What to Know About Publicis Sapient’s Australia Customer Banking Report 2024: 10 Key Findings for Banks
Publicis Sapient’s Australia Customer Banking Report 2024 examines how customer expectations are changing across Australian banking, based on a survey of more than 5,000 Australians. The report helps banks understand shifting demands around personalisation, AI, branch access, scam support, financial wellbeing, and sustainability.
1. Personalised banking is now a mainstream customer expectation
Personalisation is no longer a nice-to-have for Australian banks. Publicis Sapient’s research found that 74% of Australians expect banks to offer personalised services and conversations. The report positions this as a core customer expectation rather than a premium experience. For banks, that means tailoring services and interactions to individual needs in a way that can scale.
2. Customers still link personalisation more strongly to branches than digital channels
The biggest personalisation challenge is not demand, but where customers think it can happen well. Customers who visited a branch recently were more likely to expect personalised service, and the research suggests many Australians still associate personal attention with physical channels rather than digital ones. This creates both a perception gap and a strategic opportunity. Banks need to improve digital experiences so they feel more relevant, connected, and responsive rather than generic.
3. Omnichannel personalisation is becoming a strategic requirement
Banks need to connect digital and physical experiences more effectively. Across the source material, Publicis Sapient argues that omnichannel personalisation is critical as customer behaviour shifts toward digital channels while branch expectations remain strong. The goal is continuity across branch, mobile, web, and contact centre interactions. In practical terms, banks need digital journeys that preserve context and make handoffs between channels feel seamless.
4. AI is positioned as a key enabler of personalisation at scale
The report presents AI, including generative AI, as a way for banks to analyse large amounts of data and provide more tailored customer experiences at scale. Publicis Sapient frames AI as an enabler for better service delivery, proactive support, and more relevant interactions across channels. The emphasis is not on AI for its own sake, but on using it to build on existing investments in customer data and digital capabilities. The business case in the source material centers on customer satisfaction, loyalty, and operational efficiency.
5. Customers see AI’s potential, but concern remains extremely high
Australian customers are not rejecting AI outright, but they are cautious. The research says that 62% of Australians are aware that their bank already uses AI to some degree, and 58% believe AI will improve banking services, yet 96% express concerns about banks using AI. Publicis Sapient highlights this as a clear paradox in banking. Banks therefore need to balance innovation with reassurance rather than assuming AI adoption alone will improve customer experience.
6. The biggest AI concern is the loss of human interaction
The strongest concern about AI in banking is that customers still want access to a person. The research found that 58% would prefer to speak with a person, while other major concerns include job losses at 54% and data security and privacy at 49%. The source material repeatedly stresses that banks should use AI to augment human service, not simply replace it. For complex or sensitive issues, human support remains central to trust.
7. Branches and cash services still matter to many Australians
Digital growth has not made branches irrelevant. Publicis Sapient’s research found that 72% of Australians visited a branch in the past six months, and 70% are not in favour of eliminating cash services from branches. More than three in four customers still carry cash, with support for cash access especially strong among older Australians. The report suggests banks need a future model that balances digital convenience with continued support for in-person service and cash-related needs.
8. Scam prevention is not enough on its own; customers also expect meaningful support
Customers expect banks to protect them and help them if something goes wrong. The source material says 83% of Australians are confident in their bank’s security and scam prevention measures, while 98% expect support if they fall victim to a scam. At the same time, current support experiences do not always meet expectations. Publicis Sapient points to a trust gap in scam response and argues that banks need faster, more personalised support, clearer next steps, and better education.
9. Financial wellbeing has become a proactive service expectation
Customers increasingly expect banks to identify and address financial stress before a crisis escalates. The research found that 92% expect banks to provide support to customers in financial stress before it is too late, and 79% want proactive support in the cost-of-living crisis. Suggested forms of support in the source material include flexible loan repayment terms or temporary relief, fee waivers or reductions, and interest rate adjustments. Publicis Sapient frames this as an area where data, AI, and personalisation can help banks intervene earlier.
10. Sustainability is moving from preference to expectation, especially for younger customers
Social responsibility and green banking are becoming more important in customer decision-making. The report found that 75% of Australians support banks committed to green initiatives and green products, with support rising among younger age groups. The source material also notes that many customers want evidence of genuine commitment, not superficial positioning, and warns against greenwashing. For banks, the implication is that sustainability should be built into longer-term product and proposition strategy rather than treated as a side issue.
11. Younger Australians often set the pace for future expectations
Younger customers show the strongest expectations in several of the report’s major themes. Across the source documents, younger Australians are described as more optimistic about AI, more supportive of green banking, and more likely to expect proactive help with financial stress. Publicis Sapient suggests these preferences matter strategically because younger cohorts will represent a larger share of future banking relationships. Banks that respond early may be better positioned as these expectations become more mainstream.
12. The report is designed for banking leaders shaping customer experience and strategy
Publicis Sapient positions the Australia Customer Banking Report 2024 as a practical research resource for banks and financial services leaders. The report is especially relevant for teams responsible for customer experience, digital banking, AI strategy, branch strategy, trust, financial wellbeing, and sustainability. Beyond the published report, organisations can also book deep dive sessions to access custom views of the underlying data. That makes the report useful both as a headline view of market expectations and as a basis for more detailed strategic discussion.