Europe turns nose up at mobile banking

Mobile banking could be failing to capture the imagination of consumers, according to a survey of 2,500 retail financial services customers across Europe.

The research, conducted by TNS on behalf of Fujitsu Services, found 65 percent of respondents prefer to access banking services online.

Only five percent of the sample said mobile banking is the channel of choice. Physically going to a branch is the second choice, at 53 percent. The findings differ from a UK-only survey which put face-to-face or voice interaction as the preferred method of accessing banking services.

However, it's not enough just to offer services online — customers require a quality service from all channels.

The survey found 37 percent of respondents — from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK — said a good experience from automated services is the primary factor in their customer loyalty — more than double the amount who cited security of personal details as their prime concern.

In a statement, Fujitsu Services strategy director of European financial services, Andy Stewart, said there was a strong desire among the sample for online services to be closely integrated with branch and contact-centre services.

Stewart said: "Offering self-service options is no longer the differentiator — it's expected by all types of customers. It's also expected to be easy and convenient. If online self-service doesn't deliver, then the customer actually gets more frustrated and disappointed than if the option wasn't there at all."