Customer Experience

Online fraud has increased at unprecedented levels over the past two and half years, with numerous reports coming from all corners of the world to confirm that. From benefits and unemployment fraud to authorised push payment fraud, and more advanced scams such as synthetic identity fraud and deepfake fraud, cybercrime has been on the rise. Understandably, the increase in criminal activity has had a significant impact on financial services businesses, and it is little wonder that this has been reflected in our recent study: • 48% of businesses reported that fraud is a high concern, and 90% reported fraud as a mid-to-high concern • 70% of businesses said their concern about fraud has increased since last year • 80% of businesses said that fraud is often or always discussed within their organisations High levels of fraud have also raised consumer concern, and their expectations of the protection businesses should offer them. Nearly three-quarters of consumers said that they expect businesses to take the necessary security steps to protect them online. However, only 23% of respondents were very confident that companies were taking steps to secure them online. Businesses need to take additional steps to meet consumer demand, while also protecting their reputation and revenue streams. Businesses are investing in fraud prevention, so why isn’t it working? As a result of the rise in fraud during the pandemic, there has been an increase in spending related to fraud prevention tools and technology, with 89% of businesses surveyed in our latest research indicating that investment in fraud detection software is important to them. However, there is a risk that institutions could take a siloed approach, and funds could be spent on point solutions that solve one or two problems without adding the needed flexibility to fight multiple attack patterns. This gives fraudsters the opportunity to exploit these gaps. Orchestration and automation drive fraudsters away Criminals constantly evolve. They are not new to technology and have multiple attack patterns that they can rely on. They also share information between themselves at a higher rate and pace when compared with financial institutions, banks, and merchants. Fraudsters can learn how to bypass one or two features in an organisation’s fraud prevention strategy if they recognise weak spots or a vulnerability that they can take advantage of. However, when multiple fraud prevention tools and capabilities work harmoniously against them, the chances are higher that they will eventually be blocked or forced to move to a weaker place where they can exploit another system. Synchronizing multiple solutions together is the key to excellent fraud orchestration Fraud orchestration platforms give businesses the chance to layer multiple solutions together. However, taking a layered approach is not only about piling multiple point solutions but also about synchronizing them to achieve the best output possible. Every solution looks at different signals and has its own way of scoring the events, which is why they need to be governed into a workflow to achieve the desired results. This means that institutions can control and optimize the order in which various solutions or capabilities are called, as the output of one solution could result in a different check for a subsequent one or even the need to trigger another solution altogether. It also gives companies the ability to preserve their user journeys while answering different risks presented to them. Some businesses are seeking to build trust with customers but want to stay invisible to remove friction from their digital customer experience. This is where capabilities such as device intelligence, behavioural biometrics, or fraud data sharing could be added as an additional layer in the fraud prevention strategy. Those additional solutions may only be called 30 per cent of the time when there is a real need for an additional check. Excellent orchestration means that organisations can rely on multiple solutions while only calling the services they need, exactly when they need them. Building trust through a secure but convenient customer experience. Machine Learning should be the final layer to rule them all The results from our research revealed the top initiatives that businesses are leveraging to improve the digital customer journey with the top two being: • Improving customer decisioning with AI • New AI models to improve decisioning While our April 2022 Global Insight Report showed that consumers are becoming more comfortable with AI, with 59% saying they trust organisations that use AI. Fraud orchestration platforms allow companies to deploy unified decisioning by leveraging machine learning (ML) on top of multiple fraud prevention tools. This means they can rely on one cohesive output instead of looking at separate, sometimes contradictory results across various platforms and making subjective decisions. ML can also offer explainability by pointing out the attributes that contributed the most to a particular suggestion or decision. These could be attributes coming from a few different tools instead of one. This also means that operational teams, like fraud investigators, have a single view of activity, resulting in operational efficiency - removing the need to log in to different tools and look at multiple screens, views, and scores, while also enabling faster decisions. Stay in the know with our latest research and insights:

The survey underpinning these insights encompasses 1,849 business respondents and 6,062 consumers from 20 countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, UK, and US. We’ve also included interviews with consumers from Brazil, Germany, the UK, and US.

