FNB’s App: Where Simple Banking Goes to Get Lost”

Review by Nathaniel Keet My experience with FNB — specifically their mobile banking app — has been less “innovative digital banking” and more “where do I click now?” What should be a simple, efficient tool for everyday banking is instead overloaded with an impressive collection of extras: forex, budgeting tools, and a variety of features that seem determined to distract rather than assist. Opening the app feels like stepping into a maze, when all I really wanted was to check my balance. In banking, fewer road maps usually mean you arrive at your destination faster. The customer support experience doesn’t help much either. The in-app chat agents appear friendly enough, but solving problems doesn’t seem to be part of the job description. The go-to solution is almost always: “Please visit your nearest branch.” One can only assume this line featured prominently in the training manual. By comparison, rival banking apps such as Capitec and Standard Bank prove that digital banking doesn’t have to feel like an obstacle course. Whatever their shortcomings elsewhere, their apps are clean, intuitive, and a dream to navigate. In short, FNB has mastered the art of overcomplication. When it comes to digital banking, simpler is better — and right now, FNB could do with a little less innovation and a lot more clarity. That’s just my five cents. — Nathaniel Keet