Early adopters of technology always tend to be a bit more enthusiastic and interested in the products and services relating to that technology.
Just think about all of the folks who stayed up late waiting to order the iPhone 6 the day it came out – they’re going to be heavier users of the phones, both in terms of apps downloaded and data used on the cell networks.
So it’s not a total shock that folks who bank on their tablets are more engaged with their bank’s products and services. That’s according to research from ING Direct, first reported by Australia’s Money Management.
ING Direct said that tablet users were 180 per cent more likely to have more than one banking product and had saving balances nearly 80 per cent higher than those who banked via mobile phone. Those customers who used a native app on their tablet also logged in four times more than those logging in via a website.
ING Direct makes for a perfect bank to survey its customers on these topics, since they don’t have physical branches.
“We never try to second guess the customer, rather our philosophy is to move to where the customer wants to be. It’s important for us as a bank to provide the easiest access possible for the devices that our customers choose to use,” says ING Direct Executive Director of Customer Distribution Lisa Claes.
The difference between tablet users and mobile phone users, as far as I see it, is that mobile phone users tend to log on for quicker tasks — checking their account balances, depositing a check, sending some money — whereas tablet users are looking to be more active — researching their spending and savings trends, investing new options, and more.
As overall mobile banking grows (which includes both smartphones and tablets), we’ll probably start to see more differentiation between smartphone and tablet users and what their overall goals are.