Building digital consumer trust amidst rising fraud activity and concerns Our latest report dives into the growing expectation that businesses recognise and protect consumers online, and the challenges businesses must overcome to succeed in building digital consumer trust. In recent years, our annual report has called on businesses to meet consumer expectations for online recognition and security while also improving their digital customer experience. Our latest research reveals that companies have received the message and are investing in multiple digital initiatives. But the fraud risk persists. 70% of businesses say that their concern about fraud has increased since last year. So where is the disconnect? A look inside this year's report: Digital financial transactions have become the norm in recent years leading to the emergence of a movement of savvy consumers with a heightened awareness of fraud and the role recognition and security tools play in protecting them online. We found that more than half of consumers surveyed globally have been a victim of fraud or know someone who has. Despite these concerns, most consumers say their online activity will increase in the next 3 months. What are consumers looking for from businesses? Consumers globally value security in their online experience above other factors. The research reveals how consumers are actively seeking out businesses that they perceive to be secure, and what this looks like to them. Read the report to find out: • How online security yields engagement and trust with today’s digital consumers • The role of businesses in protecting online consumers and the benefits of doing so • The current opportunity for businesses to implement multiple identity and fraud solutions • The role that orchestration and outsourcing play in helping companies prevent fraud We discovered there is still a significant gap between consumer sentiment and business intentions related to identity recognition. Only 30% of consumers are confident that businesses will recognize them repeatedly online, even though 84% of businesses say recognising customers is very or extremely important. What leads to success? Financial service organisations need to find ways to create more online security while improving the digital customer journey. Experian’s identity and fraud experts also offer 5 tips for strengthening digital capabilities to benefit the customer experience and reduce fraud risk. The survey underpinning these insights encompasses 1,849 business respondents and 6,062 consumers from 20 countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, UK, and US. We’ve also included interviews with consumers from Brazil, Germany, the UK, and US.

We surveyed 6,000 consumers and 2,000 businesses from 20 countries worldwide as part of our ongoing efforts to learn more about how, why, and where consumers interact with businesses online.

We surveyed 6,000 consumers and 2,000 businesses from 20 countries worldwide as part of our ongoing efforts to learn more about how, why, and where consumers interact with businesses online. The new norm in payments As consumers accelerated their move online to access products and services to manage their financial lives digitally, their expectations for security, privacy, and convenience have all increased. Mobile wallets now rival traditional credit card payments In the last six months: 62% say they’ve used mobile wallets 63% say they’ve used traditional credit cards A need for speed Consumers place a high value on fast transactions. When it comes to payment methods, they value: Speed Security BNPL is here to stay 18% have used BNPL in the past six months 57% say BNPL could replace their credit card 71% perceive BNPL as secure The reasons for BNPL Avoid credit card debt: 80% of US consumers 70% of UK consumers Preferred payment method: 80% of Indonesian consumers 60% of Norwegian consumers For purchases outside of budget: 60% of German consumers Where is BNPL most in use? Norway Netherlands Germany China Indonesia Australia The rise and reach of new payment methods provides businesses with an opportunity to prioritise financial inclusion. These new payment methods give consumers who’ve lacked access to traditional banking, lending, and credit cards additional financial options. Read the full report to discover: The new digital consumer Increased online activity, increased concern The trust-security connection A relationship of equals Digital consumers, digital opportunity The five things businesses should do

