Commonplace Differentiation from Wells Fargo

We sure have come a long way from the dreaded "green screen" automated teller.

Without much fanfare, Wells Fargo's reintroduced ATM user interface sports a number of visual enhancements to speed common transactions, make the process more intuitive, and personalize the experience - all without scaring off the technophobes among us.

If you aren't a Wells Fargo customer, the changes may be a bit hard to visualize, but the payoff is worth it.  Let's hit a few of the high points of the design.

Overall, the user interface features a cleaner and decidedly "less technical" look.  Key to accomplishing that objective is a reduction in contrast between the background imagery and the action buttons themselves.

At first glance, that seems a bit counter-intuitive.  Why would you want to decrease contrast?  Simple: Small screens can accomplish only one outcome at a time.  When each button is bordered by a bold gold line on a uniform black screen (as it was in the previous interface), a visually cacophony ensues, increasing the transaction time as users fumble through the array of competing options.  By reworking the contrast ratio, the interface quickly delivers only pertinent information.

But that singular focus would be in vain would it not be for predictive functionality.  And here, Wells Fargo's designers did not disappoint.

A large array of banking options is available - as you would expect - on the right two-thirds of the screen.  The left third of the screen, by contrast, features common transactions gleaned from your own transaction history.  Clearly deliberate, Western readers (of Germanic and Romantic languages primarily) begin looking for key information as they scan left to right, top to bottom.

For me as a Wells Fargo customer, that means my most common cash withdrawals and most common deposits appear visually distinct in exactly the location where I begin looking.  Bottom line: Once logged in, most of my transactions require only one touch to complete.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

[If you are interested in a more detailed visual review, visit http://physicalinterface.com/view/that-design-is-money for a screen-by-screen review of the user experience from former Pentagram designer Holger Struppek, the San Francisco firm that completed the project.]

The deeper significance comes from what the user interface means for the Wells Fargo brand position.

According to a Wells Fargo spokesperson, the bank always looks for new ways to give customers faster, easier, and more convenient service.

Wells Fargo, in a critical step farther, put its money where its mouth is.  I learned from my contact that the bank tested the interface for over a year, and found its customers really took to it.  Test groups found the ATM faster, more convenient, and more personal.  Exactly what Wells Fargo and its design team wanted.

From a positioning perspective, Wells Fargo is creating a personalized experience for its automated interactions.

And that's significant.

Many bank customers struggle with a removal of "people" from the financial process.  Anecdotally, I find myself among the few people willing to use the (near empty) ATM line at the bank while most others cram teller lines for their chance to speak with a real person.

From the bank's perspective, the financial reality is stark.  People (read: tellers) are expensive.  In fact, they are a huge expense: Recruitment, training, retention, and benefits to name just a few.  Their hours are limited, and as anyone familiar with peak demand staffing understands, having enough people at the correct time proves exceedingly difficult.

Moving to technology (read: more ATMs) makes financial sense.  A significant up-front investment to be sure, ATMs can serve more people, faster, for less money per transaction.  However, increasing your reliance on technology comes at a price.  Less personalized service means less of an emotional connection with the bank and the potential for reduced brand loyalty.

It seems to me Wells Fargo wasn't willing to risk it.  They wanted it both ways.  And they were willing to invest the money to get it.

They had good reason for optimism.

If done correctly, technology interaction can engender brand loyalty.  On the (very) small screen, think Nokia versus iPhone.  Think "like" versus "love".  In other words, to make it work, the visual interface matters.

While I am not sure the Wells Fargo ATM experience compares exactly with Apple's UI genius (nor does Wells Fargo claim that it does), it does not have to.  In the banking world, providing lightning fast, intuitive transactions is exactly what people want from their ATM.

In this case, Wells Fargo has used something as commonplace as user interface - something most banks consider an afterthought - to drive a competitive wedge.

That is what is so refreshing.  That a large, conservative bank would allow itself to invest real money in something as "squishy" as good design.

Although moves like this (even if it were replicated among the entire banking sector) will not stop the industry from hemorrhaging market capitalization, Wells Fargo gives us a clear reminder that smart design is not irrelevant, is not just for looks, and is not a poor investment.

For Wells Fargo, being pretty pays dividends.