For both traditional banks and fintech companies, harnessing the most relevant insights can lead to continuous improvement and impact in this highly competitive sector.
Customer journey mapping is critical in building consumer understanding across industries, including banking and financial services. Reach3's Leigh Admirand writes more about how modern journey analysis for financial institutions requires a fresh, conversational approach in her latest article for The Financial Brand.
We are interacting with our financial institutions via digital touchpoints more and more often — from mobile banking apps to chatbots and personalized communications. This makes it harder for banks and other financial services companies to connect with their customers. Leigh writes that: “Traditional research methods often rely on static, point-in-time surveys, which can lead to fragmented insights. Furthermore, such methods may not capture the emotional drivers and critical data points necessary.”
To meet the challenges of this digital-first environment, modern customer journey mapping must embrace real-time, conversational insights. In her article, Leigh advocates for mobile chat-based research methods that seamlessly fit into consumers’ daily lives, the method we use at Reach3. With billions of users worldwide relying on mobile messaging apps, this approach creates an authentic, frictionless experience, capturing in-the-moment feedback.
“Utilizing in-the-moment text messaging notifications can trigger research exercises, bringing in a mix of quantitative surveys, qualitative exercises, video selfies, and passive digital tracking for a comprehensive view of audience behavior,” Leigh said. “This rich data can help enable timely and effective solutions that drive tangible business results, engaging consumers at precisely the right moments in their – often complex and multi-faceted – journeys.”
Using conversational research that integrates qualitative, quantitative, video, and AI-driven techniques, financial institutions can gain deeper insights into customer behaviors, emotions, and contexts. “Video selfies, for instance, can capture emotional nuances that traditional surveys may miss,” Leigh explains, emphasizing the importance of understanding not just what customers do, but why they do it.
She also outlines the critical steps for financial institutions to modernize their journey mapping strategies:
- Identify key motivations: Uncover what drives consumers to seek financial services by combining diverse research methodologies.
- Pinpoint critical touchpoints: Leverage in-the-moment feedback to understand the highs and lows of the customer journey, enabling the design of targeted, effective solutions.
- Translate insights into action: Share findings across teams in actionable formats, ensuring strategies address consumer needs and drive meaningful results.
The ultimate goal of customer journey mapping is to create authentic, lasting relationships. As Leigh puts it, “The journey doesn’t end at purchase.” Continuous engagement through conversational research helps financial institutions foster trust and loyalty in an ever-changing marketplace.
To learn more about how to modernize your approach to customer journey mapping, read Leigh Admirand’s full article or watch a recording of our recent masterclass webinar.

Kelvin Claveria
Marketing, Reach3 Insights