Purpose: to provide differentiated marketing solutions for manage customer experience based on various demographics, behavioral characteristics and customer values in the process of servicing for investing in gold.Methods: the current study was based upon general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, applied methods of marketing research. The field market research and analysis of customer experience were carried out in relation to investment opportunities available in banks: physical gold and depersonalized metal accounts. A qualitative research method included “Mystery shopper” – a covert participant observation research of 8 banks in Moscow – the major players offering services for investing in gold.Results: the authors found out that investing in gold becomes in demand during the crisis time. Gold, as an investment opportunity, is a protective asset and retains its value in a long term. The target segments potentially interested in investing in gold can be determined by demographic and behavioral characteristics, desired benefits and values. The authors analyzed the customer experience journey of two segments in the process of investing in through different banking channels. The customer experience was illustrated with customer experience maps that propose management solutions for banks that desire to offer gold investment services.Conclusions and Relevance: in the context of geopolitical and economic instability, the demand for investment opportunities in gold remains high. While customers value high level of services and investment appeal banks are interested in obtaining a stable income. To provide a mutually beneficial cooperation it is important to create a level of service that would fully meet consumer demand. The basis to create a high-quality service for investing in gold include specific management strategies enabling to receive omnichannel (both digital and non-digital) customer experience in various customer segments.

The purpose of this study is to identify, in an era of extensive digitalization, the major opportunities and threats that influence the experiences of digital premium banking customers at key stages of their banking interactions. This study’s conceptual research model combines the content of online questionnaires, completed by a representative sample of 3629 customers, in-depth interviews with heads of premium banking departments, and an audit of customer experiences conducted via Mystery Shopping in 13 Russian banks. The authors formulate four research hypotheses, substantiated by the empirical data and highlight key barriers preventing premium banks from effective digital interactions with their customers. Key opportunities for improving customer experiences are also identified. The theoretical contribution of the research includes the adaptation of an axiological approach to studying digital customers in premium banking. Practical contributions include the Premium Digital Customer Experience Map, designed by the authors as a ready-made tool for planning and improving premium banking services and a tool for performance comparison between competing banks. This study also discusses the authors’ definition of a “digital customer”. It presents a new approach to the Mystery Shopping methodology, including the recruitment of Mystery Shoppers following the three premium banking customer portraits: “saver”, “spender”, and “saver–spender”.

Purpose: forecasting the key avenues for financial services digital transformation in Russia and its influence on customer experience based on expert surveys.Methods: a set of general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as marketing research methods – desk and field research. The field research included qualitative method: in-depth interviews with financial market experts. The obtained data were analyzed using content analysis and summarized. Results: the authors provided analysis of secondary data on the main global and local digitalization trends in the financial services market and conducted analytical aggregation of expert opinions on the most likely future changes in the financial services market in the process of digitalization. Analysis of the obtained data enabled to describe three avenues for financial services digital transformation – means of payments digital transformation, payments infrastructure digital transformation and customer interaction models digital transformation. The authors also presented and described the positive and negative influence of the results of digital transformation on the consumer experience.Conclusions and Relevance: the results of this study emphasize the role of financial services digital transformation in the process of new consumer experience creation. The means of payments digital transformation will ensure the total dominance of digital money within the money circulation system positively affecting consumer experience in terms of growing convenience, speed and cost-cutting. Payment infrastructure digital transformation will positively influence on consumer experience by simplifying the customer identification systems and reducing errors. Customer interaction models digital transformation will enhance the level of seamlessness leading to the full integration of financial services in the day-to-day customer activities. The results of the study can be used to develop strategies enabling to achieve the highest level of competitiveness for the financial service providers in the market.