Banks with mature digital sales processes achieve far higher growth in deposits and loans than their less advanced rivals, research from vendor Backbase suggests.
Backbase teamed up with Cornerstone Advisors to assess the digital sales processes of 184 North American banks and credit unions, splitting them into three categories: those with a high level of digital sales maturity (Level 3) those with a low level (Level 1), and those that fall into the mid-range (Level 2).
The study found that Level 3 institutions outperformed their peers in three key business metrics: deposit growth, loan growth and online account applications. Those with highly-mature digital sales processes achieved 21-44% higher growth in deposits and loans.
Level 3 institutions averaged deposit growth of 9.8% between 2018 and 2019, and loan growth of 10.4% during the same period. In contrast, Level 1 institutions averaged just 6.8% and 7.6% growth, respectively. There was also a significant difference in the proportion of account openings carried out online.
The research shows that bigger doesn't necessarily mean better when it comes to digital sales. Larger institutions lag on speed in secured loan applications compared to smaller rivals, while mid-sized firms outperformed their competitors on digital applications for secured loans.
Vincent Bezemer, SVP, Americas, Backbase, says: “The stakes couldn’t be higher for financial institutions, especially those that are just starting to dip their toes into the digital sales waters. A failure to accelerate digital sales capabilities will lead more and more customers to concentrate in the hands of fewer and fewer institutions.
"Customers’ expectations for a convenient and smooth banking experience are only going to grow more demanding, and banks’ and credit unions’ futures are contingent upon not meeting, but far exceeding those expectations.”