Develop an award winning mobile banking experience

As consumers become more and more comfortable with mobile banking, which banks are winning the mobile banking race when it comes to delivering a top customer experience whilst other struggle? What do you need to do in order to compete successfully?

A recent study by Forrester found that US banks are at the top when it comes to mobile banking. They examined the mobile banking activities of 15 of the biggest banks in North America, Western Europe, and Australia.

As expected, the UK lags behind as the US and Europe take the lead largely due to the UK being slow to embark on mobile banking services. Chase bank has taken top spot with La Caixa in Europe taking 2nd place. Other US and Canadian banks scoring highly were Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and RBC. Canadian bank ING Direct were also recognised recently for their mobile banking experience on Blackberry as they won the BlackBerry Achievement Award in the 'Putting Customers First' category.

So what are the gold plated mobile banking features?

1. Access mobile banking across a wide range of devices
2. Multiple ways to carry out mobile banking 
3. Proactive banking alerts 
4. Allowing customers to manage payments 
5. Person to person payments 
6. Advanced functionality 
7. Tailor customers' mobile banking experience

You will find that all of these banks will offer customers the ability to sign up for mobile banking from a range of devices such as the popular smartphone, android, iPad and Blackberry. This is important as you do not want to exclude any of your customers and not everyone uses a smartphone. You need to consider your audience - who are they, where are they - and think about what devices they will most likely use to access mobile banking.

The majority of banks above are also offering customers the opportunity to carry out mobile banking across text, mobile sites and various apps. This allows customers to choose a platform which suits them, giving a more tailored service.

Proactive banking alerts are also being offered by some banks where SMS alerts are sent when account balances reach a certain threshold for example. A study by Varolii found almost 2 in 3 people in the US felt their bank was responsible for notifying them instantly when funds were low or there was not enough in the account to cover a bill. Proactive alerts can be a strong tool for raising the customer service and developing deeper relationships with customers.

Mobile banking payments is an area where much development is being undertaken. Many banks are allowing customers to manage payments from a mobile device but not all will allow you to set up the payee, amend and cancel payments and set up future payments. Giving customers this type of freedom greatly enhances their banking experience and allows the bank to cut transaction costs considerably.

Person to person payments using just a mobile number or the individual's email address is very novel and exciting. This is very important as using a mobile to carry out banking activities does create some difficulties as screens and keys are considerably smaller. Trying to find and type in a person's account number and other details required is a more time consuming process which can often be frustrating as you may type in the wrong details due to buttons being smaller (as I do)! Simply needing an email address or phone number makes the whole process easier and more enjoyable, creating a happy banking customer.

Advanced functionality can help you differentiate your bank from others and give a clear motivator for customers to choose your bank. One of the hottest topics at the moment is mobile cheque deposits as banks begin to launch this service to their customers. This service allows customers to use their mobile to deposit a cheque into their account - cutting out the need to visit a branch and wait in a queue - they can now deposit a cheque at the touch of a button. For everyday consumers, this may not be an exciting feature but for businesses where cheques are a more common form of payments, this is a real time saver and can enhance their loyalty to the bank.

La Caixa has tailored the mobile banking experience for customers by allowing them to modify the landing screen on their iPhone app. This can help customers feel special and appreciated, creating a stronger bond between customers and the bank. Are there opportunities for you to tailor mobile banking services for customers?

If you have any other features or services which you believe are crucial in delivering an enjoyable mobile banking experience, please get in touch and let us know. Alternatively, please visit our Solution Planner to discover other innovative mobile banking uses.

For further information regarding HSL, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter @hslmobile, Facebook or Google+

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605 260

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

Treat yourself with more sales this Christmas

In a world where people are watching their pennies more and more, retailers are having to work harder to survive. The festive period is fast becoming a crucial time for many retailers to increase sales as shoppers come out in force.

When it comes to buying, online and mobile are fast becoming the channels of choice for shoppers. A recent article in the Guardian, Mobile phones are changing the world of retail – at a remarkable speed, stated that the retail industry is going through a ‘revolution’ as mobile changes the way shoppers find and buy products and services. One of the major reasons for shoppers increasing their use of mobile is because of the sheer convenience of it – customers can buy whenever they want, from wherever they are. And let’s not forget that we can now obtain a wealth of information about the product or service and find out who is selling at the cheapest price – which is paramount in the current climate we live in. There is a growing trend where people are actually using their mobile phone whilst in shops to go online and check reviews and prices!

