­The proportion of US credit card customers who use online channels to perform basic tasks continues to increase, with those who use a smartphone or tablet preferring different experiences from those who use a computer, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

During the past three years, credit card customers' usage rates for self-service interaction (online and mobile) with their card issuer have increased, while usage rates of all other channels, such as mail and live and automated phone calls, have decreased. Most notably, 78 percent of credit card customers use their computer to go online and interact with their issuer in 2012, compared with 76 percent in 2011 and 75 percent in 2010. Mobile phone usage has increased to 7 percent in 2012, compared with 4 percent in both 2011 and 2010.1

"Credit card companies need to look at the online and mobile spaces as areas of opportunity with their customers, as these are the only two interaction channels that have increased in usage," said Jim Miller, senior director of banking services at J.D. Power and Associates. "As the customer interaction landscape continues to change to include more avenues for self-service, it would be beneficial to ensure that the most preferred channels are taken into consideration."

The study finds that among credit card customers who use a smartphone, more prefer to use their issuer's dedicated app vs. the mobile website to change their account information (10% vs. 6%, respectively); review account information (27% vs. 18%, respectively); make a payment (19% vs. 13%, respectively); and transfer balances (14% vs. 8%, respectively).

Conversely, credit card customers who use a tablet prefer to use the issuer's website vs. the issuer's dedicated app to perform such routine tasks as changing their account information (13% vs. 10%, respectively); reviewing account information (27% vs. 21%, respectively); making a payment (20% vs. 14%, respectively); and transferring balances (13% vs. 10%, respectively).

"Credit card customers who use a tablet feel more comfortable with the size and the form of the tablet screen to carry out all tasks on the credit card issuer's full site," said Miller. "However, when using a smartphone, which has a smaller screen, the issuer-created app allows customers to quickly and more easily perform routine tasks."