Co-ops better than banks?

“Customers see how they’re treated as a benchmark for how much they trust their primary financial services provider,” says Kaenan Hertz, executive director in EY’s financial services customer experience practice in New York. “When a customer requests help with a problem, it’s a defining moment for the relationship — if it’s not handled right, there’s a real risk of losing that customer.”

According to EY’s survey, the most common reason for customers opening (or closing) an account is a positive (or negative) experience getting a problem resolved with their provider.

Industry-wide, the most frequently reported problems involve operational issues with online or mobile banking, and lost or stolen cards. More challenging problems arise with disputes over fees and purchase charges, payment or deposit mistakes, denial of loan requests, or other processing snafus. These situations frequently have outcomes that are unsatisfactory to members, and result in the loss of trust in the co-op, credit union or bank.

“Across the board, customers want to feel as though their financial institution cares about them, and not just the bottom line. For co-ops and credit unions, whose members have come to expect a more personal relationship from their primary provider, it’s especially critical to cultivate their member’s experience,” says Hertz.

In fact, 78% of co-op and credit union members surveyed who reported having complete trust in their primary financial services provider said they would be very likely to recommend that institution to others, compared to only 68% of banking customers overall.