Customer-Centricity in the Banking Sector: A Project Rather Than an Operational Model

Experts estimate that the majority of banks in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland still have a long way to go in terms of CX maturity

More than half of the banks surveyed in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland still organize the customer experience (CX) using a functional or project-based approach, but rarely by following the customer journey. This is the finding of the study “Target Operating Model in the Context of Customer-Centric Banking,” conducted by the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in collaboration with BSI Software, msg, and Ntsal Consulting.

Between March and June 2026, senior executives from 43 financial institutions in the DACH region were surveyed. The main finding: In recent years, many banks have certainly invested considerable resources in digital channels, CX initiatives, and technology platforms. However, few have succeeded in permanently embedding the customer perspective into their day-to-day banking operations. Based on the responses, the authors have, for the first time, defined five maturity levels regarding the progress of banks’ CX operating models. The “CX Target Operating Model” (CX-TOM) refers to banks’ customer focus and is modeled after the Target Operating Model (TOM).

Customer experience (CX) is still too rarely integrated into the operating model

The latter describes how an organization translates its strategy into operational activities. It addresses the dimensions, required competencies, and corporate culture; organizational structures and responsibilities; as well as performance management using appropriate metrics. In the German-speaking banking sector, there is therefore still significant room for improvement in terms of customer focus. In fact, more than half of the banks fall into the two lowest maturity levels: the function-oriented CX-TOM (18.6%) or the project-based CX-TOM (34.9%). For the first time, respondents cited changing customer needs (86%) as the primary driver of change, ahead of intensifying competition and regulatory requirements (65% each).

Gap Between Customer Feedback and Implementation

Although most banks collect and analyze customer feedback, few systematically measure whether the resulting actions are actually implemented. “It is not the existence of CX initiatives that distinguishes mature banks from less mature ones, but the determination with which customer feedback is actually translated into decisions,” explains Professor Nils Hafner, director of the study at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. BSI Software bridges this gap with its “BSI Customer Suite” CRM/CX platform, which integrates dynamic end-to-end processes.

Toward a Customer-Centric Bank

To be considered a customer-centric bank, banks must move away from siloed, function-based organizational structures. However, some banks need 12 to 24 months to implement these initiatives. The study found that the importance of “low-code” and “no-code” platforms—such as those offered by BSI Software—is still underestimated as a key driver for change. It is striking to note that it is particularly banks at the two highest maturity levels that are using “low-code” and “no-code” platforms to build software themselves with little or no programming knowledge. This not only ensures rapid implementation but also shifts design authority to business units, where customer needs first arise. In the DACH region, end-to-end responsibility for the customer experience (CX) within banks has not yet been formally established at the organizational level. Only one of the banks surveyed employs a Chief Customer Officer. Gaps also exist in data-driven personalization: many banks continue to segment their customer base primarily based on products and demographics. Life events, behavioral data, and intelligent contact management are currently leveraged by only a minority of them. With the BSI Customer Suite, financial institutions can integrate precisely these data points and use them for a personalized, AI-assisted customer approach in real time.

AI agents are transforming roles within banks

The use of AI—particularly generative AI and AI agents—is viewed by respondents as a key driver for the future CX-TOM. At the same time, there is a significant need for orchestration and governance. BSI Software already meets these requirements: thanks to Agentic AI, integrated into the BSI Customer Suite, employees are relieved of routine tasks and can focus on management, consulting, and building customer relationships. In the future, the banks surveyed wish to shift their management focus much more strongly toward new, impact-driven key performance indicators (KPIs), such as customer satisfaction, time to profitability, lead quality, and the Customer Effort Score. BSI Software supports this transition by enabling organizations, through the BSI Customer Suite, to measure and manage these KPIs throughout the customer journey. The full study is available for download here.