A new research report from Coconut Software, developed in partnership with Future Branches Insights, reveals a critical disconnect in the banking industry: while 76% of financial institutions claim to deliver an integrated hybrid banking experience, only 3% describe their maturity as truly 'intelligent' or 'optimized.' The report, titled 'Branch Forward: How Financial Institutions Are Investing in Technology, Scheduling, and the Future of CX,' is based on a survey of 100 senior financial institution leaders across the U.S. and Canada.
The findings underscore a significant operational gap, as 61% of respondents say they frequently struggle to forecast staffing requirements to meet customer demand. This challenge is particularly pressing as banks and credit unions seek to improve branch performance in an increasingly digital landscape. The report suggests that institutions are recognizing the need to close this gap by investing in AI and scheduling infrastructure. More than half (56%) of respondents are already implementing AI in specific departments or workflows, while 22% are scaling AI institution-wide. Additionally, 58% have formal investment plans for AI-driven scheduling and intelligent advisor matching, and 53% plan to invest in demand forecasting within the next 18 months.
The research also highlights a fundamental shift in how financial institutions view scheduling. No longer just an operational function, scheduling is now seen as a driver of revenue and branch performance. 54% of respondents identified appointment conversion value, or revenue per appointment, as the scheduling metric they are most focused on improving, and 38% ranked conversion optimization as their top business priority over the next 12 months. This evolution reflects a broader trend toward leveraging technology to make every customer interaction more purposeful and productive.
Katherine Regnier, CEO of Coconut Software, commented, 'Financial institutions have made significant progress connecting physical and digital banking, but the next stage of maturity isn't about adding more channels—it's about making every interaction more purposeful and productive. That requires institutions to better predict demand, connect the right people in the right place at the right time, and tie every interaction to clear outcomes. The institutions that solve that operational layer will be best positioned to turn hybrid banking into a true growth engine.'
Other key findings from the report include: 55% favor a best-of-breed, integration-first vendor strategy rather than vendor consolidation; 65% say strategic alignment is one of the two most important factors when funding new technology, while 42% cite customer impact such as NPS and CSAT; and 46% rank total cost of ownership as the most important factor in build-vs-buy technology decisions.
The report is designed for operations, retail banking, customer experience, and digital transformation leaders, offering data-backed insights into AI adoption, workforce planning, scheduling maturity, technology investment, and the future of branch performance. To explore the full findings and benchmark your institution's approach, download the Branch Forward report.
This research comes at a time when financial institutions are under pressure to optimize both physical and digital channels. The findings suggest that while many have made strides in integrating channels, the operational backbone—staffing, scheduling, and forecasting—remains a weak point. As AI becomes more prevalent, institutions that successfully implement these technologies will likely lead the pack in turning hybrid banking into a growth engine.
