NIC Bank Group has announced that it will be the first bank in Kenya to launch an innovative social media banking platform, dubbed “NIC KONNECT”.
The platform will allow customers to use various social media platforms to securely access their banking services. This innovative mobile banking product will be available through Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.
Customers will be able to use a secure PIN to access mini statements, balance inquiry, airtime purchase, funds transfers and make utility payments.
More services like merchant payments, mobile money, cheque book and card ordering will be available through NIC KONNECT in the near future. Non-customers of NIC Bank will also be able to open accounts, find NIC ATMS and locate branches using NIC KONNECT.
“This new innovation is aimed at providing our customers with an easier point of interface with their bank. It is perfectly aligned with our MOVE to NOW philosophy through which we aim to provide our customers with multiple channels of access to our services, thereby creating greater convenience,” said NIC Group Managing Director John Gachora.
Gachora noted that this innovation was as a result of extensive market research which highlighted that Kenyans, especially the youth, are spending more time on social media platforms. There was thus need to interact with customers at their convenience, “where they are.”
NIC Bank has partnered with Craft Silicon to roll this out.
“We are very excited to work with NIC Bank to deliver this innovative solution to the Kenyan market,” said Craft Silicon CEO Kamal Budhabhatti.
Meanwhile, CfC Stanbic Bank has unveiled its first fully digital branch in Nairobi at the Garden City Mall. The branch which will operate 24 hours is expected to enhance customer experience and convenience on the backdrop of growing popularity and adoption of Digital Banking.
The new digital banking concept seeks to eliminate a big chunk of the manual operations through deployment of services to the mobile and web platforms. Among the services that will be offered digitally include; the origination of new accounts and instructions for customers, mobile and online registration and a cashless transaction capability.
