Canadians are relying more and more on mobile devices to access banking services, and CIBC is leading the charge according to Toronto-based research firm Surviscor Inc.
Among the big six banks in Canada, CIBC ranked number one in Surviscor’s inaugural Mobile Banking scorCard, a comprehensive and objective assessment of features and functionality in the fastest growing delivery channel for e-banking.
CIBC was closely followed by Bank of Nova Scotia in second place, with National Bank rounding out the top three.
The Mobile Banking scorCard is a simulated-usage study that examines hundreds of objective criteria, within four main service categories (getting connected, application design, mobile transactions, customer support). Each category is weighted according to industry-defined importance.
Multiple smartphone and tablet devices were assessed for each banking institution, including iPhone, iPad, Android and BlackBerry. The design, analysis and execution of the study were powered by CorbinPartners Inc., a leading provider of business intelligence and forensic market research in Canada.
“It is forecasted that in the next two years, almost half of all Canadian smartphone users will use their mobile device to check on their bank account”, said Glenn LaCoste, president of Surviscor Inc. “The more effectively a banking institution allows one to setup, monitor and transact business on their mobile device of choice, the more likely that institution will attract and keep customers.”
CIBC secured the top spot in the study with top scores for mobile banking on both iPhone and iPad devices, and had consistently high scores in all four service measurement categories. Scotiabank was a category winner in customer support and scored highest for mobile banking on both Android and BlackBerry devices.
While each bank in the study had their strengths, the Mobile Banking scorCard highlights numerous opportunities to improve the mobile customer experience. This includes a customized application for tablet devices, mobile cheque deposits, mobile wallet for cash/credit payments, adding payees for bill payment, and mobile investment transactions. “New and improved services like these”, LaCoste added, “will be essential to the evolution of mobile banking.”
The Mobile Banking scorCard was conducted between August and September 2012. The full results are available at http://www.surviscor.com/ScorView/Reviews/MobileBanking/2012/.
Surviscor is in the midst of preparing a complementary study, its 5th annual edition of the Online Banking scorCard. Results are expected in late November.