Episode 5 Ankit Bhatt, EVP Consumer Chief Digital Officer at US Bank

Banking on Innovation

Our guest on Banking on Innovation this week is Ankit Bhatt, Executive Vice President, Consumer and Chief Digital Officer at US Bank.

Ankit built the US Bank mobile app from scratch in 2019, the same year he was named Digital Banker of the Year by American Banker. The app, which has delivered more than 2 billion personalized insights, has more than a million 5-star reviews in app stores. And in the third quarter of 2021, the industry benchmarking firm Keynova Group named it as the top mobile app.

The key to creating a best-in-class app? According to Ankit, the bank has followed a “Digital Plus Human” strategy, seeing the app as one strand in its mission to deliver unified advice to customers across digital and banker channels.

“We have a very defined approach - a philosophy if you may - which is that, in order for us to become central to our customers' lives, we need a great digital experience. But we fully recognize that if we don't combine that great digital experience with a great human experience - connecting customers to the colleagues that serve [them] at the bank - we will fall short.”

Ankit revealed how the “Digital Plus Human” approach has not only helped customers but created a sense of purpose amongst team members. It unites them around a common vision and keeps them focused on customer needs:

“It’s not just about creating that digital feature... That technology person who’s helping bring that to life, they’re not just thinking about, ‘How do I code this to bring this alive’. They’re thinking about the purpose behind it: How are we helping the customer? How is this going to improve their life?”

PLUS, on this episode you’ll learn:

>> Ankit’s 4 principles for excellence in mobile strategy

>> Why giving customers personalized insights is no longer enough for banks to differentiate

>> The key to implementing your digital vision in an agile, nimble way

>> Two features which Ankit believes add the most value to his mobile customers

>> Why US Bank’s in-branch staff have bought into the digital agenda

>> The biggest roadblock to driving continuous innovation - and how US Bank overcomes it

>> Three ways US Bank spots changes to customer needs early

>> The emerging trend Ankit believes will shape mobile banking in the near future

...and more.

Beyond the episode:

Find out more about Personetics’ personalized, customer-engagement platform for financial services: https://personetics.com/

Connect with podcast host Jody Bhagat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalbusinessgrower