Video tellers won't be the face of branch banking anytime soon.

Assisted self-service remains a polarizing topic in retail banking, with fewer deployments than many expected. Is there a future for assisted self-service in North American bank branches? If so, where will it show up?

Once considered heresy by many banks, branch assisted self-service is emerging as a mechanism for institutions to balance customer experience and cost of delivery — inside the branch, in the vestibule, in the drive-through, and at remote locations. Moreover, institutions now have a wide range of compelling options compared to just several years ago. Now, many solutions combine efficient self-service capability with seamless staff assistance options available for customers on demand, using either laptops for in-person assistance or video for remote assistance. But, adoption has been tepid. What gives? Celent unpacks the many demand-limiting factors that have slowed adoption of in-branch assisted self-service and why its use will continue to remain sluggish in most markets.