This Christmas researchers are predicting that mobile will continue to have a dramatic impact on sales. Whilst The Independent reports that Deloitte is expecting consumers to spend £330m straight from their smartphones, a huge £3.2 billion of Christmas sales is claimed to be influenced by smartphones as shoppers use their mobile phones to investigate prices, save their Christmas gift buying lists and interact with others over social media. Colin Jeffrey, the head of multichannel retail at Deloitte, asserted: "The strongest growth will be found online, with purchases completed on mobile phones double or even triple that of last year. It is also going to be a click-and-collect Christmas with those retailers who have invested in this service set to do well as these customers spend more and collections drive footfall into stores."

How to Increase 2012 Christmas Sales

1. Get with it - Develop a mobile friendly site

You must have a mobile friendly website. The ultimate aim for any retailer should be to make it as easy as possible for customers to find information and buy products and services. With shoppers increasingly using mobile, a mobile friendly site will help you gain visits to your website, encourage shoppers to stay and look around and help turn those visits into customers.

It is important to consider the buying experience when shoppers visit your website using a mobile. For example, it can often be more difficult to find information as screens are smaller and connection speeds can vary. Therefore, it is crucial that you ensure your content is mobile friendly on different mobile devices by making the site more simple with easy navigation and tabs. You can read further at Mobile Commerce Daily.

2. Finders keepers - Gift finder apps

Consider developing apps as they can be a very effective way to increase mobile usage. An app which we came across this Christmas and may be useful to consider is a 'gift finder' app. This could enable customers to sync their phone book to make gift lists and link with products and services. You could also highlight popular products and services through 'top gift ideas' and allow multiple delivery options to make it more friendly and convenient for the user. If you have a physical store, it is also worthwhile allowing shoppers to scan items when in store and add to gift list.

This can be an effective way to make yourself stand out from the crowd and drive customers to your store.

3. Who are you? - Know your audience

Shoppers are still being cautious when it comes to spending. Therefore it’s crucial that you know your customers well and meet their expectations. For example, will shoppers be entering your website from a smartphone or an iPad? Will they be wary about buying online from a mobile? These answers will impact on your website and whether you offer other ways to buy to ensure you do not lose sales.

Understanding the answers to key questions such as these will help determine the customer experience you deliver and influence your website design, navigation and layout.

4. Get to grips - Handle customer demand.

Capgemini is advising retailers that key dates to look out for are the two weeks beginning the 3rd and the 10th December as £920 million is expected to be spent using mobile. It is vital that you are able to process orders and meet delivery dates.

Therefore, plan ahead to ensure you have the necessary resources and infrastructure in place to handle customer demand.

5. Talk is cheap - Communicate, communicate and communicate!

An effective way to deliver great customer service and make sure your customers are having the best experience when reviewing and buying your products and services, is by communicating with shoppers throughout the buying process.

A quick and way to achieve this is via SMS communications. Retailers can use SMS to notify customers when orders are complete, due to arrive and have arrived as well as alerts on other products or services helping generate further revenue.

Message to retailers

Ensure you are not left behind the mobile trend. Tailor your website so it is mobile friendly, easy to navigate and allows customers to locate what they are looking for this Christmas. For more information about HSL's mobile messaging solutions, please see our Solutions and APIs.

Alternatively, visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com

Top Tips for Flyers!

Mobile technology is transforming the airline industry making travelling more efficient, convenient and a much more pleasant experience from beginning to end.

Before you even begin your journey, you can use your mobile to research and plan your trip to make the most of ‘dead’ time such as when you’re on the bus to work or waiting for someone to arrive. Once you know where and when you want to go, you can use your mobile to book flights and manage your booking from here - meaning you can access the booking at anytime!

SMS alerts are being used by airlines to send a variety of information to passengers and you should check what type of alerts is available. For example, you may be able to receive alerts instantly when seats become available helping ensure you travel with your companions. Other useful alerts include notifications regarding flight changes as this can help you manage knock on delays on other activities such as arriving to business meetings and catching connecting flights. SMS is therefore ideal as passengers can be notified immediately regarding updates to flights or services even if they are on the move and do not have access to a computer or internet link.

