Signals from the Field

If you downloaded our 2026 Consumer Preferences & Behavior Study for Financial Institutions, you already know the headline: consumer expectations are moving fast and the gap between what people want and what many institutions deliver is widening.

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Summary:

• Under-45 non-members default to traditional banks for nearly every high-priority factor (customer service, accessibility, branches, variety, community), while online-only banks win the digital experience categories (mobile app, online experience). Credit unions do not lead a single factor in 2022 or 2025 for this segment (per the slide’s “most often rated as best”).
• Credit unions gain ground once someone is already a CU member, but not primary (Non-PFI): in 2025, credit unions become “best” for customer service, and also lead on variety of offerings and financial education. While online-only banks remain “best” for mobile app and online experience.
• Primary credit union relationships (PFI) are strong, but no longer safe: in 2025, online-only banks match credit unions for “best” accessibility and continue to dominate “best” online experience; credit unions still lead most human/community factors.
• Surprising insight: In the Non-PFI segment, traditional banks are rated “least often as best” for mobile app in 2025. A sign that even “big banks” can lose perceived digital leadership if the experience lags or expectations rise.
• The strategic takeaway: Credit union growth in under-45 audiences is a two-front strategy. (1) break the “big bank default” among non-members, and (2) defend PFI members from online-only competitors by upgrading the accessibility and mobile moments that shape everyday satisfaction.

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A recent study by Geear found that consumers under 45 use Large Language Models (LLMs) as the second-most-used channel when researching financial institutions, trailing only search engines. As Gemini and ChatGPT become daily research tools, credit union and bank marketers are naturally asking: “How do we ensure our brand appears in these results?”

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In a recently published survey conducted by Geear of 1,000 consumers, we found that people turn to LLMs as their first step when looking for an FI nearly 10% of the time. By comparison, search engines are used first ~30% of the time.