Why People-First Matters

Digital transformations in banking often fail because they focus on technology, not people. Industry research shows that only about 35–30% of transformations meet their goals. In other words, roughly 70% of initiatives fall short. Many banks have invested hundreds of millions on new platforms, yet struggle to monetise these projects. The missing ingredient? True adoption by customers and staff. 

For example, Bain & Company notes that banks consistently underestimate the need to mobilise customers and employees. One European study found that only half of customers were even registered for online banking, and of those, only half used digital channels regularly. Without a deliberate change-management effort, even the best technology can sit unused. 

User Experience = ROI: Conversely, putting users first pays off. McKinsey reports that banks delivering emotionally engaging digital experiences reap significantly higher revenue: +15% cross-selling success and –20% churn. In practical terms, customers stay longer and spend more when the app or portal is intuitive and satisfying. Likewise, mobile-first customers tend to be more loyal; one survey showed high-digital users give their banks nearly 50% higher loyalty scores, translating to faster net interest income growth. Every smooth digital interaction is an opportunity to cross-sell loans, insurance or investments. 

On the employee side, the impact is similar. Deloitte highlights that 61% of leaders say poor digital tools are likely to drive staff away. In contrast, organisations that support employees with user-friendly, well-adopted technology see big gains: workers in companies with good digital tools are 230% more engaged and 85% more likely to stay longer. High adoption means faster onboarding, fewer errors, and lower support costs – all improving the bottom line. 

Four Pillars of People-First Transformation 

• Leadership and Culture: Executive buy-in and the right incentives are foundational. McKinsey and BCG data reveal that organisations investing in culture and change management achieve far better results. For instance, firms with strong change programs realise roughly 143% of expected ROI, versus just 35% without change management. Likewise, companies focusing on organisational alignment and a learning culture see 5.3× higher success rates in transformation. 
• Customer-Centric Design: Every platform and feature should be rooted in customer needs. Designing with empathy (not just efficiency) boosts satisfaction and usage. This means user research, prototyping and usability testing to ensure banking apps solve real customer pain points. As one UX expert notes, well-designed apps build trust: 82% of customers say their bank’s digital channels influence their loyalty. In practice, banks should simplify complex processes, personalise offers, and create seamless omnichannel journeys. The result is more engaged customers who use online banking for transactions, yielding cost savings by shifting volume off expensive branches. 
• Employee Enablement: Transformation isn’t just external – it must engage frontline staff too. Banks should treat employees as customers of internal systems, providing intuitive tools, training and support. Equipping staff with easy-to-use digital platforms accelerates service and innovation. For example, implementing a digital adoption framework with clear metrics like login and task completion rates helps pinpoint where employees need help. Regular surveys and feedback sessions can detect frustrations early. When employees feel confident with new tools, customer issues get resolved faster and banks gain productivity. 
• Agile Feedback and Metrics: Continuous improvement underpins sustained ROI. Instead of a one-off rollout, banks should iterate based on real usage data. Deloitte stresses using holistic KPIs, not just cost or productivity, to measure value. Their research shows firms with a balanced metric framework (including customer satisfaction, usage and speed-of-change) are 20% more likely to report high transformation value. In practice, this might mean tracking mobile app adoption rates alongside NPS and conversion metrics. Importantly, linking digital usage to business outcomes (like cost-to-serve or customer lifetime value) makes the ROI story clear to stakeholders.  

Done right, people-first transformation delivers clear gains. One global bank found that high digital engagement led to $100M in revenue uplift within two years, thanks to better cross-selling and retention. Similarly, in customer surveys, banks with top-tier digital UX had far higher Net Promoter Scores, directly correlating with organic growth. On the flip side, many banks’ digital journeys have stalled when adoption lagged. 

The lesson is consistent: technology is an enabler, but human adoption is the accelerator. 

Digital transformation in BFSI is a marathon, not a sprint. By embedding human-centered design, rigorous change management and continuous learning, banks turn tech investments into tangible ROI. Leaders who keep the customer and employee front-and-center will build the loyalty, efficiency and growth they seek. 

Metisoft partners with financial institutions to embed human-centered design in every step of the transformation journey. Learn how a people-first approach drives success. 

Sources: Recent industry research and reports (McKinsey, Deloitte, BCG, Bain, etc.) support these insights