Experian’s latest research shows that the crisis of the past few years has yielded a new, savvier digital consumer. With the rapid move to online services amidst the pandemic, consumers worldwide adapted—and quickly. Fifty-three per cent of consumers say they have increased their online spending and transactions within the past three months, and 50% plan to increase it even more over the next few months. As online activity has surged, so too have consumer expectations for friction-free, secure transactions. More than 80% of consumers say a positive online experience makes them think more highly of the brand. And if businesses don't meet those expectations? Well, switching providers is only becoming easier . For financial service providers, the evolution of consumer behaviour presents both an opportunity and a challenge. It's never been more critical to ensure that digital experiences are convenient and frictionless. However, soon that will be the expectation and not the draw for new customers. Instead, finding unique ways to compete will be what separates the good from the great. Convenience versus risk In our latest survey, consumers ranked security, convenience, and ease of recognition as the top contributors to a positive online experience. All of these are vital components to providing a frictionless transaction. However, seamlessly logging in to a financial app, applying for credit, or managing a balance isn't yet the standard for every provider. Many traditional banks continue to play catch-up with digital upstarts, but consumers are becoming less tolerant of barriers to accessing services and products, with 23% saying that businesses aren’t meeting their expectations for digital experiences. This provides businesses with the opportunity to attract and retain new customers, especially those tired of manual account onboarding processes. For instance, leveraging emerging recognition tools adds to the convenience factor, limiting the time customers spend inputting data and streamlining the entire experience. But even as they continue to prioritise frictionless processes, businesses should be wary of sacrificing security or increasing their own risk. In our survey, 73% of consumers said that the onus is on businesses to protect them online. While they don't want security efforts that slow down their transactions, they expect the level of security to remain high nonetheless. On the business side, we've also seen providers creating friction-free options for lending—for example, in the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) space—that enable consumers to access credit nearly immediately. But even with the convenience, there is still a need to manage affordability and ensure that these customers aren't introducing additional risk to credit models. Differentiate to retain customers: The growing role of rewards With all the innovation underway, a friction-free experience will become the standard. And it may already be so among digital-first businesses. This begs the question: If a secure, convenient experience is the norm for consumers, then how can businesses differentiate themselves? The next competitive differentiator will be how businesses reward customers for their loyalty. It's no longer enough to provide new customers with low-interest or no-interest credit on small purchases. Forward-looking financial services providers are getting far more creative with their rewards. For instance, businesses offering BNPL are enabling their customers to accumulate loyalty points for using the service with multiple retailers. Customers can then put those points to use as discounts on merchandise from the places they already love to shop. Data sharing and analytics play a significant role in this approach, allowing businesses to understand their customers' behaviours and personalise offers and rewards. Notably, our survey reveals that 83% of consumers say their awareness of how companies use their personal data for security, convenience, and personalisation has increased. Today's consumers are as digital as ever, and there's no going back. While friction-free may have been the differentiator before, it's rapidly becoming the standard. Going forward, financial services providers will need to find a new way to compete for savvy consumers who expect—and demand—secure, frictionless online experiences. Stay in the know with our latest research and insights:

We surveyed 6,000 consumers and 2,000 businesses from 20 countries worldwide as part of our ongoing efforts to learn more about how, why, and where consumers interact with businesses online.

The evolving expectations and experience of the new digital consumer The expectations of consumers are changing rapidly. People of all ages and incomes are online, seeking the right products and services to manage their financial lives digitally in a secure, speedy, and frictionless environment. A look inside: Our latest research reveals the rise of a new digitally savvy consumer—one who is increasingly aware of new payment methods, advanced recognition tools, and the use of AI, and has higher expectations of their digital experience. Read the report to find out what businesses can do to harness the digital opportunity: 1. Leveraging the AI advantage 2. Incorporating embedded finance 3. Introducing new, more secure technologies 4. Educating consumers about how you use their data 5. Exploring solutions that aggregate emerging technologies Online spending is continuing its upward trend, with 53% of consumers surveyed saying they have increased online spending and transactions in the past three months, and 50% predicting that their spending will increase in the next three months. Enabling this shift is the extent to which businesses can provide a quality digital experience. 81% of consumers said that a positive online experience, which includes interactions with multiple digital touchpoints makes them think more highly of a brand. Consumers simply do not tolerate poor-quality online experiences and will take their loyalty to businesses that can meet their expectations. Speed and security are a driving force for consumers in the payments space, which is reflected in rapid rise in mobile wallet payments. Rivalling traditional payment methods, 62% of consumers say they’ve used a mobile wallet in the last six months. Consumers are embracing these new habits across the board, with 18% saying they have used BNPL in the past six months, and 71% seeing it as secure. With the rise and increasing awareness of new payment methods like BNPL, consumers who have lacked access to traditional banking, lending and credit cards now have additional financial options, giving businesses the opportunity to prioritise financial inclusion. The rise of new and increased online activity has resulted in increased concerns about online security, with 42% of consumers more concerned than they were 12 months ago. With this awareness comes opportunity for businesses to leverage new recognition approaches. Biometrics seems to resonate with consumers, with 81% reporting that they feel most secure when encountering physical biometrics. Trust and security are becoming interdependent, with consumers expecting strong security measures from businesses. 73% of consumers say that the onus is on businesses to protect them online, and 45% identify the belief that businesses have strong security measures in place as the top reason to trust an online transaction. As consumers become ever-more educated and aware of the digital world, they want businesses to communicate with them about why they are using personal data. 63% of consumers are willing to share their data and see it as beneficial to them if they see security and convenience in return. We surveyed 6,000 consumers and 2,000 businesses from 20 countries worldwide as part of our ongoing efforts to learn more about how, why, and where consumers interact with businesses online. Read the full report Stay in the know with our latest research and insights:

