The Balance Between Digital and Human Interaction in Customer Experience
Despite the continual rise of online and mobile channels, today’s consumer isn’t all in on only digital experience to the exclusion of others. In fact, recent data on customer satisfaction finds that consumers want to interact seamlessly with brands across all platforms. Even more, human interaction is what makes ALL channels more meaningful. “Though people prefer personalization – driven by data and digital – they expect to connect with brands on a more human level,” as spotlighted by Believe in Banking. “While coordinating channels into an omnichannel experience is best practice, consumers say humanity matters most.”
For some industries, a digital-forward approach works well. However, in banking, customers expect a human touch, not only at the branch but in the digital realm as well. Think about virtual customer assistance, chatbots, or call centers, which allow customers to have more personal interactions when they need it. This blurring of lines between digital and physical is what some describe as omnichannel, but what Adrenaline calls a more mature, laddered Total Experience customer journey. It takes the omnichannel concept up a notch and includes digital experiences that can also help employees, thus improving overall customer satisfaction and customer engagement.
For instance, a banking employee already knowing key information about what a customer needs before they even get to the branch. Not only does it cut down on time, it makes the experience more personal for the customer. That’s the Total Experience. It’s a step up from the traditional omnichannel strategy focused solely on seamless and integrated experience across all channels a customer might use rather than what customers and employees might use.
As people continue to expect a human element focus in banking, where face-to-face interactions are crucial, it’s important to seamlessly incorporate digital experiences as well. Those digital experiences that easily segue into physical experiences and vice versa are the key components of the Total Experience.
It’s a world of endless choices that span channels and buying experiences – a world where bricks and mortar has a role, the online store has a role, and neither will fully replace the other. Consumers don’t see these channels as separate or distinct, just as different aspects of their everyday life. When experience defines how consumers buy, what will retailers sell?”
– Ernst & Young
Consumer Preferences for Omnichannel Experiences
Today, customers prefer to engage with brands across various platforms, from websites and social media to in-store visits and mobile apps. This trend reflects a growing desire for flexibility, as customers increasingly want the freedom to interact with brands on their terms, using whichever platform best suits their needs at any given time. While digital convenience is important, research shows that human interaction significantly enhances the customer experience. In fact, 82% of U.S. and 74% of non-U.S. consumers want more of it in the future. Customers often find that human interactions provide a level of empathy, trust, and personalization that digital channels alone cannot match. This preference highlights that while digital channels are key for convenience and accessibility, human touchpoints add depth and meaning to the experience, fostering stronger brand loyalty and long-term relationships.
The Role of Human Interaction in Banking
The human touch in banking is essential for creating meaningful and trusting relationships, whether through in-person interactions at physical branches or virtual customer service. While digital channels are becoming the norm, the ability to speak with knowledgeable and empathetic people can make a significant difference in customer satisfaction. Personalized guidance, reassurance, and the ability to address unique needs elevate the customer experience beyond what automated systems alone can offer. This human interaction also plays a critical role in an effective omnichannel strategy, allowing customers to seamlessly transition between digital and physical platforms without losing the personal feel.
By integrating a human touch across all channels, banks achieve the Total Experience for a more cohesive, satisfying customer journey. Ultimately, this approach not only improves customer retention and loyalty, it also strengthens the bank’s reputation as being supportive and accessible, both virtually and physically.
The Integration of Digital and Physical Experiences
Today’s customers expect their banking journey to start in one channel — such as researching products, opening accounts, or asking questions online — and then seamlessly continue in a physical branch when needed. The idea of seamless integration between digital and physical banking spaces is about creating a cohesive experience where each channel enhances the other. This allows customers to move easily between online and in-person interactions.
For example, a customer might begin by discussing a mortgage with a chatbot on a mobile app, then visit a branch where the advisor is already aware of their needs. This continuity meets modern consumer expectations for convenience and personalized customer service. Plus, it allows them to bank on their own terms without re-explaining issues or re-initiating processes, which can quickly cause frustration. By bridging digital convenience with in-branch expertise, banks can offer a more personalized, responsive, and integrated customer experience.
Prioritizing the Customer Experience: Human-Led vs. Digital-Led
We know that in the banking industry, consumers are looking for a digital experience that can also easily blend into the physical space. What started on a chat carries through to the in-person interaction. This is an example of a digital-led, human-enabled experience. The converse can be true, where the journey begins in the physical space but then transitions to digital, which would be a human-led, digitally-enabled experience.
As bank strategists, we respect customers’ preferences for accessing options at the time and place of their choosing, such as bypassing the digital experience in lieu of a physical one. While the integration of digital capabilities into the banking experience is now non-negotiable, we have to remember there are two users of these capabilities – the customer accessing increasing functionality and the bankers who should be empowered to connect the dots when digital changes to an in-person interaction.
