Personalising Digital Banking

Background

A Statista survey of 59,000 banking customers across 28 countries revealed that trust is the number one factor influencing their relationship with a bank. But how can banks build that trust?

According to Believe In Banking (2021), five key strategies help achieve customer trust and satisfaction:

  • Increased personalisation

  • Customer-centric services

  • 24/7 support and consultation

  • Strong market presence

  • Transparent operations

Challenge

Suncorp wanted to move beyond generic digital services and deliver personalised banking experiences that made customers feel valued and understood. The goal was to reinvent the mobile app to address real-life financial pain points while building deeper trust with customers.

Research & Insights

We began with user research and competitor analysis to uncover key opportunities. Customers highlighted frustrations in everyday banking and expressed the need for more relevant, personalised touchpoints.

Key insights included:

  • Customers wanted digital experiences that felt human and tailored to their financial needs.

  • Competitors like CommBank and even non-banking platforms like Spotify offered inspiring personalisation examples.

  • Customers prioritised:

    • Making the app useful – providing features that address real financial needs.

    • Attractive appearance – a visually appealing interface that feels modern and professional.

    • Supports users in their language – ensuring the app communicates clearly and inclusively.

These findings shaped the design direction and guided our early concepts.

Approach

I applied the Double Diamond design process to drive this project:

  • Discover – Conducted research and gathered customer insights.

  • Define – Identified pain points and mapped opportunities for personalisation.

  • Develop – Created wireframes, prototypes, and validated solutions through iterative testing.

  • Deliver – Refined the designs, ensured accessibility compliance, and aligned with brand standards.

User Personas

Based on our research, we created user personas to better understand customer needs, goals, and pain points. These personas helped guide design decisions and ensured that every feature addressed real user challenges.

Impact

  • Brought customer voices directly into the design process, ensuring solutions addressed real needs.

  • Shifted the product strategy from transaction-focused to customer-focused.

  • Positioned Suncorp as a bank that not only provides services but builds trust and connection.

Outcome

The first releases included personalised nurture messages (such as birthday greetings) and tailored communications for home loan customers. Usability testing confirmed that these features improved engagement and laid the foundation for a scalable personalisation framework.

Key Takeaways

  • Always listen to customers — their needs reveal the real opportunities.

  • Don’t be afraid to challenge industry norms and innovate.

  • Adopt a customer-centric mindset over a product-centric one.

  • Upgrade digital strategies to meet customers where they are.

  • Delight customers with simple, intuitive, and engaging experiences.