Can you fit the branch in your pocket?

The story on Spain's Banco Sabadell’s approach to new retail banking channels highlights an interesting point. Innovators in the industry are typically focused on the adoption figures of mobile banking but Banco Sabadell has turned this on its head and looked at it from a different angle - only one in five transactions are currently carried out via its branch network.

This stat alone is a valuable part of the business case for the bank to invest in new self-service channels to allow customers better access to their finances. Indeed, Banco Sabadell has been very vocal about its commitment to mobile financial services, launching apps for multiple smartphone operating systems. It has also gone live with functionalities such as remote cheque deposit via smartphone cameras.

It’s impressive that the bank has dedicated sufficient resource and expertise to its mobile proposition to offer support for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows phones.

In our experience, supporting multiple operating systems is one of the biggest hurdles that an in-house development team faces, particularly when you consider the fact that system updates and new versions can lead to more than 50 different platforms to maintain.

Whatever route banks choose to deliver mobile, either developing in-house expertise or working with a specialist partner, one thing is certain. They must move quickly.

As consumers increasingly migrate away from the branch and seek convenient and on-the-go access to financial services, innovation must keep pace with customer demand. The news that an iPhone user stuck a contactless bank card to her phone is a fun story but it has a serious message – many consumers are ready for this integration and impatient for its arrival. I’m one of those consumers but I suggest we up the ante even further – here’s my mobile wallet!