The customer experience (CE) is the first line of defense in sustaining long-term customer relationships. A favorable CE is fundamental to building customer loyalty and improving customer retention. Better retention allows a financial services institution to spend time and effort achieving long-term growth objectives rather than replacing customers. This TowerGroup Research Note discusses the rising importance of the customer experience for achieving sustained growth in the financial services industry. The Note discusses the trends that drive CE as a major initiative in many FSIs and examines the future challenges of product and service delivery.