Blog: Why Connected Journeys Will Define the Next Era of Banking

Digital First — But Far from Digital Only

For years, banking was expected to become almost entirely digital. In reality, the picture is more complex. Even digital native consumers continue to seek reassurance and trusted human input when financial decisions feel significant. Data shows that 51% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers in the U.S. — and 42% in Italy — hesitate to decide without human guidance. In Retail, we learned long ago that behavior rarely maps cleanly to demographics. It is well designed, human supported journeys that build trust. In Banking, particularly younger, educated, and higher income customers actively use multiple banking channels to profit from both digital convenience and expert financial advice. When banks neglect these relationships, they risk eroding both trust and long term value.

Why Personal Connections Still Matter When Things Go Wrong

Across major European markets and the U.S., more than 70% of consumers turn to branches when friction arises — from transaction limits to high stakes decisions. Digital adoption is strong, but confidence falters when risk or uncertainty increases. This is especially visible in Germany and Italy, where many consumers lack full digital confidence. As Joe Myers observed in his 2026 outlook², faster digital adoption does not eliminate the need for trusted human guidance. The challenge for banks is clear: every channel must feel connected, consistent, and human.

Branches Must Become Homes to Higher Value Interactions

Despite lower routine traffic, branches remain essential: depending on the market, 16–31% of consumers rely heavily on branch services, and even in the UK fewer than 20% say they could do without them entirely. Business owners in particular value branches for reliability and reassurance. Yet branch staff are still tied up with low value, repetitive tasks. Retail showed that automation and journey orchestration can increase, not reduce, in store value. Banking faces the same opportunity. For example, facing friction from ATM limits will push up to 45% of UK and 33% of Italian consumers to a teller — even though many would proactively request limit increases via mobile. Anticipating friction is key to elevating both journeys and staff productivity.

Payment Choice Remains Non-Negotiable

Consumers rarely replace payment methods completely — they add to them. In Italy, among consumers under 40, 55% used mobile payments in store recently, yet over half of these users also paid with cash. Choice remains constant. Across markets, access to cash still strongly influences bank selection: 84% of UK and 89% of German consumers would avoid providers that neglect cash access options. Banks must therefore support diverse payment options while modernizing legacy infrastructure for flexibility and scale.

Why Scalable Platforms Are Now a Strategic Imperative

European banks increasingly see ATMs as convenience platforms, not just cash access points, with over 56% citing added services as key to maintaining networks³. In low cash markets like the UK, infrastructure gaps are reshaping behavior, with some banks, such as Nationwide, turning proximity into a competitive advantage⁴. The lesson mirrors retail: platforms must scale across channels, integrate new services, and enable innovation without disrupting the customer journey.

AI: Transformational, Powerful, and Human Dependent

While AI driven processes can be fast and efficient, consumers still want reassurance that human support is available when needed. Our research reflects this tension: around half of consumers in the U.S., UK, and Italy express concerns about AI risks, and even younger consumers remain cautious. The opportunity for banks is not to replace human engagement right away, but to apply AI where it adds the most immediate value — particularly in fraud detection, security alerts, and risk monitoring. As cyber threats grow, AI becomes essential to delivering one core value: the feeling of being protected.

Conclusion: The Future Belongs to Institutions That Master the Journey

The lesson is simple: consumers don’t think in channels. Consumer journeys are strongly driven by trust. Banks that blend scalable technology, human reassurance, and intelligent AI will earn this trust — and that ultimately shapes consumers´ choice.


Originally published in Global Banking and Finance Review.

Sources:
¹ Data derived from multi-country consumer surveys, YouGov commissioned by DN, 2025
² Financial institutions continued transformation in 2026 and beyond.
³ DN proprietary survey among ATM Channel responsible from European banks, n = 444
⁴ Cash usage rises for fourth year as Brits continue to value money in their pockets