Independent Banker - July 2020 - 26

PORTFOLIO
6
7
Remember that looks count
" Community bankers have decided to think deeply
about the digital journey that their customers are going
through and are really trying to make sure there's a cohesive
digital experience, " Hoke says. He praises community banks
that have presented themselves consistently across all platforms
in terms of logos, colors and other branding elements.
Be respectful of time
Agarwal says online applicants expect to spend less
than 15 minutes initiating a loan. While a loan need not be
granted in that amount of time, he adds, that's how long it
should take a user to get the process rolling.
8
Test, test, test
One aspect of providing an outstanding UX is never
" assuming you know best, " Hoke says. Too often, he adds,
" things that seem obvious or intuitive may not be. You have
to go out and test and put [models] in front of users. You
have to be willing to be wrong and willing to adapt. "
Because community bank staff are bank customers, too,
they can offer firsthand insights on what works-and what
doesn't work-when using a mobile platform, Hoke says.
9
Go through the trash
Knowing at precisely which point a user fails to
10
Provide call-in numbers
Hoke says many institutions publish phone numbers
to help applicants who get stumped by some aspect of
the application. That's why providing the capability to save a
partially completed application is critical. When a user calls
the bank, they'll want the loan officer to pick up the application
where it was left off, rather than starting fresh.
While offering help can be a way of keeping users engaged,
it's-fortunately-not something most bank customers will
need to staff extensively. A lack of traffic for these phone
numbers, Hoke says, is testament to the positive UX that
many community banks deliver.
Elizabeth Judd is a writer in Maryland.
complete an application can be helpful. If users are falling
away when they reach the employment screen, Hoke says,
consider asking fewer in-depth questions at that stage.
Agarwal recommends that community bankers personally
follow up with customers who may abandon applications.
" Abandoned apps don't necessarily have to become lost
opportunities, " he says, adding that they can provide market
insights and good customer service experiences.
Is your mobile lending platform
accessible?
Truly outstanding web design means creating
platforms that are accessible for people
with disabilities.
Because most community bankers turn to vendors
for help designing their mobile loan applications,
it's important to ask the right questions about ADA
(American Disabilities Act) compliance, says Minh N.
Vu, ADA Title III team leader and partner at Seyfarth
Shaw in Washington, D.C. Simply requiring that a
platform be ADA compliant leaves far too much
wiggle room, she says. She adds that what's better
is specifying that the platform comply with Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1
Level AA, the prevailing standard.
WCAG requires all disabilities be considered,
from hearing impairments (for example, using
closed captioning for videos) to color blindness (for
example, ensuring that color is not the sole way users
are notified about problematic responses).
Visually impaired people often rely on screen
readers that read aloud invisible alternative text that
lies behind links appearing on their screens. For
example, a button with an image that reads " Apply
Now " isn't helpful if that text isn't carried over to the
image's alternative text, often referred to as alt tags.
" It sounds really basic, " Vu says, " but if you don't
code 'apply now button' in the alternative text, all the
screen reader will announce is that there's an image. "
26 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q July 2020
Independent Banker - July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - July 2020
