ICICI Bank announced the launch of services which enables customers to create fixed deposits, pay utility bills, and access details of trade finance instantly through WhatsApp. These new services offer remarkable convenience to customers as they can undertake an array of banking requirements from their home or office while maintaining social distance.
Corporates and MSME owners can examine trade finance-related services like customer ID, Import Export (IE) code, limit the availability of all credit facilities from the bank, the status of pending and history inward remittances on-the-go. The collection of trade finance services is available for current account customers with trade services enabled in their accounts. The trade finance services are being monitored with some selected corporates, they will be available for all in the next few days. The services for recharging prepaid mobile phones will also be available on WhatsApp soon. These services expand the total numbers available to the ICICI Bank customers through WhatsApp to 25.
The bank also launched a host of services before six months on WhatsApp. The list includes checking the savings account balance, last 3 transactions, credit card limit, get details of pre-approved instant loan offers, block/unblock credit/debit card securely, the opening of savings account instantly, opting for loan moratorium, access pdf of some prominent newspapers/magazines and locating nearby essential stores.
To start using WhatsApp Banking, do the following steps:-
Save the number and Message ‘Hi’: ICICI Bank provides WhatsApp number to the customers and they need to save the contact and send <Hi> to that number from the mobile number which is registered with the bank. The bank answers back with a list of services available.
Type keyword for service: Type the keyword of required service from the list of services (keywords are highlighted in the conversation for easy recognition). The services are carried out and directly displayed.
Individual banking services and keywords on WhatsApp
Create a fixed deposit: The service helps the customers to create a fixed deposit directly through WhatsApp. Type keywords like <FD>, <Fixed Deposit> and choose the FD amount between ₹10,000 – ₹1 crore and the tenure. The system shows interest rates for different tenures and the amount of money on maturity.
Enable a bill payment: Customers can pay electricity bills, cooking gas bills, and postpaid mobile connection through WhatsApp. In the case of the electricity bill, the customer needs to specify the electricity board and consumer number.
About two million users had approved banking services through WhatsApp within a short span of six months. WhatsApp Banking is accessible for retail, NRI, corporate and MSME clients with a variety of services.
