EMBank CEO Urges Banking to Recenter on Customer-Centric Service
Sarp Demiray, CEO of European Merchant Bank (EMBank), is calling on the banking industry to rethink its approach to customer service. In his recent LinkedIn Pulse article titled “Are You Being Served? AI, Customer Service, and the Quality of Banking,” Demiray outlines the long-standing gaps in service quality and warns against overreliance on technology without empathy.
The Legacy of Impersonal Banking
- Digitization with a Cost
Demiray reflects on the early stages of online banking, where cost-efficiency and automation overshadowed customer experience. This legacy, he argues, has left customers navigating complex digital systems with little meaningful support. - Disconnected by Design
The first wave of digital tools focused on automation, not personalization. As a result, many banks lost touch with their customers, becoming synonymous with impersonal service.
The Limits of Technology
- AI Isn’t a Cure-All
While digital tools like chatbots and automated platforms offer speed and convenience, Demiray stresses they fall short in providing empathy and understanding—core components of great customer service. - The Role of Human Insight
“Technology should augment, not replace, the human element in banking,” he says. Human interactions remain critical for resolving nuanced issues and building trust.
A New Customer Service Paradigm
- Balanced Approach Needed
Demiray advocates for a blended model: smart technology paired with well-trained staff capable of responding to complex, emotional, or sensitive customer needs. - Intuitive Digital Design
Banks should also rethink how their platforms are designed, making them more user-friendly and responsive to real-world customer behavior and pain points.
Vision for the Future
Sarp Demiray concludes with a challenge: the future of banking depends not on the next shiny tech solution, but on the industry’s willingness to engage in authentic, human-first transformation. He urges banks to move past surface-level digital upgrades and embrace truly meaningful change.
About EMBank
European Merchant Bank (EMBank), based in Vilnius, Lithuania, serves local SMEs and fintech firms worldwide. EMBank integrates cutting-edge digital tools with a personalized service model, aiming to reshape how banks engage with customers.
