Britons prefer DIY banking

Britons would deliberately choose a computer or a mobile phone to manage their finances before phoning a call centre, new research reveals.

One in five of us would prefer to log-on than dial a call centre and speak to a person, findings from the Future Foundation think-tank and mobile banking firm Monitise show. This preference has grown rapidly - up from 1 in 20 in 2002 -  as technology has improved and broadband become more widespread.

Unsurprisingly, it is the younger generation leading the way – with more than a quarter of 18 to 25 year-olds opting for technology ahead of the human touch. However, pensioners are getting in on the do-it-yourself act, with one in ten logging on or using their mobile phone to manage to their money instead of a call centre.

Fulfilling gender stereotypes, more men than women said that a major benefit of using technology to do their own banking was the lack of other people (22% compared to 13%).

“People want to manage their money on their terms, and with most tasks easily done via mobile and internet banking, they have 24/7 control at their fingertips,” said the Future Foundation’s Barry Clark, the author of the Money on the Move report.

“The speed and convenience of this ‘DIY banking’ also means that we don’t have to go through the whole call centre rigmarole, which can be a frustrating and painful process at times. Doing it yourself is also a cheaper option as well as a more convenient one too.”

The Future Foundation asked 1,000 adults in the UK for their views on the role of technology in customer service. The report will be launched on December 2 in central London.

Alastair Lukies, chief executive of Monitise, which is pioneering mobile banking in the UK and the USA and worked with the Future Foundation on the report, explained:

“These days everyone wants to do their banking on their own terms, particularly something as simple as checking a balance or seeing if cheque has cleared or payment been taken.

“The widespread use of the internet and increasingly sophisticated mobile phones means people can control their own finances without hassle. They prefer text to talk.

“People still need to speak to a human being for the more complicated matters, like agreeing a mortgage but technology is now driving better banking services”

The first two instalments of the Future Foundation Money on the Move report are available to view at: http://www.monitisegroup.com/mobile_money_experts

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