One of the most wearisome aspects of travelling that mobile technology is helping to reduce is the length of time spent waiting in queues as this may result in missed flights. Therefore, the ability to actually check in online or through your own mobile helps reduce waiting times, stress levels and produce much more happy travellers!

The Financial reports that according to J.D. Power & Associates’ 2012 North America Airline Satisfaction Study digital check-ins are now becoming so popular they are already showing signs of maturity, and mobile check-in adoption rates are advancing quickly.

However, they outline a different study by SITA and Airline Business which shows only half of airlines are offering mobile check-in services for their customers. Nonetheless, it is worthwhile finding out if your airline offers mobile check-in as it will allow you to check in wherever you are which is particularly useful when you are on the move! 

Even better, Fox Business outline another study by SITA in which they state 15% of air travellers will use a mobile phone to not only check in at the airport but also to attain an electronic mobile boarding pass by 2014. This means that you no longer have to use the self service kiosks to print tickets or print them at home and then keep the boarding pass somewhere safe - helping simplify the whole process and make it speedier.

It’s also worthwhile looking out for new technology developments which are helping streamline and enhance the airline experience. For example, Fox Business highlight that Near Field Communication is beginning to be used for electronically storing and accessing all travel documents without needing to connect via the Internet such as e-Passports, e-Visas, baggage receipts and immigration forms. SAS Scandinavian Airlines is reported as already using this technology.

Another trend to watch out for is in-flight entertainment packages. The Financial claims they are proving to be hugely popular for travellers but although it creates massive advertising opportunities they are expensive for airlines to install and update which is affecting adoption rates.

More recently, we are starting to see airlines introduce in-flight mobile services allowing passengers to use mobiles for sending messages and checking email for example. However, be wary as tariffs may be higher!

So what can you do to make your trip more convenient and pleasant? Use our top tips below and check with your airline to ensure these services are available!

Top Tips for Flyers 

1. Make most of dead time - research and plan trip via mobile
2. Access information anytime - book and manage booking using your mobile 
3. Sit with travelling companions - sign up for SMS updates on available seats 
4. Manage potential delays via SMS flight alerts 
5. Save time using mobile check-in 
6. Use convenient and fast electronic mobile boarding passes 
7. Check and see if in-flight mobile services are available and check tariffs

Further examples on how mobile messaging services can help the transport industry can be found on our website at http://www.hslsms.com/sectors/transport-and-logistics/.

Alternatively, visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com

How do you get yours?

It’s 17:10 on a Monday evening and you are just about to leave the office. Most of your colleagues have already left and as you check your inbox one last time you notice an email from your manager advising, “The office will be closed to all staff tomorrow morning due to emergency building repairs. Please communicate this to all staff immediately.”  You instantly reach for the telephone but then realise most staff left at 17:00 and that there are hundreds of them to contact. You first panic, then after taking a minute to let your blood pressure normalise, consider sending out an email to all staff; it’s quick and easy to do but not even half of your staff have access to work emails from home and the half of those that do, probably won't. In fact, according to Phonedog, "email sit unread for an average of 48 hours before being read while SMS messages are usually opened only four minutes after being sent".

It’s at that moment when you remember a text alerting service which the comms or marketing or some other department recently adopted for sending out customer service updates. "The proportion of adults who personally own/use a mobile phone in the UK is 92%," according to Ofcom and as all members of staff have already given their contact mobile number, you realise that this would be the ideal communication tool to use. You quickly scroll through your emails and call through to the marketing department who confirm that the service is active and that you can use it. They make a small change to the set up to allow you access and a few minutes later you have sent out a text to all members of staff advising of the office closure, what to do instead and also asking staff to acknowledge receipt of the message by replying with their name.

You then leave the office, safe in the knowledge that your colleagues will receive the notification and that you will be able to easily check the replies against the list of staff the message was sent to.

This is just one example of how using texting (SMS) alerts for emergency communications can work and can be quicker and slicker than other forms of communication. Texting can actually be applied in a host of situations and by all company departments whether that be updating field staff, sending out IT alerts or notifying customers that their product is available or tracking where the delivery is.

