Surprisingly for a community bank, City Bank, a $1.9 billion institution in Lubbock, Tex., offers a few wrinkles in its recently updated mobile banking app that we haven't seen elsewhere.
The app lets users turn their debit card "off" if they think their card has been lost or stolen. "If you wake up in the morning and don't know where your debit card is, or if you've misplaced it, you can log onto the mobile app and turn your debit card off," says Jim Simpson, vice president of IT. "Then if you find the card later in the day, you can log back into the mobile app and turn the card back on. You're able to avoid calling an 800 number and going through all sorts of manual steps to do the same thing."
The software lets customers look up interest earned on their account, as well as current balance and recent transactions, for its Rewards checking account. It lets customers who need extra help tap on a "contact" button that automatically dials the bank's contact center.
The contact button is one example of how the app makes good use of icons as a navigational device. There are also icons for viewing accounts, seeing transaction history, transfering funds between accounts, locating a branch or ATM, sharing information, changing settings and for receiving automated help.
City Bank's app is based on software from Malauzai and runs on Android and iPhone devices. The bank also offers browser-based mobile banking through an outsourcing arrangement with Jack Henry. The bank plans to add features such as peer-to-peer payment, enhanced user interfaces, and location-aware graphics.
Reviews of this app on the Android Market were mixed. Some customers experienced glitches in trying to log in, others were pleased with the program. One user said, "Once they implement check processing it will be great. So far I can keep tabs on my different accounts, dynamic info at my fingertips."
