Modern Trend of Banking Through Mobile Application Development

The technology of internet banking gave customer’s anytime access to their banks. Customer’s could check out their account details, get their bank statements, perform transactions like transferring money to other accounts and pay their bills sitting comfortably in their homes and offices.

However the biggest limitation of Internet banking was the requirement of a PC with an Internet connection, not a huge difficulty if we look at the US and the European countries, but definitely a big barrier if we consider most of the developing countries of Asia like China and India. Mobile banking addresses this basic limitation of Internet Banking, as it reduces the customer requirement to just a mobile phone.

Initially the web development companies focused on the mobile games. It took some period for developing mobile applications for the banks. Most of the people with the internet connection on their desktop PC and laptops had got used to operate the accounts from their homes or offices. Now that the banks have started offering services with the help of web development India, the accounts can be handled from the smartphones.

In earlier days websites were designed to be compatible with the browsers and the hardware features of the desk top PC and lap tops. The screen of the monitor is much larger than that of the mobile phone. The resolution also differs. When the website cannot be displayed properly on the screen of the mobile phone, the person seeing it will not be interested in that website and never going to buy anything through that website. This is the reason why web application development services need to be availed and get the website designed in such a way that is correctly displayed on the screen of the monitor. The image resolution also needs to be higher.

Online banking is one such group that is fast finding its way in mobile devices. The applications accessible today for the banking sector are quite sophisticated. While some offer the same features as that are available for online banking, other applications are aiming to offer increased functionality.

Even with the potentially high cost of mobile banking application development, banks across the world are conscious that flexibility and convenience are what customers want, and they are responding with a variety of options for banking. Mobile banking is perhaps the most widely available of these choices.

Mobile banking has become really popular owing to the benefits that it offers its customers. You can access your account, pay bills, and make cash transfers through cell phone banking. It offers many benefits over internet banking and banking in person. With the extensive range of mobile connectivity, mobile banking through cell phone can be accessed by anyone.

The challenge for developers focusing on mobile banking applications is to address the security concerns, as these concerns are limiting mobile banking development. If mobile applications for the banking sector are made hazard free and the security concerns are sufficiently addressed then, it can bring about a foremost change in the way we bank.

The Challenges of Banking Outsourcing

Banking has been a very traditional and conservative sector in any country. For ages, generations after generations, have been loyal to a particular bank that their families have been associated with. Whether it is the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds TSB in the UK or American Express and Capital One in the US, people stay loyal to their banking partners.

The banking industry in the west took a huge risk in the last decade by using countries like India, China and the Philippines to outsource their banking and financial services. For banks, it was a step in the right direction to reduce the number of customers walking into their branches, the number of calls taken by banking executives at the branch and reduce the work load on their existing call centres.

They wanted to reduce costs of employing more people to cater to their ever increasing base of customers and provide better services to their customers besides gaining a competitive edge. For customers who have been used to traditional methods of banking such as visiting their nearest branch, were exposed to new and state of the art technologies. IT and IT enabled banking services were the new age success mantra for most banks in Europe and the Americas.

The focus of banks that outsourced parts of their business to other countries was to reduce costs and increase profits. Though their approach was cautious, there were loop holes in their strategy. AMEX was one of the first banks to set shop in India in the late 90s. Theirs was a captive centre. However over the years, more and more BPOs have shown their capability in handling banking and financial services with greater efficiency and effectiveness.

For customers of these banks, the challenge was conquering their fears of a stranger in a distant country having access to their account information and the mistrust in their ability to provide solutions. Besides, there were language and accent issues.

Some customers generally called their banks and surpassed the IVR to speak to an agent as they were not very comfortable dealing with a machine and others demanded speaking to their branch in their own country. Such issues lead to delays in service. This led to dissatisfaction amongst customers and forced many to choose banks that hadnt outsourced their work and catered to their needs from within the country.

Data security was also one the major concerns for banks. More than customers, banks have found themselves living on the edge with account details made accessible to BPOs in other countries. With data theft being a reality in countries like India, China and Japan, it was a proven fact that banking outsourcing wasnt foolproof.

For banks it may result in large law suits and a decrease in their customer base. Banks also had their reputation at stake. The third party vendors may follow practices that may be inconsistent with the policies and practices of the bank. Besides the political, social, legal and physical climate of the outsourcing country may impact banking services.

The currency war and its effect on the banking system

The currency war and its effect on the banking system will be determined after the meeting in Washington is concluded. With the Chinese president meeting with President Obama in the White House, the hot topic is trade and the dispute over currency manipulation.

What is apparent to the world is that both nations are currently, and have in the past, manipulated their currency value to favor trade for their respective nations. This has not stopped both nations from blaming each other on this topic. The US has been a world power for over 100 years now and has used a heavy stick for most of it. Congress still thinks this approach will work and are furious with China for not giving in on this matter.

Congress has gone so far with this attitude that they are debating legislation demanding punishment against China for manipulating their currency and making it harder for US goods to be sold in China. This big stick, like the one Teddy Roosevelt used when he was a Rough Rider, will not work any longer. China has the economy with double digit growth, while America is new double digit unemployment.

The current bank rates in America are near record lows while China has to raise their interest rates to stave off inflation. This, along with their military power, America needs to tread cautiously and not like a bull in a china shop.

China has asked to be treated as an equal. If this does not occur, then the currency war and its effect on the banking system in America will not be favorable for our economy or the world. Obama, put the stick down and be the salesman America knows you are. It is how you got into the White House.

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