Münster/Frankfurt, November 13, 2025 – The German economy is stuck. After two years of declining gross domestic product, only zero growth is expected for 2025. At the same time, insolvencies increased by 9.4% year-on-year in the first half of 2025 alone. In this tense environment, zeb’s latest corporate banking study shows that companies’ expectations of their banks have risen significantly. The study is based on a survey of 600 businesses and 120 banks in Germany, Austria and Switzerland – with a focus on the German results. It reveals that German companies would like significantly more digital support than banks currently offer. They expect specific knowledge both in relation to their industry and their business model. And they continue to see great potential in the use of artificial intelligence, especially in advisory services.

Dr. Bernd Liesenkötter, Partner at zeb and co-author of the study, explains: “The results of the survey suggest questioning and realigning the fundamental principles of customer service at regional banks. The discrepancy between customer preferences and the banks’ own assessments is not only a strategic risk, but also a missed opportunity for differentiation. Those who properly understand and implement digital customer support can realize efficiency gains and significantly increase customer satisfaction at the same time.”

Discrepancies in customer support services

The study shows in detail a clear discrepancy between what banks offer and what companies expect. While 85% of banks put great value on providing a personal contact person for large corporate clients, only 33% of companies prefer this model. Instead, 39% would like a hybrid model and 28% a purely digital customer support model. It is striking that banks underestimate the importance of personal support for smaller business customers. 40% of these customers prefer a personal contact person, while only 6% of banks consider this to be relevant.

These misjudgments have a direct impact on customer satisfaction. At the same time, the study shows that companies are open to digital services, particularly where financing and automation are concerned. Banks that invest in these areas can not only reduce costs but also strengthen customer loyalty in a targeted manner.

Demand for business model-specific expertise

Corporate clients increasingly expect their bank to act as a sparring partner – with a deep understanding of their industry and their business model. 65% of the companies surveyed would like to see business model-specific expertise, while 60% expect industry knowledge. These requirements pose challenges for smaller banks in particular. On average, they do have two to three specialized sales units. However, around half of these institutions assign more than 20% of their customers to an incorrect segment.

This inaccurate segmentation makes it difficult to provide targeted support and leads to inefficient use of resources, which is particularly critical in a stagnating market. The study shows that banks that position themselves as competent partners and deepen their advisory services have a much better chance of remaining relevant in the long term. The role of the bank is changing from finance provider to initiator. Advice with depth is becoming a distinguishing feature.

Focus on AI and special topics

Another key finding of the study is the high level of openness of corporate clients regarding the use of artificial intelligence. 57% of large companies see high potential for AI in customer advisory services. For comparison, the figure is 51% for service requests and 42% for credit processes. Although banks have recognized the potential, they estimate it to be significantly lower than their clients do, especially when it comes to advisory services.

There is also a gap in specialist areas such as private banking and e-commerce payment processing. 42% of business customers and 49% of corporate clients consider private banking to be relevant, but many regional banks have to cover these services through other institutions. The third-party bank ratio in these areas is over 15%. The situation is similar for e-commerce payment processing. These topics in particular offer banks the opportunity to differentiate themselves – provided they build up their own expertise and make targeted investments in future-oriented offerings.

Christian Rupp, Partner at zeb and co-author of the study, draws the following conclusion: “Banks’ offerings often do not yet meet changing customer needs. Being close to the customer is no longer enough – banks also need to demonstrate expertise and digital strength. Especially smaller banks can score big in their role as close partners, but they need to improve significantly in areas such as AI, specialist advisory services and segmentation in order to remain relevant in the future.”

Further information on the study is available at Corporate Banking Study 11.0

About zeb

zeb offers a full range of consulting services in the financial services industry, which is heavily impacted by regulation and digital transformation. Clients include banks (incl. savings banks and neobanks) and fintech companies, insurers and insurtech companies, asset managers, captives, as well as numerous other specialized European financial services providers and financial intermediaries.

zeb was founded in 1992, currently has 1,200 employees and operates offices in Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Münster (HQ). Its international offices are located in Amsterdam, Kyiv, London, Luxembourg, Milan, Oslo, Stockholm, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich. In industry rankings, zeb has repeatedly been classed and acknowledged as the “best consultancy” for the banking and insurance industry.