Original text here from Patrice Bernard (LinkedIn)
Globally, the digitization of services is causing concern among a significant portion of the population who are not well-versed in digital tools. Consider the turmoil in the Netherlands due to a forcefully driven transition, which is gradually leading to the disappearance of bank branches and cash payments, among other changes.
This evolution, especially in the financial sector, follows an inescapable logic: as the use of online and mobile tools, as well as remote communication methods like video conferencing and instant messaging, rapidly increases, traditional processes are being abandoned by most customers and eventually phased out, partly for economic reasons. Those who still prefer traditional methods, for various reasons, are unfortunately left behind.
Recent estimates suggest that, despite high digital literacy in the region, about one in six Dutch people struggles with technology. While this rate may seem low (especially to those responsible for the closures), it still represents a significant number of individuals who are unable to manage their financial lives optimally, leading to chronic stress about their finances. However, little effort is made to meet their needs.
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Last year, the country's three major banks (ABN AMRO, ING, and Rabobank) experimented with setting up a kind of temporary assistance for teaching the basics of banking apps. This discounted assistance service, staffed by volunteers, has apparently been abandoned. Now, the industry relies on a specialized association, through a partnership, to address the gaps in today's relational models.
The pedagogical approach seems to have been sidelined in favor of a telephone helpline, tasked solely with responding to the queries of those who call. The growing volume of financial-related questions has encouraged this collaboration to prepare an information corpus for the operators. In cases of necessity, such as when confidential data is involved, queries can be transferred to the bank, but it’s clear that this option is intended to remain exceptional.
This is yet another example of the drift of financial institutions, which, instead of systematically seeking to understand each of their clients' expectations in order to provide the best service, choose, perhaps out of laziness, profitability concerns, or indifference, to offer a one-size-fits-all solution that roughly meets the needs of the majority. For companies that often tout their commitment to personalized interactions, the reality is quite disheartening.