Juniper Research’s latest digital identity leader board predicts a big shift in the market – identity and fraud are now becoming synonymous. Experian’s position as number one vendor on Juniper Research’s leader board demonstrates why Experian’s flagship digital identity and fraud platform, Crosscore, is central to the future of  identity and fraud management. “We’re thrilled Juniper has positioned us as the top provider of digital identity,” said David Britton, Vice President of Global Strategy for Digital Identity & Fraud at Experian. “Being able to accurately identify a customer in a digital transaction helps our clients provide a better customer experience and prevent fraud. Fighting fraud and reducing risk, while enabling great consumer experience is at the heart of Experian’s mission to make the digital world a safer place, even as cybersecurity rises as a worldwide threat.” Digital identity’s convergence of identity verification and fraud detection presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses, all in direct response to new consumer demands for a seamless, safe and uninterrupted digital customer journey. Key digital identity market Takeaways – Juniper Research Identity and Fraud Are Becoming Synonymous Trust is not a transactional feature of a digital identity system between identity creators and identity subjects, but rather, it is an inbuilt part. Given the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on eCommerce volumes, the advent of remote/hybrid working and the demand for eGovernment services, digital identity’s tie with privacy and security has become much more visible. An ever-increasing number of fraudulent activities highlights the need to ensure customer security and protection of personal and businesses data for integrity of digital identity systems. Fraud and digital identities are closely intertwined, also because preventing fraud involves getting the right identity datapoints, understanding their significance and acting upon the related findings. Governments Will Ramp Up Their Digital Identity Efforts Government regulations and initiatives around digital identity are a vital force shaping the market landscape. Success of eGovernment services is largely dependent on a mechanism of identifying citizens/users in an assured manner, usually via striving to create trusted identities. Even prior to COVID-19, governments around the globe were employing digital identity-related initiatives in areas other than eGovernment services, such as border controls and telehealth. Compelled by the challenges faced in terms of cybersecurity and citizen trust in identity initiatives, governments will increasingly collaborate with third-party vendors to come up with solutions with better usability and security. Identity Verification Use Cases and Underlying Technologies Will Continue to Dominate the Market Verification is one of the key areas affecting the digital identity market, mostly owing to the catalyst power of the pandemic digitalising transactions across all industries and business verticals. The solutions and use cases of digital identity verification (ie, login, anti-fraud, and decentralised identity) are numerous, as secure and convenient customer onboarding has been at the forefront of any critical digital engagement. These use cases and underlying technologies, such as biometrics, lend themselves to different industries and verticals and so, they will continue to enjoy customer uptake for the foreseeable future. Read now: Juniper Research Digital Identity Competitor Leaderboard Related content: Defining digital identity on the back of the ‘big digital shift’ What is digital identity and why should we care?   Stay in the know with our latest research and insights:

Global fraud predictions for 2022, plus a closer look at regional fraud trends. Stay in the know with our latest research and insights:

Steve Wagner, Managing Director, Global Decision Analytics on Redesigning the future of consumer lending with data and analytics. Find Steve Wagner's interview in Raconteur's Future of data report to discover what businesses need to do to succeed in an increasingly digital world. “The good thing is that technology and data now allow businesses to put the customer journey at the heart of what they’re doing. With the advanced technologies available today, businesses can access relevant data and deliver on customer expectations in their moment of need. Whether it’s access to a loan or mortgage, or to consolidate debts, a real-time view of the consumer is possible.” Read the full article and find out about: Why the digital customer experience, enabled by both data and analytics, is the new battleground for many industries. Consumers reporting they were online 25% more in 2021 compared to a year before. Online retail sales saw four years of growth in just 12 months during the Covid pandemic. Demand for frictionless journeys through biometrics or multimodal authentication mean customers can see the value exchange in sharing personal data. Behavioural biometrics is the next frontier in tackling fraud and providing a seamless customer journey. Technology is allowing us to analyse far more data sources in real time, providing a comprehensive picture of an individual. Open Banking and the democratisation of data are part of the progressive change around data. Importance of extracting the insight lenders and fintech providers need to implement the best customer journey and make the best decisions. Businesses can make credit-risk decisions using automation and advanced analytics. This will lead to more opportunities for credit and better financial inclusion. Harnessing the power of 'insight everywhere' for better knowledge bases. "The application of advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning is allowing businesses to tailor their services to an audience of one - at scale." Stay in the know with our latest research and insights:

