“In 15 years we went from zero space programs to boot prints on the moon. If we’re going to bet what 15 years from now will look like, will there ever be an end to war? Perhaps. But you have to envision it first. You have to bet on it — then you’re invested in the outcome. That’s where change comes from.”

Neil deGrasse Tyson

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Before we talk about banks, I want to talk about first impressions.

First impressions have come a long way.

Not judging a book by its cover is a virtue long gone. These days we’ve been accustomed to countless research and Forbes opinion pieces telling us our first impressions can often be the most accurate.

That we’re engineered to understand the nature and intent of a situation or person within 8 seconds. Yes, 8 seconds.

That’s an evolutionary survival technique — as humans we evolved to be able to quickly determine the threat of the situation at hand and act. We needed to know which animal was going to eat us versus which was going to be our dinner.

Modern day instincts are a little less dramatic. Quickly and instinctively judging a situation is still a core human instinct — trusting and believing in something to be genuinely good and helpful through vital, subtle cues.

It’s not about physical survival anymore — it’s about emotional survival.

Our first impression instincts are now used to help us survive emotionally. It’s a mechanism of exchange with a person or brand when you do not have full knowledge about them.

Personality traits such as honesty and fairness are linked to specific non-verbal cues, and as humans we pick up on these signals during interactions. The clothes you wear, your haircut, the sound of your voice, your awkward hesitation to shake or kiss someone hello.

They’re all factored in 8 seconds.

This isn’t isolated to just human interactions. It happens everyday - with every store or shop we enter into. From a commercial point of view, we’ve never been more aware of the effect space and ambient design around us emulates those trust patterns we look for in humans. The little things that emit sensory qualities that trigger emotional responses. As a business, you strive to trigger the relevant emotional response to your brand, product and or service.

Designers call it User Centred Design — Architects call it atmosphere.

As businesses we’ve found the little things that builds trust in the everyday experience; Natural light in stores, quality materials, comfortable furnishings, smiling faces, pleasant uniforms, comfortable seats.

Banks are especially aware to this. Atmosphere creation is a key focus for any Branch Manager or Marketing Director. It’s the intangible effect that has a bottom line result in satisfaction levels and sales.

All these elements are part of an emotional value exchange that trigger trust between the client and the bank. The better the atmosphere, the less you feel like you’re being sold to; that your bank is different, your bank cares.

Now imagine you work for a bank, and you’re in charge of creating a trusting and casual atmosphere with the new branch you have to build. You’re pulling together a shortlist of architects based on brand values, on the website, and some of the previous work they’ve done. That work is chosen on purely subjective qualities you deem to be “the right fit” for the branch, based on an intangible atmosphere you’re trying to create.

Knowing this, how do you put a dollar figure around which architect can create better atmosphere? Who decides on what makes one atmosphere nicer than another? Which atmosphere will deliver a better return on investment? Which atmosphere will your audience resonate with?

Atmosphere, and it’s effect on the bottom line, is hard to quantify.

And the sentiment behind this analogy has never been more important.

Right now, we’re at a crossroads.

Physical branches have always been a bank’s key sensory trust builder. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure the right atmosphere is being relayed. One that relates to trust and satisfaction.

But in today’s digital world we’re seeing forces that are beginning to disrupt the full benefit of relying only on the in-branch atmosphere and investment made on it. Consumers are choosing to interact with banks by continually bypassing the physical stores — opting instead for convenience on mobile.

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The three forces that are changing the trust landscape:

1. Growth in mobile

Across the country we’ve seen mobile banking penetration go from 17% to 35% in just under 3 years. Highlighting 48% growth, a total of 6 million mobile banking users nationally, in 3 years. Phenomenal uptake.

2. Increased expectations

With that uptake, we’re seeing a rise in expectations. With confidence increasing with what we can do with our devices, our expectations for what we can do with our devices have also increased. We now expect to be able to do what we do in branch on our devices. We have set our benchmarks with some of the best technology companies in the world, and we expect that level across the board.

Negative App Store reviews for a few Australian banking apps

“Really, $8 Billion dollars profit and this is the best you got” — It’s all about perspective

Here’s a personal favourite of mine. Nothing sums up how people feel about banking and mobile better than this review.

You might ask who’s doing well in this space in Australia? Commonwealth Bank, ING Direct and Bendigo Bank have all made significant inroads with investing into their mobile extensions, and it shows. Their focus on what customers want, and realising the value mobile brings to the table on both sides is the reason they’ve been able to win on the small screen.

3. Increased frequency of interactions on mobile

Why do we care so much about a banking app?

The rise of mobile has shifted banking from a pure need driven utility, to a daily companion activity we engage with frequently. Banking is no longer a once a week or once a fortnight chore, it is now, it is instantaneous. And we expect our bank to follow us, regardless of the device we choose.

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These are the forces that are disrupting the trust atmosphere banks have spent so long building and refining.

Regardless of a mobile platform or a physical location, you can get away with mediocre experiences if they happen once a month. But when people come back daily, and are frustrated, you multiply their discontent. Hence the importance of atmosphere.

To build trust in a digital world, we must focus on a digital atmosphere that meets and exceeds expectations every time customers decide to interact.

As a design philosophy, we believe in hiring the right architects to ensure the right atmosphere — the right place to trigger the emotional responses that instills trust. From a digital perspective, user centred design is the methodology I believe achieves this. The purpose of finding out what motivates people to feel what they do when they interact online.

Mobile is now at the frontline of what customers experience with banks everyday. And yet, from my personal experiences and from the flood of poor reviews on banking apps, it seems the banks and financial institutions are forgetting one key thing:

Mobile is the most used and most profitable branch you’re ever going to open.

This is your branch of the future, and it should be designed with atmosphere and emotional triggers in mind.

Banks, you just spent $1m on your new branch to create the right atmosphere. How much was atmosphere considered on your latest mobile app?

Views and opinions are my own.