Everyone knows that Gen Y and X are the driving force behindmobile apps, but the Baby Boomer generation isn't afraid of alittle technology.

The media and many financial institutions presume that when itcomes to opportunities of online banking and mobile apps, Boomersare afraid of the new technology because of lack of security ornon- use of computers to interact with their credit union. Thiscould be an assumption that is as outdated as Fresca.

While baby boomers have not quite reached the level of adoptionrates of online banking as Gen Y/X, it's hard to ignore theiracceptance over the last several years of the online banking andmobile apps. Once Baby Boomers embrace the technology of onlinebanking, their usage can rival Gen Y/X. Baby Boomers ages 49-68(and seniors over 68) account for 46 percent of all open checkingaccount holders and they could fuel the next growth wave withindigital banking, according to Nielson.

“Many Baby Boomers are still working and are learning newcomputer and digital skills and could lead the way in bankingtechnology,” said Bill Sylvester, vice president of Mobile LiveTechnology Group. “What we are seeing is that the vast majority ofaffluent boomers and affluent millennials say they prefer to usemobile banking and banks and credit unions need to acknowledge thisif they are going to stay in the game.”

While the point of overload of online banking for Gen Y and Xmight be near, boomers not only represent the majority of theUS population, but they are hip to it when it comes to onlinebanking and their numbers are continuing to grow at a rapidrate.

Millennials might be quick to adopt new technology, such asmobile banking but there are more tech-savvy boomers surfing theWeb for their banking needs than previously thought. Efficiency andconvenience play a major role in baby boomer satisfaction, whichmakes banking services like online banking and electronic bill payappealing.

Boomers are a huge, barely tapped segment for mobile marketing.Technology has given boomers the support they need as they driveoff into the sunset in their motorhomes. In the past three years,their use of mobile apps has soured with social networking up1,113%, product information searches up 567 percent and listeningto music, up 29 percent. Their growing comfort with the technologyis an open invitation for digital banking.

Furthermore, 45 percent of Baby Boomers actively use online ormobile banking according to The Financial Brand.

“My grandkids taught me how to use a mobile app and my kids wereastonished when I told them I took picture of my checks anddeposited them while I was on the road,” said Maggie Hampton ofLake Tahoe, CA. “It's so easy and I travel so much that it was apain to try and find a credit union when we drove through a bigenough city. If the kids can do it I can do it.”

Smart credit unions are rethinking their consumer demographicsand customizing online banking for Boomers. Cultivatingadditional online services to boomers presents another chance tocross-sell this still-cool generation.