As holiday shoppers flood online to finish up last-minute gift-buying, there's a high chance that they're paying attention to not just product prices or shipping times but also the security of their transactions. In 2020, with many stores still closed down due to the pandemic, digital sales over the holidays increased by 20%. Though we're still awaiting figures from this year, all signs point toward an increase in digital transactions that's here to stay. But as online transactions have ramped up, so have consumer concerns about the safety of their online activities. The recent Global Insights Report showed that 42% of consumers are more worried now about online safety than they were last year. The concern is understandable—as more people head online, we've seen a record number of breaches. However, now more than ever, businesses need to integrate security into their customer experience, taking a layered approach that provides added protection without additional hassle. Heading into the new year, those that can show they prioritize security as part of the customer experience—and not adjacent to it—will earn the trust and business of a rapidly expanding online customer base. More activity, more risk We've been tracking consumer and business activity online over the course of the pandemic. Our most recent research, drawn from surveys done in October, reveals a 25% increase in digital transactions worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic. It's a figure that's remained constant, even as covid-related restrictions wane and people venture back out to physical stores and banks. This massive digital shift happened in response to a crisis. Businesses such as financial services, restaurants, medical organizations, and retailers suddenly experienced a flood of online business and digital demand. Their option: Respond or be left behind. But as the dust settles, the enormity of the shift and how fast consumers normalized digital behavior is quite astounding. Someone who may have never considered online grocery delivery now uses it regularly. People who habitually visited their bank branch may now bank on their mobile devices. The examples are infinite. Consumers that made the online shift did so initially for physical safety reasons. They didn't want to be close to crowds or strangers because of the virus. Online felt safer. But now that digital transactions are part of many people's daily activities, consumers are awakening to the risks of online transactions. Many may have already experienced a breached account or received a notice that their data was compromised. Indeed, we saw a significant increase in attacks over the year across industries. Ransomware attacks alone are on track to reach 700 million by the end of 2021, a 1,300% increase from the year before. Best practices for better online security in 2022 More consumers are transacting digitally, and that's good news—businesses can expand their reach, grow their revenues, and introduce new digital products. But the question is: How can you leverage the growth while still keeping customers safe—and importantly, not impeding, their online experience? The answer rests part in mentality and part in action. Let's start with the first. Understandably, security guidance in the past often split the onus of safety between the business and customer. Who hasn't reminded customers that they need good password hygiene, device security, and personal data practices, or they may put themselves at risk. Indeed, customers paid attention; they ranked security as their number one priority. But the days of relying on customer actions are over. Businesses that gain customer trust in the future will be those that empower customers to improve their security while actively working to ensure that even if customers fail—their systems do not. You can achieve this by: 1. Beginning everything with a security mindset Businesses need to make security part of their growth strategy. That way, when they do experience planned — or unplanned — surges in activity, their security systems scale to meet them. Coordinating security across functional teams in the event of anticipated demand increases is another smart way to keep customers safe as your business grows. For instance, if marketing is planning a major campaign to spur online purchases, then IT and security need to know about it ahead of time. 2. Developing a multi-layered security strategy There is no magic bullet for preventing cyberattacks, account takeovers, or data breaches. But you can create hurdles for bad actors at every single turn. Combining device recognition, document and identify verification, and behavioral identification makes it that much harder for cybercriminals to impersonate your customers. Our research shows that customers are increasingly willing to provide more personal information to businesses if it means increasing their online security. They're eager to double-down if you are. 3. Utilizing vendors that keep you competitive The security space is evolving rapidly, and it's difficult for individual businesses to mind their own digital operations and keep pace with cybersecurity trends. Fortunately, high-quality vendors can do that for you, providing updated systems, education on new threats, and access to emerging technologies that keep your company and customers safe. The added benefit of these best practices is that they improve the customer experience along the way. Our research shows that customer loyalty to specific online brands is dipping—61% say they're interacting with the same companies online, which is a decrease of 6 percentage points from the previous year. Add in supply chains issues that are impacting inventory, and consumers are primed to find alternatives to their favorite online businesses. But the problems we’ve faced during the pandemic don’t have to define our digital future. Combine security with a quality experience in 2022, and you can attract and retain online customers that come for your product or service and stay because they feel safe. Stay in the know with our latest research and insights: