By Chuck Martin
While the activities of banks have been steering them into aspects of mobile commerce for some time, it may have looked like consumers were standing on the sidelines.
From the banking standpoint, some of their activities have been behind the scenes, such as processing payments.
A few banks also have been moving closer to what the mobile consumer does, like creating shopping services for their customers, as I wrote about here a while back (Banks Getting Closer to Offering Mobile Shopping).
Banks also started targeted couponing, and although market awareness is relatively low, a large majority of those who are aware like them (Mobile Coupons: Banking on It).
Now it turns out that mobile banking is moving up the value chain, depending on the generation.
Deep inside the Consumer Banking Insights Study conducted by Harris Poll for BancVue is an indication that mobile may be good for banks, at least for acquiring new customers.
Adults 18-to-34 years old rank mobile banking tools as at least somewhat important when choosing a bank, according to the survey of 1,000 U.S. adults.
While more consumers who are younger lean toward banks with mobile, the majority (66%) of those in 35-54 age group also rank mobile banking as important. Fewer than half (44%) of those 55 and older consider it important.
Part of the reason consumers want mobile baking is so they can see all their banking activities in one place, with 81% seeing that as important.
Banks also possess the trust factor, with a majority (69%) of customers of large banks and most (93%) of small bank customers trusting their institutions.
While some banks have been relatively slow in moving to mobile banking, it appears many consumers are searching for those who already have.
Chuck Martin is Editor of the mCommerce Daily at MediaPost and writes the daily MobileShopTalk column. He is the author of “Mobile Influence,” “The Third Screen,” and “The Smartphone Handbook.” He is CEO of Mobile Future Institute. Chuck Martin is a frequent Mobile Keynote Speaker and Mobile Marketing Speaker internationally. He also addresses Social Media in Mobile.
