The first Internet banking service was launched by the Nottingham Building Society in 1983. Thirty years on, the face of retail banking is unrecognisable, but banks still need to grasp new technologies.

Here are 10 tips to stay relevant in the fast-moving world of digital banking:

1 Stop thinking channel – instead, think about a customer interaction matrix, based on devices, customer types, transaction types, value and location. Build an omni-channel experience that optimises your customers’ journey and the cost to the bank.

2 Get creative –Banks don’t have to invest enormous amounts in innovation. Try an incubator approach were you invest in a range of ideas – and yes, don’t worry if some fail – you will learn from those failures. Then invest more in those which show promise.

3 Sell well – and generate decent revenues. Top banks are generating 25% of their sales by volume via digital channels. Provide clear product information, personalised pricing, simple sales processes, instant decisions and straight through fulfilment.

4 Understand where your customers are – and reap the benefits. Geo-location will let you tailor marketing messages or offer relevant third party offers and vouchers. Similarly, banks can locate customers to validate payments (including P2P payments) and reduce fraud.

5 Know what makes you special – and why you stand out from your competitors. Define what your digital channels solution stands for. Make sure you are offering products and services which align to that – and which make you stand out in an increasingly commoditised market.

6 Be clean and crisp – and give customers a snappy user interface. If your customers find it hard to use your service they will either stop or move somewhere else. This is how new entrants are nibbling away at the best parts of your customer base. Don’t let it happen to you.

7 Be as safe as a bank vault – and give customers a sense of security. Dispense with additional devices – fobs, card readers etc – they are inconvenient and discourage regular use. Instead, invest in biometric authentication that provides users with rigorous security and is still easy to use.

8 Have fun in the right way – use gamification to encourage customers to complete the activities you want to promote. Amongst other things, banks can use the principals of gaming to teach users how to make the most of their existing online services or save towards goals.

9 Be where your customers are – and help customers to interact with your services via social media. Research shows customers would like to transact through social media sites – and have the capability to share financial information of their choice with their network of contacts.

10 Get personal – make your marketing targeted. Offer customers products and services at the right place and the right time, with prices that are relevant to them. Use appropriate images to hone your message and use next logical actions to follow up effectively.

Follow all of these rules and you can make sure your digital channels keep you at the forefront for the next 30 years!