The U.S. banking system has reached an important crossover point in which the number of weekly mobile bankers is now equal to those who use the branch, according to a report from the San Francisco, Calif.-based Javelin Strategy & Research.

The shift to mobile is happening faster than anticipated, but not without some annoyance from users and profound, fundamental changes in banking, Javelin reported. “The Rise of the Mobile First Consumer – and What that Means for Banking” revealed that as a result of the adoption of smartphones and tablets, almost one in every four primary bank customers currently claims to be “mobile first,” that is, they primarily use a mobile device to access their checking account.

“It is really surprising that so many consumers say they go to mobile first,” Mary Monahan, executive vice president and research director at Javelin Strategy & Research, said. “In the consumer mind they are thinking of it as their primary access point. That is a huge change, a shift of 53 million consumers in four years. Their habits are changing.”

Mobile-first bankers include those who primarily bank by smartphone or tablet using a mobile app or mobile website. In terms of numbers, 56 million American adults now consider themselves to be mobile first.

Of the three main types of banking, the largest customer group banks online first at 39%, or 77 million customers, and the smallest segment uses the branch first at 17%, or 34 million customers.

“Currently, mobile bankers are not able to finish transactions on mobile devices and are purposefully shifted to online or branch channels for completion, causing frustration,” Monahan explained. “Financial institutions should aim to create a unified view of the customer and offer a more seamless, easily navigated banking experience, to appeal to the broader user community.”

As of July 2014, 68% of U.S. mobile phone owners use smartphones and 48% own tablets. Apple drove the market twice, first with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and then the iPad in 2010. Smartwatches and the Internet of Things are next on the horizon. Current consumer adoption of smartwatches is at 6%, with 11% likely to adopt in the next 12 months.

Mobile-first customers account for 23% of customers and are more likely than online-first or branch-first customers to be younger, female and have children in the household. Apple iOS is their first choice in mobile technology. They are fee-sensitive, newer bank customers, use alerting at high rates and are more likely to switch banks over the next 12 months.

Imparting information quickly will be essential to mobile monitoring. For example, Citi provides color-coded warnings to its smartwatch app, which visually tells consumers how close they are to reaching their credit card limits.

Read more: Financial institutions must make the mobile banking experience seamless …

Online-first customers comprise the biggest group at 39%. They hold equivalent amounts of mean investible assets but average 30% lower primary bank deposits at $84,000 compared to the branch-first customers. Their household incomes at $80,000 are slightly higher than their mobile-first and branch-first counterparts. Android is their mobile operating system of choice. They are most likely to maintain multiple bank relationships.

Branch-first customers, at just 17%, are more likely to be male, older and wealthier than their online-first and mobile-first counterparts. The largest proportion of branch-first customers bank at giant financial institutions. Their tendency is still to use paper and pen to monitor their accounts, and they are most likely to meet face-to-face to resolve bank problems.

One of the reasons mobile-first customers go to the branch is to resolve issues and seek information about products and services. In fact, 45% of mobile-first customers have entered a branch in the past 90 days for customer service questions.

“There is no question the rise of mobile technology has arrived. We will continue to see consumers utilize mobile devices as the number one means of interacting with their financial institution,” Matt McCombs, president/CEO for the $488 million, East Moline, Ill.-based Vibrant Credit Union, said. “Both online and mobile channels must be geared for ease of use as well as sales leads as many previous direct sales opportunities have shifted to electronic means.” McCombs pointed out that the research shows that of those that are mobile- or online-first, 70% have still interacted in a branch over the last 90 days.

“The branch purpose must shift but the branch will still have relevance as a sales-first channel,” he said.

Financial institutions really have to make the experience seamless for mobile bankers so they can do the same activities on their devices as they can in branches, Monahan noted. She explained that it is difficult to get an end-to-end experience in mobile.

“Even when they have mobile features many financial institutions don't have a search function,” she said. “Very few offer mobile enrollment. When a customer wants to open an account they have to leave mobile and walk into the branch. A lot of banks are actually doing this on purpose. These customers want to do this all in mobile.”

James Fisher, senior vice president and chief technology officer of the $300 million, Livermore, Calif.-based UNCLE Credit Union, added, “Ultimately, the adoption of mobile banking is about providing consumers with enhanced convenience – and about giving them greater choice in terms of how they interact with their financial institution. To that end, Javelin's report reveals an important insight: Banks and credit unions should focus on delivering a user-friendly and seamless end-to-end mobile experience without losing sight of the fact that even mobile-first consumers prefer to use multiple channels for their banking needs.”

Instant Insights /

Mobile Bankers Catch Up With Branch Users: Javelin

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