Schwab Study Finds That One in Three Investors Will Adopt Technology at a Faster Rate to Manage Finances Post-Pandemic - Seite 2

While the pandemic forced more investors to manage their finances through technology, many plan to continue conducting a range of financial activities digitally after the pandemic subsides – such as using payment apps (46%), using online tools and apps to manage personal finances (39%), and using virtual meetings to connect with a financial advisor (23%).

In contrast, investors want to lean on human financial professionals when their finances get complicated. Most investors agree that it is very important to have access to a professional when they have questions (59%), for periodic or ongoing guidance (51%), or when the stock market has large gains or drops (50%). In fact, investors would seek guidance from a financial advisor over any other resource (e.g., financial websites, influencers, friends/family) if the stock market significantly dropped (40%). Additionally, investors’ trust in a financial firm is also impacted by whether they have access to service in-person – such as a branch (96% agree).

Investors also feel that human financial professionals do it best when it comes to complex tasks such as:

• Giving financial advice (78%)
• Providing customer support on account questions (76%)
• Understanding an investor’s entire financial situation (72%)
• Creating a personalized investment portfolio (69%) or financial plan (66%)

Generation Investor (Gen I) is tech savvy but demands much more than an easy investing app

During the uncertainty of a global pandemic and waves of market volatility in 2020, an influx of first-time investors got into the market. This cohort – which Schwab dubbed Generation Investor (Gen I) – makes up 15 percent of U.S. stock market investors according to previous Schwab data.

The new study affirms that Gen I is a rapid adopter of technology when compared to ‘seasoned investors’ (those who began investing before 2020). Most of Gen I (74%) thinks they can have a personal relationship with a financial company by interacting with them only through a mobile app or online, and they rely on technology to manage their finances in many ways:

	Gen I	Seasoned Investors
Anticipates adopting technology to manage money at faster rate than pre-pandemic	45%	29%
Thinks they will manage their investment portfolios entirely through technology within one year