Engaging the next generation

Abstract

In today’s financial landscape, teenagers grow up in a world where managing money is increasingly digital, seamless and less tangible. While this creates convenience, it also makes it more difficult to maintain financial overview. At the same time, growing competition from fintech companies challenges traditional banks to remain relevant and distinctive. Within this context, Triodos Bank, a purpose driven bank that focuses on sustainable and ethical banking, faces challenges in engaging and retaining its teenage customers.

This graduation project explores how Triodos Bank Netherlands can strengthen its relationship with current teenage customers, aged 10-18, to reduce customer outflow at age 18 and build long-term customer relationships. The project is guided by the following research questions:
RQ1: What does the financial landscape look like now and in the future, and what is Triodos Bank’s role and current strategy to retain teenagers aged 10–18?
RQ2: What are the current (financial) behaviours, experiences and challenges of teenagers aged 10–18, and how do these shape their relationship with money & their bank?
RQ3: How can insights from the first two research questions be translated into a design intervention that bridges teenagers’ financial experiences and Triodos’ sustainable banking mission?

This graduation project follows a triple diamond approach, switching between diverging and converging phases. To answer the research questions, multiple methods are applied. Desk research and internal analysis provided insight into the financial landscape and Triodos Bank’s current position and strategy. In addition, methodological triangulation, combining literature research, semi-structured interviews and generative design sessions, enabled a deep understanding of teenagers’ (financial) behaviour, values and needs.

The findings show that teenagers primarily interact with banking services in a functional and reactive way, with limited awareness of the broader impact of their financial choices. Although they express a growing interest in sustainability and future-oriented values, their behaviour is largely driven by convenience and short-term decision-making. Parents play a key role in shaping financial behaviour, while peers and the broader social context are highly important influencers of the lives of teenagers.

Based on these insights, the project defines a design goal aimed at strengthening the emotional relationship between teenagers and Triodos Bank by making the impact of money visible, understandable and personally meaningful. Using co-creation and gathering expert- and user feedback, this resulted in a two-layered final solution:
A redesigned banking app interface that integrates impact-driven features into everyday banking interactions, including a rewarding system that leverages partnerships with business banking clients of Triodos Bank, to increase motivation.
A proposal to increase brand awareness within teenagers’ social context through influencers as Triodos Bank ambassadors, acting as relatable role models.

The project concludes that Triodos Bank should reduce customer outflow at age 18, by strengthening emotional engagement with its teenage customers. This requires moving beyond a purely functional relationship by adding value to existing interactions within the banking app, while extending engagement beyond the app through increased visibility and relevance.

The final solution was validated on desirability, feasibility, viability and responsibility with both experts and the target group. While promising, it is not a fully finalised solution. Its effectiveness depends on integration within a broader strategy, including active marketing, continuous communication of the bank’s mission and ongoing optimisation. This project therefore provides a clear and well-founded direction for further development.