Many products around us appear to be highly successful. However, sometimes this success is just an illusion. Iconic brands such as Kodak, Nokia, and Blockbuster serve as stark reminders that past success does not guarantee future relevance. These companies, once leaders in their industries, failed to adapt to the evolving digital landscape and customer expectations. In today’s digital age, where customer expectations are constantly growing, financial services are no exception.

Adapting to Survive: A Company at the Brink

Imagine a financial company experiencing a sudden decline in performance after years of growth. The company is in turmoil, with internal conflicts and a desperate search for scapegoats. Initially, they blame competitors and launch aggressive campaigns against them. When this fails, they turn inward, accusing employees of underperformance. Eventually, they resort to aggressive marketing tactics, bombarding customers with ads and hard-selling their products.

This chaotic environment demoralizes partners, employees, and customers alike. The company’s resources are drained, demand plummets, and profitability becomes a distant dream. Could the same fate befall financial institutions? Absolutely, unless they shift their focus from blaming external factors to introspecting and addressing the core issues with their products or services.

Financial institutions that thrive in the digital age are those that investigate the root of their problems internally. Instead of forcing the market to adapt to their products, they adapt their products to meet market demands.

Ensure the Best Digital Service in Finance

How can financial companies define and deliver the value their customers seek in digital services? Here are four powerful tactics that can be implemented immediately to transition from mere product patching to delivering outstanding value:

1. Harness the Power of Reverse Engineering

Digital transformation is crucial for survival, yet 70% of such transformations fail. The common mistake? Focusing on technology rather than customer experience. As Steve Jobs famously said, start with the customer experience and work backward to the technology. Successful digital transformation is essentially about transforming a poor digital experience into a delightful one. Focus on the value you provide to users rather than the features of the product.

Reverse engineering helps achieve this by starting with the end goal—customer satisfaction and high demand—and working backward to determine the necessary features and configurations. This approach minimizes risks and maximizes success by ensuring the product meets the highest value expectations of users.

2. Make User-Centricity Your Religion

Long-term success hinges on a company’s dedication to its customers. When every employee is motivated to make customers happy, even lackluster products can be transformed into valuable ones. Financial institutions must constantly seek customer feedback, pay attention to reviews and ratings, and be willing to adapt based on user dissatisfaction. This relentless focus on user experience is what differentiates successful financial products from failures.

3. Differentiate with Authenticity

In a sea of generic solutions, authenticity stands out. Create tailor-made financial products that solve specific problems and provide unique benefits to users. A company must have a clear vision and purpose behind its products, avoiding the trap of creating faceless, copycat solutions. Authentic, user-centered products create emotional connections with brand and drive customer loyalty.

4. Embrace Flexibility and Agility

Surviving digital disruption requires the flexibility to abandon outdated practices and adapt to current market trends. Financial institutions must be agile, constantly evolving to meet new user expectations and leveraging market opportunities. This might involve significant changes in decision-making processes, company culture, and business logic, but the payoff is a growing demand and enhanced user satisfaction.

5. Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning and Innovation

The financial industry is rapidly evolving, and staying ahead requires a commitment to continuous learning and innovation. Regular training sessions and professional development opportunities ensure that employees are up-to-date with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices.

Use data-driven insights to inform decision-making and identify areas for innovation. Invest in robust analytics tools and train employees to interpret and act on data. This can help in understanding customer behavior, market trends, and operational efficiencies. Ensure an environment where employees feel safe to experiment and take calculated risks. This can lead to innovative solutions and improvements. Establish innovation labs or dedicated teams tasked with exploring new ideas and technologies. 

Break down silos within the organization by encouraging collaboration between different departments. Cross-functional teams can bring diverse perspectives and expertise, leading to more comprehensive and innovative solutions. Implement recognition programs to reward employees who contribute innovative ideas or solutions. Celebrate successes and learn from failures to create a culture that values creativity and continuous improvement.

Conclusion: Disrupt or Be Disrupted

The financial sector, like any other industry, is susceptible to disruption. As seen with the rise and fall of giants like Nokia, legacy and corporate image alone are not enough to ensure survival. Financial companies must focus on transforming customer experiences through digital innovation.

The choice is clear: disrupt the traditional banking model with digital products that provide true value, or risk being disrupted by more agile and user-focused competitors. The future of financial services lies in prioritizing user experience, adapting to changing market demands, and continuously innovating to stay ahead.