The Currency of Experience - Turning Every Interaction into Lasting Loyalty - Synergistic CX Magazine – February 2026

Discover the February edition of Synergistic CX - The Customer Experience Magazine!

The February 2026 edition of Synergistic CX turns its focus to the banking industry - a highly regulated, trust-centered sector where customer experience is defined not only by service quality, but by reliability, clarity, and the ability to respond when expectations are challenged. Under the theme “The Currency of Experience - Turning Every Interaction into Lasting Loyalty” this edition explores how trust is shaped across digital and human interactions - and how banks can strengthen loyalty through disciplined execution.

Download the full PDF version by clicking HERE!

At the core of this edition is a comprehensive global industry study analyzing more than 4,700 banking locations and over 42,000 customer reviews worldwide. Using Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis (ABSA), the study translates large-scale customer feedback into structured experience signals, identifying where trust strengthens - and where friction undermines retention. The data reveals strong polarization in ratings, highlighting how exceptional service builds advocacy, while service breakdowns quickly erode confidence.

This edition delivers a journey-based view of the banking experience, mapping sentiment across Awareness, Consideration, Conversion, Retention, and Advocacy. The Moment of Truth analysis shows that while advisory and onboarding interactions perform relatively well, Retention emerges as the weakest stage, driven by gaps in ongoing support, communication clarity, and issue resolution. The findings reinforce that trust is not secured at account opening - it is sustained through consistent servicing and accountable follow-up.

To deepen the analysis, the magazine uses the Marketing Mix Funnel Matrix (7Ps perspective), connecting journey stages with operational drivers. Customer conversations concentrate heavily on People, Process, and Place, with staff attitude and advisory quality dominating feedback. However, process friction, slow issue resolution, and pricing perception generate the most negative sentiment. The framework provides a structured lens for prioritizing improvement areas that directly influence customer confidence.

Building on these insights, the edition presents a Starter Voice of the Customer (VoC) survey - designed specifically for banking environments. The survey focuses on high-impact drivers such as staff greeting and professionalism, advisory clarity, account activation experience, ongoing servicing reliability, and issue resolution effectiveness. This practical measurement foundation enables banks to move from broad satisfaction tracking towards targeted CX governance.

A central highlight of the February edition is the in-depth expert contribution from Kerli Zeiger Soosaar, CEO of Dive Group and board member of MSPA Europe/Africa. Across a three-part podcast series, Kerli shares practical insights into CX governance. Rather than focusing solely on metrics, Kerli emphasizes leadership ownership, disciplined prioritization, and accountability. She challenges organizations to move beyond over-measurement and instead ensure that insights are reviewed regularly, translated into clear action plans, and supported by cross-functional communication.

Throughout her interview, she explores:

• Why customer experience in banking is fundamentally about trust and clarity

• How leadership focus determines whether CX becomes a reporting exercise or a management tool

• Why frontline empowerment remains one of the most underestimated drivers of service excellence

• How combining mystery shopping, VoC, and behavioral insights creates a holistic view of performance

  
  

The edition also features a Business Perspective spotlight of Luminor Bank Group, highlighting continuous improvement journeys within the banking sector and demonstrating how long-term commitment defines true CX excellence.

By combining global sentiment analysis, structured journey mapping, practical measurement tools, and expert insight, the February edition of Synergistic CX provides banking leaders and CX professionals with a clear roadmap for turning insight into sustainable improvement.

Download the full February edition of Synergistic CX to discover how trust, clarity, and consistent execution shape the future of banking customer experience.