Banking has always been built on trust—but in today’s digital-first world, trust is tied closely to the quality of customer service. Long queues at branches or waiting endlessly on calls no longer meet customer expectations. Instead, people want instant, personalised, and seamless interactions across every channel they use.

This is where Voice AI Agents and Chat AI Agents are transforming the customer service landscape. Voice AI Agents can handle inbound and outbound calls at scale, offering human-like conversations that resolve issues faster. Meanwhile, Chat AI Agents are available 24/7 across channels like websites, apps, and WhatsApp, ensuring customers always get the right response without delays. Together, they give banks the power to combine speed with personalisation.

And personalisation is exactly what customers value most. According to Zendesk, 62% of customers agree that personalised recommendations are better than general ones—a clear signal that banks need to go beyond one-size-fits-all support.

Improving customer service in banks isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about creating meaningful, context-aware conversations that strengthen trust and loyalty.

Current Challenges in Banking Customer Service

Even with rapid digitisation, banks still struggle to deliver the level of service customers expect. Some of the biggest challenges include:

1. Long Wait Times

Whether it’s standing in line at a branch or waiting on hold for a call centre, customers often experience delays that leave them frustrated. In an era of instant services, long wait times can quickly push people towards more agile competitors like fintechs and neo-banks.

2. Complex Processes

Routine activities such as opening an account, completing KYC, or applying for loans can feel lengthy and complicated. When these processes aren’t streamlined or digitised, they erode trust and discourage customers from engaging further.

3. Lack of Personalisation

Many banks still rely on generic messages and one-size-fits-all support. This creates a disconnect, as customers increasingly expect tailored advice and contextual interactions. Without personalisation, banks risk being perceived as transactional rather than relationship-driven.

4. Limited Omnichannel Support

Today’s customers don’t stick to a single channel—they move between branch visits, mobile apps, WhatsApp, and calls. Yet many banks treat these touchpoints in isolation, which forces customers to repeat themselves and disrupts the service experience.

Why Improving Customer Service is a Priority

Improving customer service is no longer optional for banks—it’s a strategic necessity. Several forces are reshaping the way customers evaluate their banking experience:

1. Rising Competition from Fintechs and Neo-banks

Digital-first players are setting new benchmarks for speed and convenience. Customers now expect the same seamless experience from traditional banks—or they’ll move to a competitor that can deliver it.

2. Outdated Tools Like IVR

For years, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems have been the default for customer support. But IVRs are inherently static: they follow rigid menu paths, often leaving customers frustrated as they struggle to reach the right option or agent. Unlike IVR, Voice AI Agents adapt to natural conversations, provide instant responses, and escalate intelligently when human help is needed.

3. Customer Loyalty Tied to Service Quality

In banking, trust is built not only on financial stability but also on how well customers are treated. Fast, personalised, and empathetic service is now a deciding factor in whether customers stay loyal or switch banks.

4. Regulatory Push for Accessibility and Transparency

Regulators are increasingly demanding that banks make services simpler and more transparent, ensuring that every customer—regardless of age or tech-savviness—can access support easily.

5. Direct Impact on Revenue

Better customer experiences don’t just improve satisfaction; they also drive revenue. From cross-selling new services to increasing retention, great CX directly strengthens a bank’s bottom line.

Key Strategies to Improve Customer Service in Banks

Banks can no longer rely on traditional tools like static IVRs and manual processes. To meet evolving expectations, they must combine digital innovation with customer-centric strategies. Here’s how:

1. Embrace Digital & Self-Service Channels

Customers increasingly prefer solving issues themselves if the process is fast and simple. Mobile apps, FAQ portals, and knowledge bases help reduce branch visits. A WhatsApp chatbot campaign can also make self-service easy by enabling customers to check balances, update KYC, or track loan applications in a familiar channel they already use daily.

2. Adopt AI and Automation

AI Agents—both Chat AI Agents and Voice AI Agents—are transforming how banks handle customer interactions. Chat AI Agents resolve queries instantly on websites, apps, or WhatsApp, while Voice AI Agents provide natural, conversational assistance over calls. They can also manage outbound campaigns—reminding customers about EMI due dates, offering pre-approved loan options, or running targeted service calls—at a scale impossible for human agents alone.

3. Invest in Personalisation

Generic, one-size-fits-all communication doesn’t resonate with today’s customers. AI Agents use customer data to recommend personalised offers—such as suggesting a tailored credit card or a loan upgrade—making every interaction relevant and timely.

4. Strengthen Omnichannel Experience

Customers want to move smoothly between channels without repeating themselves. A unified omnichannel approach ensures that whether someone starts a conversation on WhatsApp, continues it over a call, or escalates to a branch, their history is intact. Voice and Chat AI Agents, when integrated with CRM systems, make this seamless.

