Banks are not doing enough to make their branches welcoming and are failing to effectively inform their customers of products and services, according to a study released by Mood Media Corporation. The online study, compiled by YouGov, reveals that only nine per cent of bank customers like the ‘ambiance’ in their branch.

The most frequently cited complaint against branches was long queues, which made up over a quarter of all complaints. Forty four per cent felt their bank effectively promoted additional services to them when they visited their branches. As a result, the majority of those surveyed preferred to bank online.

Claude Nahon, president, Mood Media Europe, an in-store media specialist, says: “Banks are losing out on a valuable opportunity by not doing more to keep their customers in branches. Face-to-face advice leads to greater customer satisfaction and the bank also profits from selling them the products that they need. Key to this is helping financial institutions to throw off their tired image and stop the flow of customers away from the High Street to the internet. In fact the best solution is to communicate across the branch network and online, ensuring the messages complement one another. This is more important than ever given the current economic climate and banks’ low customer satisfaction rates. Banks used to be an integral part of the community and they can be again.”

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