Why Service Is USAA’s Real Competitive Edge in Digital Banking

Kristina Tanner from USAA talks about why good service is still the real competitive edge in banking, even in a world full of sleek digital products. Tanner argues that most banks now offer broadly similar products and digital experiences, so there’s not a huge difference in the basics. Because of that, she believes service is where you truly stand out and if you can’t deliver great service, “you should probably pack up and go home.”

Tanner acknowledges that a strong reputation is critical for attracting new customers in the first place. For USAA, that reputation sets a very high bar as people walk in the door with high expectations. The challenge, she says, is to make sure the day-to-day banking experience lives up to that promise. Acquisition has to be quick, easy and seamless ass the “first impression” that shows that USAA understands both banking and technology. She compares it to a first date: if that initial experience goes badly, the relationship won’t go anywhere.

But for Tanner, the real work starts after that first interaction. Most customer touchpoints come later, and that’s where long-term loyalty is either built or lost and likens the ongoing service experience to a long-term relationship or marriage: if you keep showing up, fixing friction points and delivering on expectations, people will stay with you for the long haul.

To make that happen, Tanner explains that USAA builds member feedback into its daily operations as Tanner leads a team that listens to feedback in real time and responds quickly when they see problems or friction in the experience. Sometimes that means small tweaks; other times it leads to new features or bigger changes in how things are done. As she puts it, they are “maniacal about the member” and using a constant stream of feedback to keep refining the service so it consistently matches (or beats) the reputation that brought customers in to begin with.

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