01 May 2018

Barclays Bank of Botswana has upgraded and refreshed its mobile banking application to give customers better banking experience and functionality.

Speaking at the application upgrade launch recently, retail banking director, Mr Brighton Banda said the upgraded application would also give the bank a competitive edge in the market.

“As a business, we have identified digital banking as a critical element needed to drive our strategy now and in the future. Our commitment towards this strategic pillar is underpinned by our current heavy investment towards maintaining, upgrading and developing our digital platforms,” he said.

He explained that the application, which was first launched in 2012, had a new look and feel saying “it includes airtime purchase, M-wallet to MyZaka and Orange Money.”

Through the airtime purchase functionality, he said customers would be able to pick a number from the phone contact list rather than putting the number the traditional way.

Given that customers spent time online on their phone surfing the net, that, he said, forced banks to be innovative and provide platforms for them to bank anywhere.

“Customers are time conscious and we want them to have time to do things that matter the most in their lives than spending time in banking halls. Digital banking platforms are critical to fulfill this purpose,” he further said.

Head of digital channels, Ms Malebogo Sebusang said digital banking eco-system required partnership with other players hence their decision to collaborate with other mobile network operators to launch a service which would allow customers to transfer funds from their accounts to mobile wallets.

That, Ms Sebusang said, was in response to feedback from customers and their desire to serve the unbanked.

She also indicated that they were working on a tailor made Internet banking solution for SMEs which, she said, were previously serviced from a platform designed for all types of corporates.

“We will soon launch the Internet banking channel which is specifically for SMEs based on their needs,” she said.

Again, she said they intended to ensure that all their touch points offered seamless services to customers, hence alternative channels which included upgrading mobile and Internet banking as well as ATMs to offer similar services across.

“We are currently working on availing CashSend on the Internet banking platform,” she said.

The bank embarked on a digital journey nine years ago and it currently provides convenient banking across almost all its digital platforms via mobile, Internet as well as vast ATM networks of 113 ATMs. ENDS