That’s why we see consistent calls for “seamless” omnichannel delivery. But we believe a Total Experience approach takes the idea of seamlessness even further, including the bankers’ experience of serving customers in a digital manner even while in the physical space – blending digital with physical but taking the best aspects from each. Ultimately, the difference between omnichannel and a more mature Total Experience is subtle but significant. These concepts allow banks to align with their promise to be there for customers (and employees) when and how they wish to interact for a better customer experience overall.
For banks to successfully navigate these physical-digital demands, they first must determine the priority of the experience they want to create. Two distinct ways to think about prioritization are whether the experiences they create are human-led and digitally enabled or digital-led, and human-enabled. One isn’t better than the other – just different – and ultimately based on a brand’s promise and delivery model. To help illustrate what Total Experience looks like in the real world, whether human-led or digital-led, we’ve put together some best-in-class brands delivering these more mature total experiences.
From quick-service restaurants and retail to banking, these top brands provide the ideal balance of digital and physical customer experiences.
Starbucks: Leading with Digital, Backed by Human Interaction
This storied coffee brand is an example of digital-led, human-enabled, which leads to great digital experiences. The Starbucks app delivers on loyalty and drives repeat customer visits to collect stars and free stuff, from drinks to merchandise. A customer can order a coffee complete with six modifications and walk in, pick it up, and walk out. The app also enables the barista to make that special ultra-modified drink to the customer’s specifications, guided by the digital ticketing system. The baristas make the coffee, but it is a digitally-led experience.
Starbucks was wise to add this enhanced functionality to the barista interface. At the same time, they offered the extended service of digital pickup orders through the app for a positive digital brand experience. And for those customers who enjoy the in-person Starbucks experience, the stores still feature the signature music and ambiance the shops originally became known for.
Chick-fil-A: Human Connection Enhanced by Digital Innovation
Chick-fil-A is a human-led, digital-enabled example that blends human interaction and digital efficiency to create an exemplary customer journey. Who wasn’t amazed when they made an American standard—the drive-thru—even faster, more efficient, AND more personalized and human simultaneously? By using tablets to take orders and accept payment, the quick-service restaurant brand made an operational play to untether the extremely polite team members taking customer orders.
Now, the signature Southern brand has gone even further, making that evolved experience better with the Chick-fil-A One mobile app. Yes, the employees are well-trained ambassadors of a culture that makes Chick-fil-A great. Still, they’re also empowered by smart digital tools that expertly unite the physical store and digital delivery. The app not only complements the physical experience but also seamlessly integrates digital and physical interactions, making Chik-fil-A an omnichannel leader.
Comerica: Human-Centered Banking with Digital Support
Comerica is a prime example of a human-led, digitally-enabled brand in banking. The customer-centric bank puts people first even as it strengthens its digital capabilities, like through its Banker Connect ITM, for a better customer experience strategy. Even more, regional banking leaders thoughtfully leverage their physical presence and network strength as the entry point for customers’ consideration sets that elevate the omnichannel customer experience. One powerful example is their latest format – the goMERICA Mobile Branch – that provides a turnkey, flexible solution for Comerica to create new connections as they move into opportunity-rich locations, which helps the regional banking leader amplify their perceived convenience as they grow
Apple Store: Merging Human Expertise with Digital Precision
The Apple Store is a great example of a human-led, digitally-enabled experience. Customers make their appointments for technical support online or through an app, but as soon as they hit the store, it’s a fully human experience. Customers don’t have to navigate a confounding series of digital prompts to get their problems solved. Instead, they talk to a highly trained, educated Apple Genius. When customers walk in, an associate greets them and plugs into their device to begin troubleshooting. The store is also a bright and shiny beacon featuring the latest Apple products, so additional cross-selling is possible, but not something that is pushed onto the customer as they achieve what they came in to accomplish: an in-person consultation.
Conclusion: Why a “Total Experience” Strategy Sets Top Brands Apart
As you can see from the examples of best brand experiences, a Total Experience strategy can truly help set brands apart. For brands, especially in banking, looking to excel in both the digital and physical realms, incorporating the idea of Total Experience is key. It goes beyond the traditional omnichannel customer experience for a well-rounded approach seamlessly integrating digital and physical interactions for customers and employees. To learn how your financial institution can create a seamless total experience for your customers or members, get in touch with the retail delivery experts at Adrenaline.
Adrenaline is an end-to-end brand experience company serving the financial industry. We move brands and businesses ahead by delivering on every aspect of their experience across digital and physical channels, from strategy through implementation. Our multi-disciplinary team works with leadership to advise on purpose, position, culture, and retail growth strategies. We create brands people love and engage audiences from employees to customers with story-led design and insights-driven marketing; and we design and build transformative brand experiences across branch networks, leading the construction and implementation of physical spaces that drive business advantage and make the brand experience real.
