Consumer Primacy
Lead Ux Researcher
Zions Bancorporation
Overview
Senior leadership sought to understand why customers choose (or don’t choose) Zions Federal as their primary bank. My goal was to unpack what defines a “primary bank” in customers’ minds, what prompts change, and what motivates loyalty.​
Research Objectives
1. Define how customers interpret the term “primary bank.”
2. Map customers’ journeys — from initial sign-up to loyalty or churn.
3. Uncover values tied to primary banking and factors that lead to secondary account use.
4. Identify opportunities for Zions to better align services with customer needs and reduce attrition.
Methodology
I conducted 21 in-depth interviews (~1 hour each), using a participant sample aligned with stakeholder-defined age and income segments. Discussions focused on banking journeys, switching decisions, and differentiating primary vs. secondary bank usage.
Key Insights
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Function trumps finances: Customers defined their primary bank based on functional banking needs—like direct deposit, bill payment, and money movement—not total account balance. Secondary banks were often used for niche needs (e.g., HYSA or investment products).
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Early onboarding creates loyalty: Many Zions customers had accounts opened by parents growing up; although they used other banks for certain needs, they retained their primary relationship with Zions.
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Awareness gaps create churn risk: Users often chose other banks for products like high-yield savings, unaware that Zions offered similar solutions under different names.
Strategic Impact
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Educational outreach: The bank introduced workshop series targeting families and young adults to nurture early generational relationships.
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Customer consolidation incentives: Leadership explored loyalty-triggered incentives—such as higher savings rates or loan discounts—aligned to account history and customer tenure.
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This study also inspired a subsequent qualitative project by the Bankcard & Enterprise Retail Team around rewards programs.
Reflections & Learnings
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Let users define terms—common language like "primary bank" can have varied interpretations.
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Stay nimble—as themes emerge, align with stakeholders quickly and pivot as needed.
Want more?
​Reach out at pugaevelyn0@gmail.com to explore full findings and recommendations.