Trust in banking is at a turning point.

As financial services continue to rapidly accelerate toward digital transformation, a new challenge has emerged: earning (and keeping) trust across a multigenerational customer base. While digital banking promises speed, convenience, and scale, it also introduces friction.

Younger consumers expect hyper-personalized, tech-powered experiences. However, older generations want clarity, security, and access to human support. The result? Different needs, rising expectations, and a widening trust gap.

At PG Forsta, we believe closing that gap requires more than technology. It demands a commitment to Human Experience (HX)—powered by deep listening, ethical AI, and meaningful action.

Financial institutions that elevate HX can transform customer relationships, foster loyalty, and navigate the digital future with confidence, as evidenced by our 2025 CX trust deficit report, developed in partnership with Watermelon.

A loyalty shift in motion

Banks continue to hold a trust advantage. In both the UK and the US, consumers still think of banks as the most reliable custodians of their personal data. In fact, our research shows 81% of UK consumers and 69% of US consumers trust banks to safeguard their information. But the landscape is shifting. A generational divide is creating new complexities in customer experience (CX).

Younger generations, digital natives aged 18 to 24, are at the forefront of change. Raised on digital-first interactions, they expect tailored, intelligent experiences.

• 57% of younger US consumers and more than 75% of their UK counterparts say they would switch providers for better personalization.
• But here’s the twist: only 59% of these same consumers trust their current financial services providers with personal data.

This paradox, demanding personalization while questioning data usage, highlights the clearly fragile nature of trust. Banks must prove not only that they can deliver value, but also that they can do so transparently and ethically.

Meanwhile, customers over 65 present a different challenge. This group is largely loyal and trusting, 81% of them express high levels of confidence in their banks. However, many feel excluded by the shift toward digital-first services. They prefer face-to-face conversations, clear language, and direct channels of communication. The sense of disconnection they feel can be subtle but deeply impactful. It threatens both customer satisfaction and retention.

This growing disconnect highlights a key insight: CX strategies can no longer take a one-size-fits-all approach. Financial institutions must learn to listen and respond in ways that align with each generation’s needs, values, and comfort levels.

Turning listening into loyalty

Trust in banking requires more than just gathering feedback. It demands being proactive and making strides toward addressing CX issues. Consumers today don’t want passive acknowledgment but rather real, demonstrable change. They want to feel understood and heard.

That means closing the loop on feedback, addressing concerns quickly, and most importantly, showing customers how their input shapes outcomes. This responsiveness builds a powerful foundation for trust.

Our research shows that this is especially true in the digital era. While consumers may embrace digital tools, they also seek reassurance that someone is listening behind the screen.

• In the US, more than 55% of consumers say they have recently sought out human support in banking.
• In the UK, that number stands at 40%, revealing a widespread desire for human contact, even in a tech-driven environment.

Press Ganey Forsta’s HX platform helps financial services brands meet this need head-on. By capturing feedback in real time and translating it into actionable insights, banks can resolve issues faster, personalize services more effectively, and demonstrate a tangible commitment to customer care.

The result? Greater satisfaction, stronger retention, and a brand that customers know they can trust.

Trustworthy AI starts with transparency

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming financial services. From automated customer support to AI-powered recommendations, the technology is becoming integral to everyday banking. But trust in banking and AI doesn’t come easy.

Consumers want to know when and how AI is used. They want clarity around the role it plays in decision-making. And above all, they want assurances that AI is being used ethically and responsibly.

• 80% of consumers in both the UK and the US say banks should clearly disclose when AI is involved in financial decisions.
• Nearly 40% say their trust would decrease, or they would stop doing business altogether, if AI were used without their knowledge.

This isn’t just a technology issue. It’s a human one. Customers aren’t rejecting AI outright. They’re asking for transparency and respect.

With the right approach, AI can become a trust-builder, not a trust-breaker.

Bridging the generational trust divide with HX

The road to trust in banking doesn’t start with technology. It starts with empathy.

Understanding what matters to customers, such as their fears, motivations, and preferences, is key to creating experiences that feel relevant and reassuring.

This is where HX becomes a strategic advantage for financial services brands. By moving beyond basic demographics and tapping into behavioral and contextual data, financial institutions can deliver journeys that feel intuitive, personal, and respectful, irrespective of the customer’s age.

With PG Forsta’s solutions, banks can:

• Listen at scale. Collect feedback across digital, voice, and in-person channels.
• Segment by behavior. Tailor journeys based on needs, habits, and emotional drivers.
• Act with precision. Use insights to inform product development, support, and communication strategies.

These capabilities are essential for bridging generational gaps. A 25-year-old and a 70-year-old may use the same mobile app, but they navigate it with different expectations and goals. A human-centered approach helps banks recognize these differences and meet each customer appropriately.

The role of ethical personalization

Personalization isn’t optional, it’s a baseline expectation. But it must be earned through ethical data practices.

Consumers are willing to share personal information if they believe it will be used to create better experiences. But they need to understand the value exchange. They want to fully understand what they are giving up and what they are getting in return.

Transparency is the linchpin. When banks clearly communicate how data is used—and deliver on the promise of better, safer, more relevant service—they can turn personalization into a trust multiplier.

Key principles of ethical personalization include:

• Consent and control. Give users the ability to opt in, opt out, and update preferences easily.
• Clear value propositions. Explain how data sharing benefits the user.
• Privacy-first design. Embed security and compliance into every interaction.

Redefining success: Going beyond metrics

In an industry defined by numbers, it’s easy to focus on KPIs and benchmarks, but trust in banking can’t be measured in isolation. It lives in how customers feel and how they perceive a brand’s intent.

This is where HX turns insights into impact. By layering quantitative data with qualitative feedback, financial institutions can move beyond satisfaction scores to understand the “why” behind behavior.

• Why did a customer abandon their application?
• Why do older users avoid a mobile feature?
• Why do younger consumers hesitate to recommend their provider?

These answers aren’t always in the data. They can be found in the stories, sentiments, and experiences that technology like ours helps bring to the surface.

We help our financial services partners reframe success around trust, relevance, and emotional resonance. Because when a customer trusts you, they’ll not only stay but advocate for you.

Start building the future of trust in banking

Generational divides are real, but they’re not insurmountable. With the right tools and mindset, financial institutions can deliver experiences that resonate across age groups, drive long-term loyalty, and strengthen their place in an evolving marketplace.

It all starts with listening, acting on insight and seeing every customer as a person first.

Explore the insights driving trust in banking and financial services brands in 2025.

Download the 2025 CX trust deficit report now.