Increasingly discerning bank customers more likely to switch - survey

LONDON (Reuters) - Consumers across the world are far more likely to switch banks than they were a year ago, with technological change having raised expectations of younger customers and provided more alternatives, a survey showed. Capgemini's World Retail Banking Report 2015 found that customers aged between 15 and 35 were more likely to move, possibly because of an increase in alternatives, an improved switching process and younger customers' higher expectations from digital services. "When you have new entrants and a competitive threat, it's a significant danger to banks," said Jean Lassignardie, chief sales and marketing officer for Capgemini’s financial services business. "There's an increasing intensity on banks to face this disruptive world and a new generation who are expecting new things at a faster pace." There was a significant jump from last year in customers who said they were likely to leave their primary bank in the next six months. In Asia, 15 percent of bank customers surveyed said they could switch; more than five times the number who were thinking of moving a year earlier. The report published on Wednesday said that 15 percent of customers in the Middle East, 11 percent in North America and 8 percent in western Europe were thinking of leaving, all up from 2014. There was also a drop in customers who would recommend their main bank or buy additional products from it. "These three (measures) are vital for banks to increase revenue ... the fight for maintaining or increasing the top line will be even tougher," Lassignardie said. New businesses are offering loans, payment services and other financial operations traditionally supplied only by banks, often via online or mobile platforms. The Capgemini report was based on a survey of 16,000 people in 32 countries and measured their experience compared with their expectations. Customers in Canada had the highest experience score, followed by those in the Czech Republic and Argentina. U.S. customers ranked fifth. Japan's banks scored lowest on customer experience, followed by those in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. (Reporting by Steve Slater; Editing by David Goodman)