The majority (54%) of finance brands are optimising for mobile search and a high percentage (62%) also have a click-to-call functionality on their mobile friendly website.

I checked out NatWest, Bupa and Hiscox to find out what they are doing that makes them stand out above the crowd…

NatWest

As a NatWest customer I can vouch for the fact that it has an excellent mobile app.

It offers limited functionality, but it’s perfect for banking while on-the-go. Users can check their balance, make a payment or transfer money between accounts.

There is also a GPS store locator tool if users need to find their local branch or a cash point.

The UX is excellent and personally I find it to be one of the most useful apps that I currently have on my phone.

       

The NatWest website doesn’t live up to these high standards however, as it’s only partly optimised for mobile.

For example, the NatWest.com homepage and the mortgages section revert to the desktop site, but then the savings and ISAs sections are mobile optimised. Furthermore, all the various application forms have to be filled in on the desktop site.

It results in a very disjointed user journey as there’s no consistency as you navigate around the site.

       

This strategy strikes me as being a bit odd, though it could be that some of the category pages were prioritised for mobile optimisation based on the level of mobile traffic that they received.

Bupa

Bupa has several different mobile apps, most of which can be downloaded by members and non-members alike.

For example there’s the Health Finder app that includes a library of different medical conditions, a step-by-step guide for making a claim with Bupa, and a tool for locating the nearest medical facility.

It’s all useful stuff and the app design is decent, though it would be improved if some of the buttons were a bit larger.

       

Bupa also has a ‘Walk Your Way’ app that is available to everyone and allows users to track their walks in order to help with fitness goals.

However it seems to be aimed at the Asian market and required access to my Facebook data, so I wasn’t keen on signing up.

Unlike NatWest, Bupa’s entire mobile site is mobile optimised and provides an excellent overall user experience.

It allows visitors to access relevant information on Bupa’s health insurance products for both personal and business needs.

       

There’s also a useful click-to-call button that appears at the top of every page so people can easily get in touch to request more information.

A new study from Google shows how popular click-to-call is on mobile, so Bupa has clearly designed the site around mobile user behaviours.

Hiscox

The Hiscox Informed app is a content marketing initiative aimed at SMEs that curates a selection of relevant business news and articles.

The functionality is very simple – users just choose from the latest news or a specific category such as ‘Innovation’ or ‘Mentor’, then swipe through the available news stories until they find one of interest.

It’s a neat little app that should appeal to Hiscox’s target audience.

Hiscox also has a Home Contents Calculator app that allows users to record the value of their possessions so they can ensure that they have the right level of insurance cover. Unfortunately it’s only available on iPhone so I couldn’t download it.

       

Hiscox also has a mobile site, though it doesn’t always recognise mobile visitors for some reason.

When I visited the site via search or by typing in the Hiscox.co.uk domain I was directed to the desktop version, however when I clicked on the link within the company’s app it directed me to the mobile version.

That aside, the site is well-tailored to mobile users as it gives a brief outline of each of the insurance products alongside a bright red click-to-call button.