Banks Have the Tools—But Customers Are Still Lost in Their Apps

Jessica Albright · 2026-10-02

### The Confusing Charge That Started It All Picture this: you open your banking app, scroll through recent transactions, and spot a payment to a merchant with a name like "XYZ*1234ABC." Your heart skips a beat. Is it fraud? A billing error? You spend the next 20 minutes playing detective, trying to figure out if you actually made that purchase. That moment of panic? It's completely avoidable. And it points to a bigger problem in mobile banking today. According to Lea Nonninger, Digital Banking Analyst at Javelin Strategy & Research, this kind of friction is just one example of how banks and credit unions are missing the mark. In her report, *How to Turn Mobile Banking Activity Into Meaningful Digital Engagement*, she explains that most institutions take a "kitchen sink" approach—throwing every feature imaginable into their apps without helping customers actually use them. ### Why More Features Don't Equal More Value Mobile banking has become the go-to hub for managing money. People check balances, transfer funds, pay bills—all from their phones. In response, banks have piled on features: budgeting tools, credit score tracking, bill pay, you name it. But here's the catch: just because a feature exists doesn't mean customers know about it. Or use it. Or find it helpful. "For banks, it's that challenge about moving past that transactional relationship," Nonninger says. "It's moving towards building financial health and having more insights into spending, finances, and also goals for the future." In other words, banks need to stop acting like feature vending machines and start acting like financial coaches. ### The Discoverability Problem Think about your own banking app. Quick—where's the option to set a travel notification? Or freeze your card? Or split a payment with a friend? If you hesitated, you're not alone. Many apps bury these tools in separate menus and tabs. Over time, features accumulate like junk in a drawer—technically there, but practically invisible. > "It's about creating pathways that are more logical for customers and highlighting features when they're relevant," Nonninger explains. Instead of making customers hunt for tools, banks should surface them at the right moment. For example: - If you're paying a bill, ask if you'd like to set up recurring payments. - If you're reviewing a transaction, suggest splitting it with Zelle. - If you're traveling soon, prompt a travel notification. This guided approach turns a DIY scavenger hunt into a smooth, intuitive experience. ### Turning Transactions Into Relationships When banks get this right, something shifts. Customers feel more confident. They engage more deeply. They start to see their bank as a partner, not just a utility. And that's the real goal: moving from transactional to relational. It's not about how many features you offer—it's about how well you connect them to real-life moments. So next time you see a cryptic charge, imagine if your app simply said, "This looks like your recurring subscription to ABC Services. Need help?" That's the kind of clarity that builds trust—and keeps customers coming back.