Raising the Bar on Customer Satisfaction in 2026

Customer satisfaction has always played a pivotal role in the success of a financial services provider. Trust, convenience, and personal touch can impact a customer's feelings — and whether or not they choose to build a long-term relationship with that financial provider. 

The good news is that small improvements in experience can translate into meaningful gains in loyalty, share of wallet, and reputation, while missteps can quickly erode confidence. The most successful financial institutions understand this inherently and capitalize on incremental innovation to stay on top. In fact, the latest J.D. Power U.S. National Banking Satisfaction Study shows that satisfaction with large U.S. banks improved for the third year in a row. 

However, looking past the headlines of top performers and rankings, the real insights lie in how these banks achieve rising satisfaction among their customers. Below are a few key takeaways and insights from MX research that help explain why customer satisfaction is strong and where expectations continue to rise.

1. Reputation, Security and Quality Are Key Drivers of Trust

In our most recent consumer survey, MX found 78% of consumers say they trust their primary financial provider. Digging deeper, our research found the three most important metrics when it comes to evaluating the trustworthiness of a financial provider are: overall reputation (22%), data privacy and security (20%), and quality of products and services (15%). 

Establishing trust is essential to driving satisfaction in your customers. By focusing on reputation, security, and quality products, financial providers can lay the foundation to capitalize on these key drivers to build not just trust but long-term satisfaction. 

2. Digital Experiences Matter, but They Must Feel Effortless

MX research found that more than half (54%) of consumers agree they cannot live without their favorite mobile banking app. And, 67% of consumers agree they would not choose a financial provider that had a bad mobile experience.    

Mobile banking is the primary way that customers interact with their financial providers. And, it’s where financial institutions and fintechs can build engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction. 

Mobile apps and online banking tools that are intuitive, fast, and reliable save customers time and reduce friction in everyday tasks. The most successful experiences are not defined by flashy features, but by consistency and simplicity. When digital tools simply and reliably work, satisfaction follows.

3. Convenience Still Shapes the Experience

While digital tools dominate routine interactions, personal interactions have not lost their relevance. Even as the world moves towards digital first ideals, physical touchpoints remain important, especially when issues arise. In fact, MX research shows 54% of consumers agree there are certain finance tasks they don’t want to do on a mobile device. 

"We see that these large banks drove really strong satisfaction, not only with online banking and mobile, but also with branch service and ATMs," said Paul McAdam, senior director of banking and payments intelligence at J.D. Power.

Customers respond positively when they can choose how and when they interact with their bank. Satisfaction increases when digital convenience is paired with dependable in-person or live support, rather than treated as a replacement for it.

4. One Size Does Not Fit Every Customer

The J.D. Power survey highlights a growing divide between younger and older customers. Younger customers benefit the most from digital-first improvements, while older customers report less satisfaction with problem resolution and personalized advice. This gap underscores an important lesson: Strong experiences are built by meeting customers where they are. 

To do this, financial providers need to effectively leverage consumer-permissioned data. MX research shows 59% of U.S. adults expect their financial provider to leverage the data their provider has on them to personalize their experience. 

Banks that utilize data as an effective resource to deliver tailored experiences with personalized insights and robust products are better positioned to raise satisfaction for customers across all life stages.

What This Means for the Industry

Customer satisfaction heading into 2026 will be shaped by a set of interconnected expectations rather than any single breakthrough. 

Consumers want to trust their financial provider, move through digital experiences without friction, access help when and how they need it, and feel understood as individuals rather than averages. The banks seeing success today are the ones making consistent progress across all of these areas, not just excelling in one.

As expectations continue to rise, customer satisfaction will come down to execution. Financial institutions that invest in secure, intuitive digital tools, preserve meaningful human touchpoints, and leverage consumer-permissioned data will earn long-term loyalty.