Customer Experience: A Tale of Two Approaches

It was a routine corporate onboarding session. New employees had just received their joining kits, and along with it, the task of opening a salary account. Four banks were on the list: a trusted public sector bank, two private sector banks, and a well-known foreign bank.

One employee, guided by a sense of loyalty to public institutions, chose the public sector bank. The expectation was reliability. What followed, however, told a different story.

• The first email to the bank received a brief response—just a mobile number of a concerned officer.

• On calling, the officer directed the employee to download the mobile app and complete the process step by step.

• Midway, the app froze while uploading documents. Attempts to reconnect with the officer went unanswered. The journey ended in frustration.

With no option left, the employee turned to one of the private banks. The experience was night and day.

• The representative’s first question was simple but powerful: “Would you like to open the account online or offline?”

• Choosing online, the employee received a direct link for a smooth start.

• When the same issue occurred midway, the representative promised to take ownership.

• True to his word, he visited the office the next morning, completed the process personally, and handed over the debit card and cheque book on the spot.

At the same time, representatives from the other private and foreign banks were actively reaching out to employees, offering assistance and making the process effortless.

The Lessons Hidden in the Story

This everyday episode is more than a customer anecdote. It reflects the reality of customer experience in banking—and by extension, every industry. Three principles stood out:

1. Customer Effort Theory: Reducing effort often builds more loyalty than adding extra features.

2. Touchpoint Management: Every interaction—emails, calls, apps, and in-person meetings—shapes perception.

3. Service Recovery Paradox: Even when digital systems fail, proactive human intervention can convert a setback into trust.

Beyond Processes and Apps

The story is a reminder that customer experience is not about flowcharts or sophisticated apps. It is about ownership at every touchpoint.

• Technology without empathy creates frustration.

• Technology combined with responsiveness creates confidence and loyalty.

In the race toward digitization, the real winners will be those who balance digital speed with human care—guiding customers through choices, not just pushing them through processes.