Absa Bank Kenya has introduced a new feature that allows clients to use WhatsApp to access their bank accounts and conduct transactions.
Absa customers can use the platform to conduct mobile transactions, inter-account transfers, bill payments, and balance inquiries, among other things.
Absa Bank Kenya MD Jeremy Awori, speaking at the launch, said the move demonstrates the bank’s commitment to continue investing in digitally-driven innovative solutions that have the potential to fundamentally transform the customer experience.
“In essence, we’re changing banking from a series of complex transactions to a simple WhatsApp conversation,” Awori explained.
This year, the bank has committed to invest at least Sh1.6 billion in digitalization, automation, and innovation.
Kenya has the largest percentage of monthly WhatsApp users in the world, according to the Global Web Index’s 2020 Social Media User Trends Report, with over 97 percent of all internet users in the country using WhatsApp.
This gives Absa a once-in-a-lifetime chance to boost the digital adoption of its diverse range of services.
Absa’s launch of WhatsApp banking ushers in a new era of banking in which transactional, conversational, and personalized banking services are seamlessly integrated, fast, and reliable.
“With this service, every one of our customers has access to a 24/7 digital personal banker who can assist them in completing transactions based on basic instructions received via chat,” Awori explained.
To make it even more personal, the bank has given this feature a human face in the form of Abby, a dedicated, always-on banking assistant.
The solution, according to Awori, is built on advanced technology with multiple layers of authentication, making it as safe and secure as any other banking channel.
All traffic between the phone, WhatsApp, and the back end is completely secure. Registration is the second layer of security.
When a customer registers, the registered cellphone number is checked to see if it has been SIM-swapped and to ensure that the registered cellphone number is linked to the user’s Absa profile.
“From a safety perspective, we have implemented a multi-layered approach,” Awori explained.
