For many people, a bank is a trusted partner in managing life’s most important milestones, from buying a home to saving for retirement. But as customers gain access to more choices and digital alternatives, their expectations for service, personalization, and value continue to rise.
Research shows that the average customer retention rate for the banking industry is 75%.1 That means one out of every four customers may eventually leave to do business with a different bank. Retail banks must focus not only on attracting new clients but also on nurturing the relationships they already have.
Building loyalty and improving customer retention are sensible business practices, and they’re essential banking growth strategies for long-term success.
Why loyalty and retention matter in retail banking
Let’s start by clarifying two terms that often get used interchangeably: customer loyalty and customer retention.
Customer loyalty in retail banking is about emotional connection. It’s when customers choose to stay with a bank because they trust it, feel valued, and believe it meets their needs better than the alternatives. Customer retention in retail banking is more about behavior. It’s the ability of a bank to keep customers over time, regardless of the reason.
While loyalty often leads to retention, they’re not the same. A customer might stick with a bank out of habit or because switching feels inconvenient, but not because they’re truly loyal. That’s why it’s important for banks to measure and nurture both.
There are several reasons why organizations should prioritize a positive customer experience in banking.
Higher data quality is a huge priority for leading financial institutions. 87% of business leaders report that high quality, trusted data is critically important, and 41% are investing more in data to drive sustainability and growth.2 The longer a customer stays, the more insights a bank can gather to personalize services and anticipate needs.
Long-term customers tend to have a higher lifetime value than shorter-term customers. Boosting customer retention by 5% has been shown to increase profits by 25% to 95%.3 When people stay with a bank for an extended period of time, they are more likely to use more products offered by that bank. This can include opening new checking accounts, credit cards, and loans as well as using investment services.
Cost effectiveness is also a crucially important area of focus for institutions. Acquiring new customers can cost up to five times more than retaining existing ones.4 Maintaining a loyal customer base can reduce marketing and onboarding expenses.
Cross-selling opportunities can arise when customers are consistently provided with excellent service. When trust is established, customers are more likely to explore additional services, such as opening new accounts or moving funds from other sources into existing accounts.
Brand promotion is an invaluable byproduct of a satisfied, loyal customer base. Customers who regularly benefit from a bank’s offerings and services often refer friends and family through word of mouth, which can help drive organic growth. As competition between fintechs grows, it’s crucial for institutions to offer digital banking options to appeal to as many consumers as possible.
What influences loyalty and retention?
Some of the most important factors that drive customer loyalty in retail banking are:
- Customer experience: 62% of banking customers reported that they want a naturally flowing experience between physical and digital spaces.5 Whether it’s an in-app or in-person interaction, the experience should be smooth, intuitive, and helpful.
- Trust and security: Customers need to feel confident that their money and personal information are safe.
- Personalized products: Offering the right mix of services tailored to different life stages keeps customers engaged. Customizing your offerings, experience, and support can help you stand out from competitor banks.
- Responsive support: 64% of customers stated that even when using a mobile banking app, their inquiries were not solved in a timely manner.5 Quick, empathetic help when something goes wrong can turn a bad situation into a loyalty-building moment.
Strategies to improvecustomer retention in retail banking
Beyond individual actions, banks should adopt broader strategies that embed loyalty into their culture.
- Consistent user experience: 77% of Americans prefer to use mobile app or online banking, as opposed to in-person banking.6 However, nearly a quarter of U.S. citizens still choose to transact in a branch instead of online.7 Whether a customer is in a branch or on a mobile app or website, the experience should feel seamless and connected.
- Financial wellness: 57% of consumers want their primary bank to help them better manage their finances.8 Help customers manage their money better with tools for budgeting, saving, and credit tracking.
- Investment in effective digital tools: Failure to provide excellent service quickly can put banks at risk of losing their customers to an institution who can deliver quality offerings at speed. Solutions like automated decisioning can enable smarter and quicker decisions for your business.
- Relevant, proactive communications: Transparency promotes trust and reduces frustration. Be sure to proactively send relevant communications to your customer base in a format they’re most comfortable with, using personalized and consistent messaging to relay timely, pertinent information.
Partnership with Experian can help keep your customers satisfied
Customer loyalty and retention are crucial components of a strong retail and lending strategy. Banks that use Experian’s insights and automation capabilities can build deeper relationships with existing customers, identify at-risk accounts earlier, and deliver more timely, relevant offers. When you provide speedy, personalized solutions, you can reduce customer attrition while driving portfolio growth, strengthening risk profiles, and building a reputation for responsiveness that sets you apart in your community.
Experian’s banking solutions provide deep consumer insights to determine which customers may be at risk of leaving, so you can take proactive measures to retain them. Our advanced data and analytics can unlock your ability to automate and personalize correspondences with customers, creating a more tailored experience and fostering higher engagement. These enhancements to your current workflows can improve the likelihood of keeping your customers for the long term while continuing to grow your business.
Customer loyalty and retention are the foundation of a successful retail banking strategy. When banks invest in meaningful relationships, they keep customers while creating advocates, increasing revenue, and building a long-lasting brand.
Visit our website to learn more about Experian’s banking solutions.
1 Shopify, Average Customer Retention Rates by Industry in 2025.
2 Experian’s annual data quality research report, 2023.
3 Experian, The Ultimate Guide to Customer Retention, 2025.
4 Outbound Engine, Customer Retention Marketing vs. Customer Acquisition Marketing, 2024.
5 Zendesk, 5 banking customer experience trends to consider for 2025.
6 American Bankers Association, 2024 Preferred Banking Methods.
7 World Retail Banking Report 2025.
8 MX Technologies Inc. What Influences Where Consumers Choose to Bank. 2023.
