Can Indian banks do a Flipkart in customer service?

L S Subramanian, CEO, NISE India

Indian Banks struggle to find a toehold in the digital space with reluctance by customers to accept Internet banking, mobile banking and tablet banking. Every bank tries to get the Indian customer on the digital highway but with mixed results; some have tried using social media with mixed results.

What keeps customers away from adopting and converting to digital banking? The answer for this problem faced by Indian bankers may lie with Flipkart that has conquered the digital space for e-commerce in India. The company has succeeded in every digital medium it has chosen. In fact, it has successfully changed perceptions on how to ride the digital highway in India.

So what makes Flipkart a success story?

The first and most important factor that has led to the company’s success is customer intimacy. At every step, Flipkart is engaged with its customers and keeps reminding them what they can buy and prompts them to share and rate their customer experience. They pamper their customers in their digital interaction. Flipkart delivers as promised, ahead of time. Its packing is easy to open and if you order for gift wrapping it is awesome. If there are any breakages they give you a replacement without a fuss. These are customer service levels unheard of in India. The company’s delivery personnel are courteous, they let you know at what date and time they will deliver and they do it as promised. Again no nail biting suspense for the date and time of delivery.

The customer experience shows in the growth of their social media presence, which is the best measure of success in digital experience. Indian banks have a lot to learn from Flipkart’s success story. They should focus on customer intimacy by leveraging digital tools and deliver prompt and courteous customer service. They should learn to cross-sell from Flipkart and also the art of reminding customers to buy something they searched for on the Internet.

Can Indian bankers change their stripes and become a customer-focused bank rather than an intimidating monolith. Maybe it is time for Indian banks to transform customer experience in digital banking by learning from Flipkart.

Are Indian banks listening? Are they ready for the leap of faith in the digital highway?

– The author , L S Subramanian, is CEO of NISE.  LS (as he is called) is also a respected thought leader known for his innovation in information technology for business. He is the architect of the OTC Exchange of India, India’s first online trading national stock exchange and has advised NCDEX, Power Exchange, CRISIL, Exchange Next  and other companies in trading solutions and processes.