5. Enhance Agent Productivity

While AI Agents handle repetitive queries, human agents can focus on high-value conversations. With agent-assist tools, real-time insights, and automated quality audits, banks can improve resolution speed, reduce burnout, and ensure consistent service quality.

6. Focus on Security & Compliance

Trust is everything in banking. Communicating clearly about data security, fraud protection, and regulatory compliance (like PCI DSS and GDPR) reassures customers and enhances confidence in digital interactions.

Implementing Self-Service Banking

Self-service is no longer a “nice-to-have” in banking—it’s an expectation. Customers want the freedom to perform routine tasks quickly, without waiting in queues or navigating static IVRs. By implementing modern self-service solutions, banks can improve efficiency while giving customers greater control over their experience.

Mobile and Web Portals

Easy-to-navigate apps and web portals allow customers to manage accounts, transfer funds, and apply for services at their convenience.

WhatsApp and Messaging Chatbots

With billions of people already using WhatsApp daily, chatbot campaigns can simplify tasks like balance checks, KYC updates, and EMI reminders while providing proactive alerts.

AI-Powered Chat and Voice Agents

Unlike static IVR systems, Chat AI Agents and Voice AI Agents engage in natural, human-like conversations. They handle common queries, guide customers through processes, and escalate to human support when necessary.

Smart ATMs and Kiosks

Beyond digital, smart kiosks offer self-service features like card issuance, cheque deposits, and biometric verification—reducing frontline load.

Personalised Journeys with AI

Self-service becomes more powerful when personalised. For example, a Voice AI Agent can remind customers about upcoming bill payments or offer tailored loan recommendations, turning routine tasks into contextual interactions.

Measuring Success in Customer Service

Improving customer service in banks is only meaningful when outcomes are measured consistently. Tracking the right metrics helps identify gaps, evaluate new initiatives, and ensure that both human agents and AI systems deliver value.

Key KPIs to Track

• First Response Time (FRT): How quickly a bank acknowledges a customer query—critical for building trust.

• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT): Direct feedback on how well support interactions meet expectations.

• Net Promoter Score (NPS): Indicates how likely customers are to recommend the bank based on their experience.

• Resolution Rate: Measures how effectively issues are resolved on first contact, reducing repeat queries.

Feedback Loops for Continuous Improvement

Collecting metrics is only half the journey. Banks must actively close the loop by analysing data, identifying recurring issues, and improving processes. AI-driven analytics can highlight trends—like common complaints or bottlenecks—so teams can act before problems escalate.

Future of Customer Service in Banking

Banking customer service is entering an era where human agents and AI will work hand in hand. As customer expectations evolve, the future will be defined by agility, intelligence, and security.

AI Agents + Human Collaboration

Rather than replacing people, Voice AI Agents and Chat AI Agents will handle repetitive queries at scale while seamlessly escalating complex cases to human agents. This hybrid model ensures speed without losing empathy.

Hyper-Personalisation with Predictive Analytics

Data-driven insights will allow banks to anticipate customer needs before they arise. Imagine a chatbot reminding you of an upcoming EMI or a Voice AI Agent suggesting a savings plan based on spending habits—personalisation that feels proactive, not reactive.

Advanced Security Measures

Trust is the cornerstone of banking. Future service models will integrate voice biometrics, fraud detection powered by AI, and advanced encryption—making digital conversations both secure and frictionless.

The future of customer service in banking isn’t just faster support—it’s smarter, safer, and more personal.

Redefining Banking Service with AI

Customer service in banking is no longer just about resolving queries—it’s about delivering experiences that inspire trust, build loyalty, and drive long-term growth. With rising competition from fintechs and evolving customer expectations, traditional methods like static IVRs and manual processes are no longer enough.

By embracing Voice AI Agents, Chat AI Agents, WhatsApp chatbot campaigns, and automation-led outbound call campaigns, banks can transform customer interactions into meaningful, personalised conversations. The right balance of self-service and human touch ensures that customers feel supported every step of the way.

This is where Verloop.io plays a crucial role. As a leading Conversational AI platform, Verloop.io empowers banks to automate routine support, scale outbound engagement, and enable hyper-personalised journeys—across both chat and voice. From reducing wait times to increasing CSAT scores, Verloop.io helps banks deliver faster, smarter, and more empathetic service.

✅ The future belongs to banks that move beyond transactional support and embrace AI-powered, omnichannel customer experiences. The question isn’t whether to adopt it, but how quickly.

👉 Ready to see how Verloop.io can reimagine your customer service?

Schedule a demo today.