In one of my previous blogs, I explored how small but thoughtful UX changes can significantly enhance user satisfaction and loyalty. Today, I want to take a closer look at the other side of the coin—a user experience that unintentionally creates frustration and confusion. My recent interaction with the CIBC app revealed just how problematic poorly executed UX can be, particularly when it comes to critical alerts and fraud management.
Proactive, But Uninformed Experience
Recently, I had an experience with my CIBC Aventura credit card that highlighted a significant gap in user experience and customer communication. My card was repeatedly declined across multiple vendors, leaving me puzzled. Naturally, I checked the CIBC app to confirm that my payments were on time, the card was active, and there were no issues like exceeding the maximum PIN attempts. Everything seemed fine. Yet, the card didn’t work.
To make matters worse, I received no email or text alerts to indicate what was happening. After waiting a month to get through to customer service (a frustratingly common scenario), I was finally informed that my card had been blocked due to suspicious activity. While I appreciate CIBC’s proactive fraud prevention, the process was unnecessarily stressful due to poor communication.
When I reviewed my account settings, I discovered something troubling. Although the account security feature was turned on and marked as non-optional (which is fantastic for safeguarding customers), certain crucial alerts—like those for unusual activity—were turned off by default. Not only was this inconsistent with the account security promise, but it was also misleading. Users had to manually enable each type of alert, including those for changes to personal information or PINs, exposing them to unnecessary risk and confusion.
This experience highlights an important question: how can financial institutions like CIBC improve the user experience to align with their security promises?
Product Manager’s Recommendations for Improving the Experience
The challenges I faced with CIBC’s app and communication system underline a critical need for improvement in user experience, particularly in handling sensitive scenarios like fraud detection and account security. While the intent to protect customers is commendable, the execution leaves much to be desired. Here are some of my recommendations.
Enable Default Alerts for Critical Events
- Current Issue: Alerts for unusual activity, PIN changes, and updates to personal information are off by default, even though account security is marked as “always on.”
- Proposed Solution: Pre-enable these high-priority alerts for all users by default. Ensure they are categorized under “non-optional” settings to align with the security-first promise.
Simplify Alert Management with Bulk Toggles
- Current Issue: Users must manually toggle each alert, which is time-consuming and prone to oversight.
- Proposed Solution: Introduce a master toggle for critical alerts. For example: “Enable All Security Alerts.” Users can choose to opt out individually if necessary, but the default experience should prioritize comprehensive protection. This helps avoid multiple clicks to perform an all important action.
Indicate Blocked Cards in the App and Website
- Current Issue: Neither the app nor the website indicates when a card is blocked, leaving users confused about why their transactions are declined.
- Proposed Solution: Clearly mark blocked cards with a label, such as “Card Blocked Due to Suspicious Activity,” in the app’s card management section. Provide a clickable link or button to review flagged transactions and take corrective action, such as confirming the activity or contacting customer service. This will help reduce the calls to customer service and annoying wait times.
Personalized Alert Recommendations
- Current Issue: Users might not know which alerts are most relevant to their needs.
- Proposed Solution: Use AI to recommend tailored alert settings based on user behavior and account activity patterns, ensuring a personalized security experience.
By providing clear indicators for blocked cards and suspicious activity, CIBC can reduce user confusion and frustration while empowering customers to take immediate action. This not only enhances the overall experience but also strengthens trust in the bank’s commitment to safeguarding customer accounts.
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