Banking customer service

More automation does not mean a better experience

I recently made a rather interesting observation: some customers highly value being able to deal directly with a real person, with fast and clear responses. Meanwhile, at many other banks, the experience relies mostly on automated systems – pressing through menus again and again, starting over from the beginning after one wrong choice, or a chatbot that goes around in circles without solving the core problem.

I am not speaking against automation. Using chatbots, voicebots or IVR is inevitable when the customer base is large and support is needed 24/7. Many banks are pushing a hybrid model (AI handles the repetitive work, people handle the complex cases). Still, in practice, the gap between “having the technology” and “using it the right way” remains quite large.

According to Decision Lab’s 2026 Bank Satisfaction Ranking, Vietcombank leads with 86.8 points. The bank was also recently recognized at the Asian Experience Awards for improving its call flow, reducing the time customers spend going around in circles before reaching an advisor, and expanding its support channels while still keeping a clear way out to a REAL person when needed. This partly reflects one direction: not removing the human element entirely at the important TOUCHPOINTS.

On the other hand, from the customer feedback I have noticed in the press recently, many people feel frustrated with automated systems when they run into a situation that is not in the predefined script. These systems optimize the share of cases handled by the bot and reduce the average time per call, but they RARELY MEASURE how much EFFORT CUSTOMERS have to put in (Customer Effort) and whether the problem is resolved correctly the first time.

What is worth noting is that in finance, Vietnamese customers – especially in transactions involving money or incidents – still highly value “being listened to and feeling supported on the right problem”. When an automated system “prescribes the wrong medicine” (for example, resolving slowly or off the point), the loss of trust can come faster than the cost saved.

Automation will keep developing. The real question is not “AI or people”, but how to make customers feel that their problem is UNDERSTOOD and HANDLED PROPERLY – whether by a machine or by a person. Banks (and other service businesses too) that design a smart way out to a HUMAN being, passing on the full context and prioritizing the right situations, may build a more LONG-TERM advantage than simply chasing automation rates.

What do you think about customer service today, everyone? Does “meeting the right person when you need to” still matter to you?