HSL have an excellent text alert solution for time sensitive communications which is known as AlertBroadcast. Put simply, the solution will enable you to text a number of contacts quickly, reliably and also offers the ability for contacts to reply back to the message sender thus confirming receipt and correct comprehension of the message. Alertbroadcast is therefore cost-effective, fast and quite simply works. In fact, a number of HSL clients have been benefiting from the solution for years. For example, Dartmoor Search and Rescue have used the solution for over 5 years and have found it to be “extremely reliable”. Likewise Newmont Mining Corporation have commented that “the technology helps the warnings to be more immediate and effective in alerting our communities and staff in case of an emergency".

To find out more about how AlertBroadcast works and how it could improve your company communications view our AlertBroadcast page. If you’d like to test the solution for yourself, contact us and we’ll set you up with a free test account so that you can see the benefits in action for yourself.

Alternatively, visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com

Why SMS should be used for emergency communications

There has been much debate lately regarding the suitability of SMS for emergency communications. SMS is now being successfully used by emergency services, councils and also by rescue teams within the UK. Critics would argue that SMS can be subject to external factors and supplier issues such as poor network coverage, low quality supplier routes and low redundancy on the part of your SMS service provider. However recent research from Ofcom shows that SMS remains the most popular form of communication for mobile users in the UK. The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) has additionally stated that there are more mobile phones in the world than there are toothbrushes and as we know SMS messages are normally delivered within a handful of seconds, it is easy to see why SMS should be considered for emergency communications.

Whilst there is not much to be done to avoid external factors such as the mobile handset being switched off, suppliers can at least ensure that the service they offer is of a high quality and therefore eliminate other concerning issues.

As part of our enterprise solutions we offer a critical alerting tool called AlertBroadcast which is ideal for time-sensitive messaging. The technology behind our AlertBroadcast solution is based on our highly capable and resilient SMS delivery infrastructure which includes using established mobile operators alongside our own technology. This enables us to provide enterprises with not only a cost-effective but also a highly robust service, offering 99.9% service availability.

HSL's AlertBroadcast solution is technically sophisticated, but simply put, it provides customers with an easy to manage two-way SMS alert system between a controller and contacts. The controller simply sends an SMS message from their mobile handset to a dedicated mobile number provided by HSL and the message is then forwarded on automatically to the designated group of contacts. The controller and contact lists can be set up remotely and can be quickly amended to ensure that the most up to date contact details are used at all times.

This solution is ideal for using in an emergency situation or when information is needed quickly as it enables customers to quickly and reliably send critical SMS alerts to employees, team members, suppliers or partners. Additionally, the controller can also request a response from the contacts within their broadcast message. By requesting the response and receiving the reply, the controller can be confident that the message has been delivered on time to the contact and interpreted correctly by the recipient (which is crucial if the recipient is acting upon instructions).

AlertBroadcast is an effective tool and is already used by a number of our clients for updating staff with important company information such as alerting mine employees of impending tsunamis and tropical cyclones and also providing time sensitive updates to search and rescue staff in the field.

To read further examples of how HSL's AlertBroadcast solution can be applied in your enterprise and used for emergency communications, please view our AlertBroadcast page.

Alternatively, visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com

How can SMS help agricultural growth?

One of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today is changeable weather conditions. An extreme case was experienced recently in the UK where drought was declared in many of the UK's largest wheat growing regions in England. Then just a few weeks later this was followed by one of the wettest months on record and even led to a number of flood warnings.

Changes in weather conditions like this can have a huge impact on crops, pricing and wildlife and ultimately curb agricultural growth. With weather conditions becoming more extreme and varied these days, it is becoming more apparent that we need more accurate and timely information.

SMS alerts are proving to be a very useful tool to overcome these challenges within agriculture. For example, Makerere University illustrates how farmers in Uganda have dealt with problems of drought by developing a mobile-based early warning system and sending SMS alerts about the availability of water. This is expected to help farmers reduce lost cattle and increase milk production. Elsewhere, SMS message alerts are being used to send information on current weather conditions to improve crop yields.These types of alerts can send much needed information instantly, accurately and reliably which can significantly help farmers to plan ahead and respond to changing conditions much more quickly and effectively.

Fluctuating pricing is also causing havoc as farmers find it more and more difficult to get the best price in different markets. However, text alerts can give farmers current pricing information straight to their mobile handset. The International Telecommunication Union reports that farmers in India and Ghana are already using message alerts for these purposes and are achieving better pricing as a result.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations have also reported that fishermen are using SMS not only for pricing information but also for information on supply and demand within markets. This is allowing them to reduce waste substantially and even sell supplies whilst still out at sea! SMS text alerts are clearly proving to be a really valuable communication tool for farmers and fishermen as they are able to receive the crucial information they need quickly and reliably.

