[Economic Essay Contest] Face over interface: How smarter branches can reconnect with aging customers

The notion that older adults are simply slow to embrace digital banking misses an important point. After helping my grandmother use a banking app, only to see her return to the branch the next week, I realized her behavior reflected preference more than incapability. For many seniors, avoiding mobile banking isn’t just about technical barriers; it’s a deliberate decision shaped by comfort, trust, and a desire for personal interaction. As financial institutions accelerate their digital shift and reduce physical branches, these customers risk exclusion. In a rapidly aging society, banks must revisit their approach — not to reverse digitalization, but to pair it with smarter, more accessible offline options grounded in the everyday lives of older adults. To understand the growing disconnect between digital services and older users, it’s important to move beyond the narrative of “falling behind.” Though some seniors struggle with digital tools, they often prefer clarity and security over speed or convenience. Faced with confusing interfaces, login errors, and the risk of mistakWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times