What are the key success factors for digital banks and how can you compete with traditional banks?

The success of Digital Banking projects can typically only be assessed a few months following the rollout of the platforms. Sometimes, financial institutions overly prioritize UI modern design, which is crucial, but the primary factor for CX lies in the consistency of language across all channels. This is not only vital for standard screens but also gains special importance when communicating error messages or other types of 'bad news,' such as indicating that a specific transaction is unavailable at the moment. It's crucial to recognize that we must cater to clients aged 65 and above. Implementing easy interfaces and using simple, concise text messages are imperative to ensure senior clients feel included and trust the service.

Even though banks are supposed to provide financial services, the "services" are missing. If digital banks can leverage technology to provide stellar customer support - nothing can stand in their way of becoming market leaders.

Beside of analytical data, the core services that customer need is "easiness", how "easy" the customer can use the application. especially for user

Digital Banks must prioritize innovation in their channel solutions as they typically lack physical branches. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies can differentiate the products they offer to clients. However, the primary reason for the innovative nature of digital banks is their relative youth and freedom from reliance on legacy systems. The main challenge posed by legacy systems extends beyond technological limitations and the shortage of specialized programmers. In my view, the crux lies in the monolithic architecture of these systems, which hinders adaptability to evolving business needs. Technology proves advantageous only when supported by an evolutionary architecture.

Legal constraints appear in many forms, including national and international regulations. In every sector, not just banking, disruptors often clash with traditional entities whose business models and strategies are intricately designed around existing regulations. Countries that do not swiftly adapt to the rise of innovative digital banks stand to lose significant tax revenue. The lack of a need for physical branches enables Digital Banks to establish their operations in countries with more accommodating regulations and more favourable tax environments. Central banks find balancing security, compliance, and the embrace of new technologies and innovations a complex task.

Successfully attracting and retaining customers is vital for digital banks in a competitive market. Differentiation from both traditional and other digital banks is key, requiring unique value propositions, competitive pricing, and superior customer service. Digital Banks must utilize digital marketing, social media, referrals, and partnerships effectively to engage with target audiences. Understanding target customer segments, actively monitoring feedback, and offering tailored incentives are crucial for retention. Leveraging these strategies allows digital banks to stand out by meeting customer needs and preferences, fostering loyalty, and encouraging positive word-of-mouth, essential for thriving in today's saturated banking landscape.

Digital Banks are characterized primarily by their dual roles: they operate as technology companies and excel as advanced client support specialists in the digital realm. The goal of any modern corporation is to automate all processes. If friction between clients/users and digital processes is detected, it will need human intervention, resulting in slower operations. This leads to decreased profitability, higher resource consumption, and diminished sustainability. Therefore, scalability and profitability are closely linked to the presence of modern, adaptable, and evolutionary by-design systems. These systems facilitate the digitalization of all possible processes, enabling clients/users to interact with minimal human support

Digital Banks face unique risks including market volatility, credit exposure, operational disruptions, strategic misalignments, reputational damage, and cybersecurity threats. A 99.999% uptime is critical, reflecting the necessity of robust security and sophisticated incident response strategies. Effective risk management is paramount, with ongoing risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and the adoption of advanced technologies such as analytics and AI for improved risk prediction and mitigation. These integrative practices go beyond compliance; they're strategic, boosting innovation and competitiveness in the digital economy. A resilient infrastructure and proactive risk management culture are imperative for digital banks to succeed.

Digital Banks may hinge on their ability to offer a range of non-banking services through mobile and online platforms. Embracing the 'super app' model, which is widely popular in Asia and provides a suite of services from insurance to travel bookings (and much more). Customers select a digital bank for its low banking services costs. As these costs are driven down by market pressures, digital banks will likely derive profits from ancillary services offered via partnerships. The customer base of a digital bank is pure gold for the vendors, who will be eager to partner with the bank to be able to sell their services and products through the mobile banking app. This synergy will create a new revenue stream for both banks and vendors.