Given all the benefits of using SMS within agriculture, it is surprising that it is being adopted by the UK at a considerably slower pace than overseas markets, especially considering some of the extreme weather we have been witnessing recently. A survey conducted by Farmers Weekly concluded that 56% of farmers could not live without their mobile phones, which again highlights the enormous potential for SMS communications to be used widely within this sector.

At HSL, we have been providing SMS services since 1999 and agriculture is one of the many sectors which we serve. For further information on how HSL’s mobile messaging services can help you, please visit our website at http://www.hslsms.com/sectors/agriculture/.

Alternatively, visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com

How are Airlines benefitting from mobile technology?

The use of mobile technology within enterprises is becoming more commonplace and one interesting case is how it is being adopted by airlines. Many airlines are now seeing the potential business benefits for SMS use within the travel industry with one of the main benefits of using SMS being cost efficiencies. Given the ever increasing price of fuel, costs are clearly a prime concern for this sector.

As such airlines are now introducing technology to various stages of the journey to improve efficiency. Mobile ticketing is being used as a means of streamlining the check in procedure resulting in fewer staff being required and generally speeding up the process – a benefit to both airlines and passengers.

Mobile technology, and SMS in particular, can also be used to enhance the passenger experience in other ways. Passengers want assurance from their chosen airline that they will arrive at their destination on time as scheduled. As such any planned or unexpected interruptions to their travel could cause not only a delay in their arrival but also have knock on effects to further activities, for instance, holidays, business meetings or connecting flights. Therefore it is crucial for passengers to be alerted to any changes to their schedule and to receive this time sensitive information as and when it is generated. SMS is therefore the ideal solution for airlines to communicate flight or service information updates as it provides immediate notifications to passengers. It can be easily used by airlines to update passengers on the move who may not have access to a computer or internet link but most likely will be carrying their mobile phones.

SMS is also used within airports for system monitoring. SMS alerts can be generated and sent to warn staff of system failures or downtime. In addition to this, SMS is also being used for communication between employees within airports and airlines.

When you take into account the requirement for increasing cost efficiencies, coupled with the pressure from passengers to constantly review and improve airlines services, it is of no surprise that SMS is taking off within airlines as they adopt mobile technology into their business not only for mobile ticketing but also for improving the passenger experience itself.

SMS is discreet and perfect for travellers on the move and considering the high read rates for SMS, airlines can rest assured that updating passengers by SMS is an effective and receptive method for receiving flight and travel information.

HSL have been providing SMS services since 1999 and the travel industry is one of the many sectors which we serve. Further information on our mobile messaging services for the transport industry can be found on our website at http://www.hslsms.com/sectors/transport-and-logistics/.

Alternatively, visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com

Business continuity: communicating with staff via text

Is your business prepared for disaster?

Perhaps you run a transport firm, and heavy snow is disrupting some routes. Maybe you are a city office manager, trying to contact staff during a terrorist alert. Or maybe you are in charge of operations at a large legal firm, trying to get things moving after a fire at your head office.

Whatever your business, you will find it difficult to function in a crisis situation if you have not planned your responses in advance.

Business continuity plans are an increasingly important part of running an organisation: in fact new research from the British Insurance Brokers’ Association and the Cabinet Office has revealed that having such a plan is likely to stop businesses failing after a major disruption such as a flood or fire.

Business continuity plans require firms to think through all the issues that could affect them, and to put in place systems and procedures to resolve any difficulties. Key areas to consider include:

· premises;

· equipment and machinery;

· people;

· transport; and

· communication

Communication is clearly a major issue in the three scenarios mentioned earlier. In each case those in charge need to contact a large number of people in a short space of time, providing warnings, information and instructions.

Text alerts are the obvious solution, as they allow messages to be sent instantly - and en masse - to individuals and groups of people around the country.

SMS messaging also has the advantage of being cost effective and, because it doesn't transmit over voice channels, will work at times of crisis - when the phone lines and mobile voice networks are likely to be jammed.

For more information on mobile messaging solutions visit us at:

http://www.linkedin.com/company/hay-systems-ltd

follow us on Twitter @HSLSMS

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605 260

or email us at sales@haysystems.com