Online Banking vs. Traditional Banking

With the escalating popularity of the internet, an increasing number of industries are looking for methods to tap into this seamless medium in an attempt to keep up to date with the shifting technological penchant of their customers.

At present, just about anything can be done online with the remaining possibilities burgeoning by the day. The potential of the internet is ostensibly infinite and the banking industry decided it was not going to be left in the lurch.

Whilst the majority of people are familiar with the presence of online banking it is more than likely a large number of them have yet to have used it. This could very well be due to the fact that more than often we seem to find added comfort in working with real people and actual paper when dealing with matters related to money, as opposed to doing transactions in the seemingly aloof realm of cyberspace.

Despite personal preferences, online banking and traditional banking both have their pros and cons.

Pros and Prospects

First of all, online banking boasts noteworthy expedience and pragmatism. When you use online banking, checking account details, scheduling payments and dealing with deposits, can all be done with a mere few clicks of the mouse.

If you have upcoming payments due, scheduling multiple instalments in advance can be easily managed online, in retrospect to the sometimes gruelling task of keeping up to date with paper statements. When banking online, specified amounts and the required dates of payments are automatically processed and sent accordingly by the bank on your behalf.

Travelling to the bank to ask for a financial statement is also not necessary; it can be downloaded from your online bank account which allows you see updated figures.

A lucrative benefit of internet banking is that it is cost-effective. A myriad of customers can be dealt with immediately. Hence, there is no need to have an unnecessary amount of staff. Subsequently, a considerable amount of administrative work is reduced from internet banking. Overheads on paper slips, forms and even seemingly trivial expenditures such as bank stationery have declined, ultimately helping increase the banks profit margin by a startling amount.

It is not essential to visit the local bank when applying for a loan as this too can be done online. The same applies to buying or selling stock as well as opening new bank accounts and closing old accounts. All of which being equally achievable as the more traditional procedures but without the tiresome paperwork clients had become accustomed to over time. More than ever this particular technological trend toward loans, insurance and banking is on the rise, mostly due to the acceptance of digital signatures around the globe.

Dont Bank on It Being a Realm With No Shortcomings

For the majority of people the key issue is trust, or more correctly said, a lack of trust. Customers find themselves speculating over whether their transactions went through successfully or worrying that they clicked on the wrong button. Printing the transaction receipt as a routine practice is a pre-eminent method for overcoming such unease. By doing so, you can keep the receipt while waiting to receive confirmation that your transaction has been implemented successfully through notification in your bank statement or your online account.

Even though online banking provides a simpler means for managing your finances, it may be easier to keep up-to-date with your financial statements for budgeting purposes. The reason for this is online banking is similar in nature to credit cards; with easy access and it being so simple to use, it becomes easier to spend your money without any judgement on the reasons why you are spending in the first place.

An option for countering such trends and inclinations is to set up e-mail alerts which inform you when your account dips below a specified margin, however nothing is more effective than seeing it for yourself on paper or keeping your checkbook balanced.

In addition, receiving a credit card statement in the post and opening it on a monthly basis is an instant reminder to check if there are any strange or out of the ordinary charges appearing on your account. It is far more likely to forget to keep track of such information online therefore you should strive to have good money management skills.

Security

Hackers are able to break into virtually any computer system, so you cant really be too sure that they wont break into your banks system. Nevertheless, any online banking site you consider using should have statements on the type of security they use. It is also advised to email the bank or head down to your nearest branch to enquire and find out exactly what would happen if there were a security breach; if their answer sounds vague stress the point that you want more clarity on the topic or alternatively go to another bank.

The advantages and disadvantages of online banking are both equally persuasive it makes life simpler for some people, forthrightly being a better way to bank. For other people it may be slightly more complex and utterly intimidating. This is why a great deal of people are now using an amalgam of both internet banking and physical banking. While banking online does not seem to be as tangible as physically depositing money at your local bank branch you can still do almost anything with online banking.

Arguably, the greatest benefits of online banking are the time and money you save. In the light of these two perceptions, more and more banks are offering internet banking as a feasible option for their customers.

At the end of the day, online banking makes life easier for the customers and bank employees alike.