Bankers’ Top 5 Strategic Priorities for 2026 By TARA SCHULTZ, Senior Vice President of Strategic Insights and Industry Relations, CSI As banking leaders navigate through 2026, they are focused on five key strategic priorities, including customer support, market expansion, operational efficiency and more. These efforts are all aimed at staying competitive and meeting rising customer expectations. CSI’s 2026 Banking Priorities survey highlights how institutions are putting these priorities into action, by investing in modern platforms, stronger security and automation that enables them to do more with less. In this article, we count down the five most-cited strategic priorities from the survey, and why they’re receiving the most focus. #5: CUSTOMER SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS Customer support improvements landed in the top five because “pretty good” service isn’t enough anymore to differentiate — competition is steep. Consumers don’t separate “digital” from “human.” They expect both to work seamlessly. They’re also quicker than ever to compare experiences across banks, fintechs and even general lifestyle apps. As expectations shift toward more personalized, real-time support, financial institutions are increasingly turning to AI to deliver faster, more intuitive experiences. In fact, 48% of banking leaders say AI will enhance customer service, while 46% believe it will improve engagement through tools like chatbots and virtual assistants. These rising expectations are directly impacting where customers choose to bank and where they choose to keep their money. With consumers increasingly holding accounts across multiple institutions, loyalty isn't what it used to be. A 2025 JD Power Financial Services Churn Data and Analytics report found that among consumers who already had a checking account, 72% were opening new checking accounts at a different bank. Delivering experiences that align with account holders’ specific needs is essential to maintaining primary relationships, driving consistent card usage and unlocking cross-sell opportunities. When support is generic, slow or disconnected from customer needs, account holders have little reason to stay. Institutions that deliver faster, more personalized experiences are better positioned to strengthen relationships and improve retention. #4: MARKET EXPANSION Market expansion remains a priority, but the focus is shifting from quantity to quality. Rather than simply adding accounts, financial institutions are working to deepen primary relationships, so customers deposit more funds, use debit cards and adopt additional services.
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