Economy

Markets

Industries

Insights

Reports

Events

Chinese in favor of easy-to-use banking services

By Hu Yuanyuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-07 07:56

Customers make banking transactions at a China Merchants Bank branch in Beijing. [Bloomberg News]

Nearly six in ten Chinese high-income consumers consider "easy-to-access banking services" the most important factor when deciding which bank they use, according to the latest Nielsen China Personal Finance Monitor.

And high-income consumers look more for service availability than product availability and brand image when it comes to choosing a bank.

Related readings:  Lenders should localize private-banking services, experts say  Local banks ready to offer 'first-rate services'  Beijing to focus on financial services  Improve bank service or lose customers

Strong customer services (17 percent) ranked second while comprehensive products and services (12 percent) ranked third, followed by brand reputation (7 percent) and speed of service (5 percent).

"Banks use different marketing strategies to attract and retain high income consumers. However, they appear to be neglecting the most important factor - that of customer experience," said Alvin Huen, director, Client Solutions, Nielsen Company China.

Despite many banks' trying to manage the issue of long queues, it is still the main problem for customer retention. Consumers are prepared to walk away from banks where they perceive or experience problems with queues.

Huen suggested banks increase the number of ATMs and branch networks in key locations. Also, "the strategic integration of self-service solutions such as an efficient telephone banking service and Internet banking, along with smarter staff deployment in branches, would all serve to reduce queues and improve overall service", he said.

The survey also reveals that four out of 10 high income consumers regard the bank where they have their credit card account as their most often used bank - topping all attributes measured by Nielsen.

The criteria used to determine the most often used bank includes whether the bank offers the convenience of online banking (36 percent), whether the bank is where their salary is paid into (28 percent), whether the bank has an extensive branch network (26 percent) and a widespread ATM network (26 percent) and whether the bank offers an efficient, speedy service (26 percent).

More than 80 percent of high income bank customers are using Internet banking, according to the survey.