Why risk-averse banks are losing to fintechs and what needs to change

The financial services industry is standing at a crossroads where technology, customer expectations, and innovation are reshaping the future. The Martechify team recently spoke with Jim Marous, a global thought leader in retail banking and fintech, to discuss how AI, marketing, and changing user behaviors are forcing banks to rethink their strategies.
Watch the full interview with Jim Marous, where he shares his thoughts on the financial technology space and how the latest market trends are making banks adapt. This is a must watch interview if you want to stay up to date on the fintech industry!

A career built on continuous learning

Jim has spent more than 40 years in banking, starting in retail before moving into marketing and, ultimately, content creation. To stay relevant, he launched a blog over 15 years ago—well before content marketing was a trend—then began writing for The Financial Brand and acquired the Digital Banking Report. He also embraced social media early and, six years ago, started his own podcast, which now fuels both his learning and teaching.

This mindset of never stopping learning is what Jim credits for his longevity and continued influence. “I decided I didn’t want to become irrelevant,” he said. “Content creation allowed me to keep learning and sharing insights with the industry.”

Why banks struggle with personalization

When asked why financial institutions haven’t reached the level of personalization customers expect—what Jim calls “Netflix-level experiences”—his answer was blunt:

“The thing that is stopping financial institutions from becoming true marketing leaders is themselves.”

It isn’t technology, budget, or even regulation. Instead, risk aversion has created a culture where doing nothing feels safer than experimenting. Leaders who have had successful careers often resist change, believing “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Yet, customers are increasingly frustrated. They see Amazon, Uber, Netflix, and Google using data to anticipate their needs, while banks hesitate to act—even though they have more customer data than any other industry.

The missed opportunities of AI in banking

Banks were among the first industries to deploy AI, but mainly in back-office operations: fraud detection, risk management, and cost-cutting. Few have applied AI to front-end customer engagement.

Jim sees this as the critical gap:

— Customers want banks to know them, understand them, and reward them with empathy-driven experiences.
— Instead, institutions fear mistakes, which leads to inaction.
— The result? Customers turn to fintech disruptors like SoFi, Chime, or buy-now-pay-later providers who aren’t afraid to experiment.

Jim gave personal examples where his banks ignored obvious opportunities: recurring fund transfers, investment behaviors, even mortgage refinancing. “I’d rather see my financial institution take a risk of being wrong than do nothing,” he said.

Future-ready banks: Beyond risk aversion

Looking ahead, Jim emphasized that resilience now means being future-ready. Digital transformation is no longer optional, yet only 11% of banks in his research report seeing measurable results from their initiatives.

The good news? Banks don’t have to rip and replace core systems. Instead, they can build composable solutions—smaller, agile components that improve experiences like account opening or loan processing. He pointed to Apple Card’s streamlined three-question application as a benchmark: fast, frictionless, and customer-first.

The winners will be:

— Large banks with budgets to innovate.
— Small institutions with leadership willing to experiment.
— Notably, mid-sized banks risk falling behind due to legacy thinking and half-finished transformations.

Advice for the next generation of marketers

For young professionals entering martech, fintech, or banking, Jim’s advice is simple but powerful:

— Never stop learning. “What you learn at university is only good for about two years,” he warned.
— Leverage AI tools like ChatGPT as companions for brainstorming, research, and continuous growth.
— Ask better questions. Success isn’t about always having the answers but knowing how to dig deeper into problems.
— Invest in yourself. Keep updating your skills, your network, and your personal brand.

As Jim put it: “AI won’t replace you—unless you stop transforming yourself.”

Key takeaway

The future of financial services will belong to institutions willing to combine AI, empathy, and innovation to serve customers proactively. And for individuals, longevity comes from the same mindset: curiosity, adaptability, and the courage to keep evolving.

Jim’s perspective is a reminder that doing nothing is the biggest risk of all.

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