Customer Identification Discovery & Design

A Generative Research Study

What Research Challenge was I Asked to Solve?

Based on the results of the previous teller research, management and the project team decided to remain focused on the customer identification part of the authentication process. With a check-in feature in mind, the project team had put together some ideas around what the customer experience might entail. Because we were making assumptions about branch customers’ needs and behaviors, I quickly realized we needed feedback from our customers, as well as a reality-check about customers’ everyday actions and behavioral patterns.

To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted and obscured confidential information in this case study.

Actions

What was My Plan to Address This?

I felt it was important to observe customers to understand specific behaviors. For instance, what customers do when they pull into the parking lot; what they carry with them from their vehicle in through the entrance; what they do in line if there is one; what they provide the bank colleague when they step up to the counter, etc.

An ethnographic research plan was developed to summarize the reasons and background information for the project. The project goals, scope, customer types, research deliverables, and a timeline were also defined and proposed.

Although the business goals remained the same, the project team needed a better-defined guideline for themselves and stakeholders to rally around. The UX team, with stakeholder input, created the following problem statement.

Problem Statement

When a customer visits a branch, it can be time-consuming and inefficient for colleagues to find an exact customer match when using search tools.
This causes a delay in service and diverts colleague’s attention away from the customer, resulting in decreased throughput and less opportunity for teller referrals.
How might we entice customers to use their own device to check-in, so that our colleagues can focus less on searching for customers and more on having meaningful interactions with them?

Research Questions

Will customers notice and interact with a push notification on their cell phones?
Will customers use their app to check in ahead of time without being prompted?
Will customers be willing to check-in at a branch?
What would they expect checking-in to do for them?
How effective is signage at capturing the customer's attention within and outside the branches?

Research Methods & Participants

About the Study

Ethnography was conducted at five (5) branches (3 traditional, 2 in-stores) located in various regions of central Ohio - rural, urban, and suburban. For each location, a third of the day focused on three (3) different areas – customers at teller stations and in line, drive-throughs, and parking lots. In-store branches (Giant Eagles) focused on customers at teller stations. We conducted these observations to understand customer branch banking habits. Our hypothesis was the more the proposed process aligned with customers’ current behaviors, the higher the adoption rate would be.

Customer intercepts were carried out in the same five (5) locations. As customers completed their business with the bank, researchers approached customers individually. Discussions centered around their use of the mobile app, as well as prior check-in experiences, and their expectations around branch check-in steps illustrated by the storyboards shown here.

Storyboards used in interviews with customers.

Participants

Teller Station Observations – 112 customers
Drive-thru Observations – 40 customers
Parking Lot Observations – 45 customers
Customer Intercepts – 25 customers

Key Findings & Recommendations

High-level observation findings – (197 customers)

We learned that customers walking into a branch usually have their hands full, making it unlikely to respond to push notifications for check-in purposes. Unless an on-site check-in process is quick and easy, a check-in ahead of time may work better for customers.
Customers are laser-focused in the lobby on identifying the next available teller making it unlikely that they’ll notice check-in signage. A marketing campaign utilizing multiple channels to bring awareness to customers about in-branch check-in will be necessary for expected adoption results.
Drive-thru customers have a greater opportunity for an on-site check-in while they wait for their turn. Customers are not greeted until the colleague begins servicing that customer.

High-level customer intercept findings – (25 customers)

We learned that customers expect check-in to make the branch visit go faster, be easier, and save them time.
They expect colleagues will know what they are there to do and be better prepared to help them. As part of the process, consider allowing customers to give a reason for their branch visit.
Customers would find value in being directed to the right colleague and given estimated wait time. Consider adjusting expectations for the initial release of this product to include feedback from the bank that will help customers make efficient use of their time.

“I’d expect the experience to be quicker, especially on Friday’s when it gets really busy. I would hope that other customers also check-in so that the colleagues know what to expect.”

— Customer 9

Results

What were the Results of the Work?

Based on the research, the project team continued to explore a viable version of the product that would allow customers to do an advanced check-in or complete it when they arrive at a branch. The concept proceeded as an app feature to make the check-in available through customers’ devices and to include the ability to choose a reason for the branch visit.

Conversely, to research, the initial version would not provide customers benefits they find valuable, such as feedback to help them visit a branch during less busy periods or help them save time in some other way.

Lessons Learned

What did this project teach me about research, design, or myself?

I learned many common behaviors customers have when they visit a branch. One tendency is when the customer’s business has concluded they are in the frame of mind to leave the bank, and this is not the best time to ask them to engage in an impromptu conversation.

I quickly learned it’s best to have the colleagues working the teller stations help transition the customer with a warm hand-off to the researcher. It’s much easier to gain the customer’s acceptance when a known and trusted colleague conducts the introductions.

It is also best to have a prioritized set of questions for the customer that can be limited to a ten (10) minute conversation. However, I found that once people become engaged and realize the discussion focuses on their point-of-view, they’re willing to spend up to thirty (30) minutes of their time.