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Fannie Mae Survey: Big Banks vs. Big Tech

technology

digitalOnline services offered by banks are appreciated by consumers, however, big tech competitors loom, stated a new Fannie Mae [1] survey that looked into the American perspective on banking experiences, and the shifting patterns in consumer digital experiences. 

According to respondents of the Q3 2018 National Housing Survey [2], while 43 percent of Americans say they are "very likely" to recommend their bank, 24 percent said they tend to stay with them out of convenience and trust. Some choose to stay on account of their bank's speed, rates, or online interface.

Sixty-nine percent of consumers reported overall satisfaction with their primary bank’s online interface as they are easy. Several respondents stated that they prefer performing simple tasks online—such as depositing money and paying bills—and are less comfortable performing more complex tasks online, including applying for a mortgage. Sixty-eight percent of young Americans do online banking, and approximately one-third of those surveyed use Big Tech payment services for mobile payments.

The survey's findings come at a time when traditional banks and financial institutions face increasing competition from start-ups and established Big Tech companies that have started rolling out financial services. These companies, however, do not inspire much trust among consumers, the survey noted. However, 20 percent of Americans, when thinking of their favorite technology companies—Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook— are more likely to trust that particular Big Tech company to handle their financial activities, including mortgages.

“These new entrants are looking to offer financial services and are often credited with offering dazzling consumer digital experiences significantly better than those of traditional banks. Given the digital and customer experience prowess and resources of Big Tech firms, they may be especially well-situated to compete against traditional financial institutions,” said Steve Deggendorf, Director of Market Insights Research at Fannie Mae.

The survey also pointed out most banks do not currently provide the experience that fulfills consumers’ financial needs on the digital front compared to the Big Tech giants. Fannie Mae’s prior research also shows that a majority of recent homebuyers have some interest in a fully digital mortgage. The survey findings also indicate that now is the time for banks “to step up their digital game and, more specifically, to consider how to best digitize more complex financial tasks before Big Tech does.”

Read the full report here [3].