UK fintech Suits Me looks to revive face-to-face banking with new digital service
UK-based fintech and alternative banking solution Suits Me is shunning chatbots in favour of “a more personal touch” with the introduction of a new face-to-face appointment service.
Suits Me is introducing a new face-to-face service
The multilingual service can be utilised by the fintech’s banking customers if and when complex problems arise with their accounts. Customers can be “hand-held and spoken to when they need to”, according to the official announcement, connecting them with a real customer service representative rather than a chatbot.
This new service will sit in parallel with the fintech’s existing offerings, which include online accounts for UK citizens that hold all the same traditional banking features except for an overdraft or the possibility to take out credit.
“From July, we are offering face-to-face video meetings,” explains Mardi Stretch, customer service director of Suits Me. “We are using the power of technology to enhance our customer experience, allowing us to engage with our customers directly, no matter the distance.”
The true cost of branchless
The rise of online banking has led to a reduction in ‘branch-like’ services within the industry. However, the arrival of Suits Me’s new service strongly correlates with the recent findings of Foolproof, a Zensar company.
The tech company’s findings indicate that 46% of banking customers want more human interaction, while 47% confirm that chatbots are failing to give practical solutions to their questions. Furthermore, 74% believe that the current state of banking isn’t personal enough, and 23% say that their banking experience has become worse over the last 12 months.
The data appears to confirm that as a consequence of banks closing branches and making a move towards more faceless solutions, such as telephone banking and chatbots, customers are becoming increasingly frustrated with these services as they are falling short of being useful.
These findings alongside the announcement of Suits Me’s new service are particularly poignant given that many customers are becoming increasingly financially vulnerable due to the current economic climate and rising costs.
