the mobile websites and apps of the banks of those participating in the surveyed. At the same time, banking by smartphone or tablet is gradually transforming into an all-purpose distribution channel. In the Netherlands, for example, mobile channels already account for nearly 60 percent of all product purchases and service themes.

However, it will take more than a strong mobile presence to prompt account holders to purchase more products and rate their banks in a more positive light. In fact, bank customers who handle their interactions purely via digital channels tend to be more critical of their institution. According to the survey, a measurably high loyalty rating based on the Net Promoter® Score (NPS®) was recorded above all by omnichannel users who, in Germany, make up a good 40 percent of all customers. Their satisfaction is paying off. Across all user profiles and age groups, higher NPS ratings are correlating closely with the number of purchased products and customer ties.

Thus, if multibranch banks excel across all channels, they will have a good chance of holding their ground against direct banks and non-sector aggressors. But there is still much work to be done. The more frequently bank customers come into contact with their branches, the greater their readiness to change. This explains why in Germany, the NPS readings put ING-DiBa and DKB in the lead. In numerous countries, however, the gap between direct and multibranch banks can be seen to be closing in the NPS readings. This study highlights four key areas of action that German banks can leverage to achieve cross-channel gains. These are: enhanced customer service, digitalized distribution and advice, streamlined branch positioning and innovative methods for the transformation process.

If multibranch banks correctly apply all four levers, they can be sure to make rapid progress towards omnichannel. It is equally as possible to raise the share of mobile channels in secured product deals by 30 to 50 percent as it is to lower the costs of branches and call centers by 30 to 50 percent. Branches will still remain a crucial component of every omnichannel concept, although this means a significant reduction in their numbers. They are a key factor in ensuring high customer loyalty and enabling banks to visibly set themselves apart from the competition. Competition in the digital age cannot be won by mobile banking alone but, by the application of intelligent omnichannel concepts, this is possible.