Number of App Users Expected to Soar Past 8 Million by 2018
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) now seeks to become the most admired bank, thus striving to respond to not just customers' needs but also their lifestyles in Thailand 4.0 Era. Leveraging today's best technology, SCB digital platform transforms itself to ensure solid stability, high security and easy scalability. It is well ready to fast accommodate any rapid expansion in the future. In a bid to serve customers new experiences, SCB brings Mobile Banking to the new height via the redesigned SCB EASY. This app now features several additional highlight features. Cardless ATM allows customers to make cash withdrawals (either by themselves or others) from any SCB ATM without the need to use an ATM card for as long as the withdrawer has a special code. Easy Bonus offers a range of lifestyle privileges and discounts to app users; and Easy App Protection provides up to Bt100,000 coverage in events that any damage arises from app usage. SCB expects the number of SCB EASY users to soar past eight million before the end of next year, ushering Thailand towards the cashless society in line with Thailand 4.0 National e-Payment plan.
Mr. Arthid Nanthawithaya, President and CEO, Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), says, "In the face of expanding digital trends across all industries and significant changes in people's financial-service-usage behaviors, commercial banks have to face changes. Definitely, we can no longer conduct our business in the same old way. At SCB, we make it a key mission to adapt and keep pace with the changing world. We have made a major investment in developing our infrastructure particularly our digital platform and in creating new customer experience. These strategic moves aim at boosting SCB potential and competitiveness towards our goal of becoming the Most Admired Bank".
"The launch of freshly-redesigned SCB EASY together with our new digital platform turns a new page in SCB history, as we move forward to become the ultimate lifestyle-banking provider. On the overall, SCB also sets a new standard of financial services for providers in the field and strengthens Thailand's banking/financial sector as they face non-bank competitors in the digital age. With SCB EASY functioning as fast, secure, stable and easily scalable banking app, SCB helps push Thailand towards the cashless society in line with the country's National e-Payment plan," Mr. Arthid adds.
Mr. Thana Thienachariya, Acting Chief Marketing Officer at SCB, says, "Today, consumers have spent most of their time on smartphones. In their eyes, it is boring to head to a bank branch just to conduct some financial transactions because it takes time traveling to the bank and queuing there, or filling documents. This explains why mobile banking has been expanding fast. According to the latest information from the Bank of Thailand, the number of mobile-banking accounts increased from 13.92 million at the end of 2015 to 20.8 million a year later. Pretty soon, mobile banking will become a major means of transactions for banks. SCB thus expects to boost the number of SCB EASY users to eight million before the end of 2018, from more than four million now. In early August, SCB EASY carried out more than one million transactions in one peak hour. It's three times higher from last year. This reflects that SCB EASY is popular among SCB customers".
"Understanding the various needs and complicated behaviors of customers, plus the creation of new customer experiences are now at the heart of bank businesses. They are the most important factor alongside technological development. So, we have developed the new version of 'SCB EASY' to ensure the app can be everything for its digital-age users. Customers can now experience the new user interface. More appealing and even friendlier to users, it leaps far away from the conventional design of a finance app. Thanks to the redesign, customers can conveniently personalize menu for quick access to frequently-used functions. The redesigned SCB EASY also comes with additional highlight features. Cardless ATM connects cash with the digital world, enabling customers to use the app in place of debit/ATM cards (with no inter-provincial ATM charges until the end of this year). Upon request, the app can give a six-digit PIN code to users for them to withdraw cash from any SCB ATM. At present, SCB boasts the biggest number of ATMs and the most comprehensive ATM network in the country. Cardless ATM is a perfect solution for the urgent cash need of customers who may have forgotten their ATM card or wallet. This feature, moreover, enables users to give cash to their beloved who may need to get quick cash. Their loved ones will be able to withdraw their cash from the nearest SCB ATM as soon as they are given the PIN code; Easy Bonus presents lifestyle privileges and discounts to SCB EASY users. For the first time ever, SCB EASY hands out rewards to those who make transactions, without requiring them to collect reward points. Easy App Protection is the additional assurance SCB has extended to its customers. On top of its strong and international-recognized standards of system security, SCB EASY now comes with the coverage of up to Bt100,000 for its service users in events any damage occurs as a result of stolen/lost phone, stolen identity documents/cards, hacking, and viruses/malware that steals sensitive information. SCB is now the first bank to have provided such coverage to app users. But there are much more to follow. Before the end of this year, you will see various new interesting features through SCB collaboration with business partners. Because of our well-designed infrastructure architecture, we can add more features real fast," Mr. Thana continues.
SCB EASY is now the lifestyle-banking application. Supported by the latest and most flexible technology, its "back-office system" or digital platform has the highest level of security, an ability to accommodate user growth, agility for fast and constant development of new services, plus solid stability. SCB has spent more than Bt4billion on revamping SCB EASY. Key components of the new SCB EASY are:
Backbase: It facilitates omni-channel experiences for smooth use of excellent services across all channels.
API Gateway: It prepares readiness for SCB EASY to connect with more service channels and business partners in the future.
Microservices architecture: It creates separate sections for different service systems so that any expansion or addition of features can be done independently and easily at each section, reducing the need to redo the whole structure.
Open standard technologies: They are chosen because they are now the best in the market, allow agility for constant service development, and boast high efficiency.
Data analytics stack: It is the brain that constantly monitors work systems in support of stability, security and user friendliness.
"SCB EASY now has much more than security, appealing interface and practical features. In a bid to raise the number of the app users, SCB offers special incentives too. New subscribers who pay a bill via SCB EASY just once will get 3GB of mobile data. Existing users of SCB EASY, meanwhile, can get one free Pon De Ring doughnut from Mister Donut for their sign-in (limited offer). Or, they can claim one complimentary movie ticket at any Major Cineplex, EGV or SF Cinema outlet when making three transfers/withdrawal/top-ups/payments via SCB EASY. To raise public awareness of the new SCB EASY, we prepare its grand launch, its road show to all areas of Bangkok, and the release of 'Be Everything for You' TVC so that we can communicate with all of our valued customers," Mr. Thana concludes.
The new version of SCB EASY is now available for download via both iOS and Android systems.