Orange presents the results of its European survey "Afterbanking or the new banking uses"

This study, which is an integral part of Orange’s Observatory of digital uses, seeks to gain a better understanding of the way European’s use their banking services. It is based on more than 7,000 interviews conducted by OpinionWay in France, Spain, England, Sweden and Romania.

For Paul de Leusse, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Orange and Chief Executive Officer of Orange Bank: “This study confirms the intuition that prevailed in the creation of Orange Bank. Money has become a consumer product like any other: customers want to regain control and are using digital tools to achieve this. We hope to contribute to the evolution of the banking sector, which has for too long been considered as a case apart from major consumer trends.”

The mobile and new consumer behaviors

People now associate the mobile with other means of payment: 57% of French people consider that in five years the most common payment method in shops will be mobile payment. This conviction is even stronger in Spain, where it reaches 83% of the population.

More broadly, mobile uses in France have become an integral part of many people’s daily lives. These uses have facilitated new consumer practices, a search for greater transparency and a focus on getting the best price. Customers of online and mobile banks are no exception, on the contrary: almost one in two seeks to know the composition of the products they buy and 41% use carpooling services; this is around 15 points more than the average French consumer.

We can see a more price-focused consumer trend emerging that also looks for more responsibility and collaboration. Customers of mobile banks are particularly sensitive to these arguments.

The relationship with the bank is evolving towards more autonomy

In France, these new consumer trends are accompanied by a greater autonomy in the way people manage their money: Internet and social networks are now one of the primary sources of information on banking services, on par with the traditional branch advisors (49%). In other European countries, the proportion has clearly swung in favor of the Internet and social networks: 70% of the British and 69% of Swedes make this their primary source of information ahead of their financial advisors.

The impact of this on a customer’s relationship with their financial advisor is considerable: 56% of the French believe that their adviser is useful, but 92% of them believe that the banks place their own interests above those of the customers. In consequence, 43% of them have never even met their advisor and 51% say they can do without one. Artificial intelligence is now emerging as a credible alternative: 50% of French people say they are ready to use AI to communicate with their bank.

Paul de Leusse says: “The relationship with the bank is changing; customers have become more uninhibited and autonomous due to a growing mistrust of banking institutions, while digital services, social networks and artificial intelligence now give the French a direct means to manage their money themselves.”

Towards a democratization of mobile banking

Who are the customers of online or mobile banks? Are they the precursors of a general digitization of the banking relationship, or will the neo-banks remain a niche?

Today, 21% of French people are already customers of an online or mobile bank. But the study shows in fact that they are at the forefront of a broader movement: a second wave, which also represents 21% of the population, has stated they would be comfortable opening an account in these banks. The profile of these future neo-bank customers is much more representative of the French population: while the first wave consisted mainly of men (63%), from more educated social-professional backgrounds (41%) and holding multiple bank accounts (80%), the second wave is more balanced between women and men, the level of higher-end social-professional backgrounds is only 27% and only 31% hold multiple bank accounts.

In addition, online or mobile banks are no longer seen simply as a second bank account: 61% of customers or future customers of these institutions are now ready to use their online banks as their primary account.

Paul de Leusse comments: “the democratization of mobile banking corresponds to what we observe at Orange Bank: customers that are representative the French population, many of whom tell us that by enabling them to open their account in an Orange store, we helped them take their first step towards digital banking.”