This sponsored post is produced by Q2eBanking.
It used to be that an “experience” was something a person had at a 1960s outdoor music festival, not something associated with being on the Internet — and certainly not something associated with banking online. But with a plethora of options competing for consumers’ time online these days (either for entertainment or for other services), if your credit union desires an effective and vibrant virtual banking presence, you’d better be aiming to create a quality experience for your members — a quality virtual banking experience. So, what can credit unions and their vendors do together to create a best-in-class virtual banking experience?
First and foremost: Partner with a company who understands design. Good design is at the center of a quality user experience, and only a company with design expertise can create a best-in-class user experience for your members. You want a company that employs a user-centered design methodology, whereby every facet of the experience is created with the end user in mind. A company whose focus is on workflow optimization and ease-of-use, versus payments or core processing, will be much more adept at creating the kind of virtual banking experience your members will appreciate.
Second, recognize the importance of your website, and treat it as an extension of the overall virtual banking experience. After all, it’s the first impression your members — and prospective members — will have of your credit union and its virtual banking experience. Once again, design is crucial. Your website’s look and feel should be of the same quality as your virtual banking offerings. The greater the consistency in fonts, color scheme, and branding, the greater the overall experience for your members and the greater the perception of your credit union. If one of your goals is to increase virtual banking adoption, a second-rate website can be a huge impediment.
Lastly, and perhaps most difficult to pull off, provide your members with a unified user experience. What does that mean? It means providing your members with a consistent look and feel across all devices and all channels. Regardless of whether they’re banking on an iPad, a Dell laptop, a Samsung smartphone or their Mac computer, the user experience should be the exact same. This is huge, as this is what consumers have come to expect thanks to the likes of Netflix, Facebook, Apple and other premium brands. Offering your members this best-in-class level of experience will distinguish you from your competitors that lack the cohesive and quality virtual banking experience.
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