Delivering a banking experience that balances technology and human interaction is critical for financial institutions striving to serve small- to medium-sized business clients.

Financial institutions that figure out the formula will have the best chance of being successful, Jennifer Taylor, senior vice president and head of commercial digital at the $23.7 billion Axos Bank, said at the recent Bank Automation Summit 2025.

“One of the things that we talk a lot about is: How do we balance high-tech and high-touch, and I think that’s something unique about this space in that it’s not only technology-driven — like some consumer and retail experiences might be on that side of the scale — but it’s not necessarily like our corporates, where it’s extremely relationship-driven,” Taylor said.

SMBs, she said, “are somewhere in the middle, and we’re trying to figure out what that formula is” to best serve them.

API-driven strategy

One Axos initiative is the implementation of self-service features, Taylor said. The bank is also focusing on adding API-driven products for a better user experience, she said.

More consumers are demanding an end-to-end experience that enables them to connect their bank accounts to numerous applications, and fintech partnerships could give FIs a competitive edge, Ethan Geiling, lead for strategic financial institution partnerships at fintech Plaid, said at the conference.

“If a partner or a vendor does not have a strong API structure, architecture, or plan forward that often doesn’t make a cut for us,” said Taylor.

For example, Axos has an API store on its website that enables business clients to build their own banking applications that integrate their digital bank accounts. The bank last month tapped AI-powered software provider Ascendion for a digital banking platform designed for business clients.

Using technology to deliver a more personalized experience enables the bank to better understand and meet client needs, Taylor said.

“It’s about getting out there and letting our prospects or target clients know what we’re able to help them with and you can’t do that if you’re not in the operating in the channels that those clients are in,” she said.

Follow coverage of Bank Automation Summit 2025 at finainews.com.