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Banking at the crossroads
For several years, we have been observing the progressive transition of customers to mobile banking. Customers using smartphone applications consistently avoid bank branches, but also less frequently use the internet channel providing them with access to their accounts via transactional websites.
This trend is confirmed by the data from the Polish banking sector regularly published by the Polish Banks Association in the NetB@nk report.1 After the first quarter of 2021, out of 14.5 million customers logging in at least once a month from their smartphones, half were “mobile only” users – those who used only applications for mobile devices without using internet banking. Such changes mean that banking institutions more and more often have difficulties communicating with their target audiences due to decreasing number of visits to branches and logons to Internet banking.
Mobile engagement banking leads the way
Changes in customer preferences have not gone unnoticed in the industry. It quickly turned out that customer’s migration towards mobile banking also brought a number of benefits. The activities taken by the banks in mobile channels can improve customer satisfaction, support them in many processes, increase sales of products and, thus, increase bank’s profits.
In addition to various types of marketing mechanisms built directly into the mobile application, financial institutions can also use three additional communication channels: e-mail, SMS or push messages sent to users via mobile applications. According to the Forrester report “US Market Forecast: Mobile Engagement Automation”2 published in 2019, while all these three channels gained top popularity in the United States, but out of these the mobile push messages volumes registered the biggest growth.
E-mail, SMS and Mobile Push – three channels, one goal
E-mail, SMS and mobile push messages, as a rule, pursue one goal – to inform customers and promote the company’s products and services by using messages consistent with the vision and purposes of the institution. Despite the apparent similarities between the channels, their unique properties can be used to more effectively achieve the set goals – as illustrated in the table below:
| SMS | Mobile Push | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | From short to long | Short | Short, but longer than SMS |
| Time to reach the customer | Short (but it can go unnoticed due to the amount of spam e-mails) | Short | Short |
| Open Rate | Low, with a high chance for being treated as spam | High | High |
| Click Through Rate | Low | Medium | High |
| Ability to diversify the message | Wide variety of formats and options (graphics, links, etc.) | Limited – a simple text or a text with graphics (but with increased costs) | Medium – emojis and graphics available; with a possibility of redirecting a customer to particular screens, webpages or actions |
| Campaign costs | Low | High | Low |
| Connection with an offer | By pointing to another channel | By pointing to another channel | By simple redirection to application or website with one click |
As you can notice, mobile push messages combine the advantages of other forms of communication, while eliminating their most important disadvantages. Messages reach the user’s mobile devices directly and instantly, and can also be enhanced with graphics. They are characterized by a much higher “openability” factor than e-mails while maintaining a low cost of running a push campaign. Importantly, the user can be redirected not only to the website address, but also to the specific screen in the mobile application, e.g. initiating the process the bank is promoting, or presenting additional relevant information. The use of mobile push, therefore, gives great opportunities, regardless of the actions we want to take.
How to use mobile push messages in banking for the benefit?
Push messages have enormous potential that, unlike SMS messages, is not limited by the number of characters or their incremental costs. However mobile push campaigns should be appropriately set-up and consistent with other communication run by the company, as insistent or inadequately prepared campaigns can effectively bury all the assumptions of mobile banking engagement.
To maximize profits and conversions that start in mobile push messages in banking:
- Ensure that content complies with local regulations. In order for campaigns to be a reliable source of information, it must be ensured that they meet the formal requirements.
- Use them to achieve specific goals. Mobile push should bring specific value that companies want to convey to their clients. There is no place for casual conversation here!
- Match specific target groups to specific campaigns. Modern banking platforms make it possible to define user groups according to various criteria. To ensure your success, use these parameters to target your message.
- Adjust the time of sending the notification to the actions taken by the user. Use push notifications in banking to inform customers about the state of their finances, the latest offers or new application features to increase the chance of them taking further actions.
Ailleron Solution – Campaign & Notifications Manager
Do you want to learn more how to start push messaging campaigns? Contact us – we will be happy to share our knowledge and experience with you. We will be very pleased to show you the possibilities offered by Campaign & Notification Manager, Ailleron solution supporting bank’s communication with customers in the channels described in this article.
Bibliography:
1 The Polish Banks Association, The NetB@nk report, https://www.zbp.pl/raporty-i-publikacje/raporty-cykliczne/raport-netbank
2 Forrester, US Market Forecast: Mobile Engagement Automation, https://www.forrester.com/report/US+Market+Forecast+Mobile+Engagement+Automation/RES164756
