In brief
CX culture in financial services often determines whether client experience thrives or fails. In this episode of Competitive CX, Aimer, Taylor, and Grainger explain why leadership tone, cultural alignment, and consistent measurement are more important than any single initiative. Discover how firms can stop “kicking CX down the road” and build a culture that puts clients first – even under financial pressure.
Why do some financial services firms struggle to make client experience a priority?
In Episode 3 of Competitive CX, Melanie Aimer, Hamish Taylor, and Adam Grainger examine why culture determines CX success in financial services and why, therefore, some firms can end up deprioritizing CX even when they know it matters.
Drawing on real-world examples from Wells Fargo, British Airways, and their own leadership careers, they argue that CX can’t succeed without the right cultural foundation.
The episode explores how leadership tone, firm-wide involvement, and meaningful measurement drive change – and why initiatives fail when culture is ignored. If your organisation tends to “kick CX down the road,” this episode outlines practical, proven strategies to shift your culture from passive to client-led.
CX culture in financial services
Aimer, Taylor, and Grainger focus on why CX culture in financial services sometimes gets deprioritised. The hosts argue that no CX strategy can succeed without culture change first.
They stress how leadership behaviours shape CX culture, and measurable KPIs ensure CX becomes embedded, not episodic. They warn that in profitable times, CX can get ignored, and in lean times, it can get sacrificed – both with damaging results.
They use real-world examples of toxic CX culture in banking and finance to illustrate how sidelining CX leads to reputational and financial risk. Taylor draws from his time at British Airways to show how empowering people to put clients first built the foundation for later service improvements.
Grainger expands on Taylor’s example with three tips for stopping CX being deprioritised by the ‘here and now’: 1) tie CX to revenue, 2) use AI and behavioral analytics to detect CX warning signs, and 3) give employees real authority to fix issues without escalation bottlenecks.
The episode closes with actionable strategies: link CX to business outcomes, recruit for cultural alignment, empower staff, and speak the language of senior stakeholders.
Key Takeaways
- Culture must lead CX strategy – not the other way around.
- Leadership behaviour sets the tone for how CX is valued and prioritised.
- Firms deprioritise CX during both good and bad times, which weakens long-term trust and loyalty.
- One department acting in isolation can undermine the entire client experience.
- Measurement makes culture stick – what gets measured, gets improved.
- Link CX to financial outcomes like revenue, retention, and cost-to-serve to gain traction.
- Hiring for cultural fit and empowering employees are critical to making CX a collective responsibility.
If you’re an asset manager, check out Accomplish’s client experience services here.
And if you just found this useful, check out our other podcast episodes designed for financial services professionals:
- Why care about CX?
- What is CX and who should own it?
- Cultures that kick CX down the road.
- Organisational structure gets in the way of CX.
- Incentives that inadvertently deprioritise CX.
- Regulator – friend or foe to CX?
- Technology – enabler or disabler for CX?
- Solving the most common CX complaints.
- Where to start with CX?
Listen to the full recordings on Podbean.
Connect with Hamish Taylor, Melanie Aimer and Adam Grainger on LinkedIn and follow Competitive CX for cutting-edge insights on client experience in finance.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is CX culture in financial services?
CX culture in financial services refers to the shared mindset, behaviours, and values that influence how client experience is prioritised, measured, and acted on across the organisation.
2. Why does CX often get deprioritised in financial firms?
Firms can ignore CX during profitable periods because it doesn’t appear broken, and cut it during downturns to save costs – leading to missed opportunities and reputational risk.
3. How does leadership influence CX culture?
Leaders set the tone for CX by what they prioritise, measure, and model. If the CEO values client outcomes, the rest of the organisation will follow.
4. What’s the risk of poor CX culture in financial services?
Toxic CX culture can lead to fragmented client journeys, reduced trust, regulatory scrutiny, and financial loss – as shown by real-world examples like Wells Fargo.
