Nearly three quarters (72%) of British bank customers want to interact with staff at their local high street branches, and not just communicate with ‘cold’ machines, a new poll said.
The Survation poll of consumers for Unite, Britain’s largest union, examined UK customers’ backlash against the march of the machines in bank branches across the UK, with two thirds (62%) saying they want more staff in branches and 72% reporting they had found bank machines they wanted to use out of order. One in five said that they were unsure of how to use a branch machine.
Go deeper with GlobalData
9% of respondents said they have experienced fraud due to hacking or tampering with machines.
The union called on the banking industry to step back from the reckless rush to install banking machines across all their branches at the continued expense of employment and training of a much valued workforce.
Dominic Hook, Unite national officer said: "The speed that UK banks are moving towards increased automation across their branches is incredibly significant for all bank customers. The poll shows the significant reputational damage the banks will suffer if they ignore the needs of their customers. With 72% stating they have had problems with machines in branches and 62% preferring more staff in branches, there is no doubt about the importance of front line bank staff.
"The irresponsible drive to cut staff and save money by installing machines across high street branches will have serious consequences for the banks. The banks need to strike a careful balance between the high quality customer service provided by front-line staff and the banking functions machines can perform.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData"This evidence that customers want well-staffed branches and would prefer to deal with the highly trained and professional staff that currently service their branches should set off alarm bells for the industry. Their customers don’t want to see empty soulless branches."
