STRATEGIES IN PROMOTING INTERNET BANKING

When the internet was Iirst introduced to the commercial traIIic in 1988, human
interactions Ior social, politic and business have grown ever since (Briggs, 2008). The
numbers oI the internet users have increased to almost Iive times in eleven years aIter the
millennium, in which accumulated to 2.095 million users that is 30.2 oI the world
population (Miniwatts Marketing, 2011). In the mean time, the banking industry has captured
this opportunity to expand their empires throughout the globe alongside the other industries.
Nowadays, many banking transactions including cash transIer, bills payment, accounts
enquiry, check management, share trading, prepaid reload, among others are available in the
internet through what they called as E-Banking.
E-Banking, as the banks have presumed, would and already has oIIered such a great
beneIit Ior their industry where expansion oI the banking services can conquer even to the
remotest region without having to invest in branch opening that would require building and
operational costs. Besides, time oI operation and service can be spared because oI the Iast
connection and eIIicient internet reliability. In addition, virtual` banks were also born where
they Iully online-operational with account opening and loan management are available only
at the customer`s Iingertips. Such banks gain even more proIits because oI the lower
management and employment costs.
However, a study oI online banking undergone by the Pricewaterhouse Coopers and
Cinco Dias Cooperation in Spain has shown that most customers still preIer oI going to the
branch oI the bank to do their transactions rather than E-Banking. The study also concluded
that, this is happening highly due to the insecurity perception among customers on online
banking and they Ielt more secure oI tangible operation and service at the built-by-brick
banks (Mora, 2011). In a separate study, Yang et al. (2005) concluded that the matters oI
concern in internet banking are operational risks, customer acceptance and satisIaction,
services rendered, value added, privacy issues, proIitability and competition Irom non-online
banking institutions (Yang, 2005).
Clearly consumer behaviour is paramount to the promotion oI internet banking
worldwide. Be them a Generation X or Baby Boomers or even AIIluent Baby Boomers, their
behavioural intentions are always unpredictable and dynamics in the sense oI time, but the
best way oI conIronting this complex phenomenon is, to do the best. The previous paragraphs
have enlisted the reasons oI consumer reluctance towards internet banking and studies oI
consumer behaviour must be done to comprehend, capture, change and contrive their
attentions towards internet banking. Providentially, several theories have been developed in
order to study consumer behaviour towards SelI-service Technologies that can be classiIied
into two main perspectives: inIormation system adoption and usage, as well as intentions as
the consequences oI consumer psychological process. The Iirst perspective is contributed by
innovation characteristics, individual adopter characteristics, and inIormation sources and
communication while the second perspective is mainly based on the attitudes, social norms
and perceived behavioural control (El-Kasheir, 2009).
The Iirst challenge oI promoting internet banking, as it always be is the insecurity or
the operational risks and privacy. The case oI internet crimes that lead to banking online-
Iishing and scam has drawn the attention oI many authorities. The development oI the
websites` Iirewall however, has reduced the crime but the paranoia brought by the media
mass such as movies continuously worrying the consumers. In planning a strategy to
overcome this, the Iirst perspective oI consumer behaviour can be applied that is the
inIormation sources and communication. The customers, or the people to be general, must be
inIormed oI how advanced is the security oI online banking nowadays that the probability oI
their lost can be zero iI they Iollowed the transaction protocols and regulations.
The inIormation oI the security oI internet banking can be communicated through
media mass such as commercial breaks and newspapers. The advertisement must be creative
as well as apparent to the people that the Gen X likes it and the Baby Boomer understands it.
Besides, internet itselI can be a great channel to tell the customers oI the current status oI
internet banking. Avoid sending redundant mails to their mailbox and create pop-ups at other
websites as these materials are Iound inIuriating by most people, the reasons why Spam and
Pop-up Blockers are created. In the hand oI the government and other related authorities,
explanation on this matter can be done through education and local news, as the severity oI
this problem is oI global concern.
AIter receiving the explanation, the people may trust and accept the online banking as
a saIe means oI banking transaction operation. When they do, strengthen their belieIs by
guaranteeing assurance oI their money with terms and conditions. For example, iI the bank`s
Iirewall has been corrupted Ior a Iew seconds, and their transaction happened to be at that
moment, the bank shall reIund their lost on Iull capacity. This strategy regards the second
perspective oI consumer behaviour that is the perceived behavioural control. In the same
time, the problem oI the customer towards privacy oI their accounts can be handled using this
perspective. It predicts that consumer needs more than assurance in order Ior them to adapt to
the SelI-service technologies. This is done by practicing the empathy values including caring
and understanding. Caring values can be shown to the customers by connecting with them
24-hour and solving their problems eIIiciently while understanding value is approvable
through knowing individual needs such as time to learn using internet Ior banking.
The next things to be concerned are value added and competition Irom non-online
banking institutions. These two things are by Iar the most obvious concerns in the industry oI
internet banking where they actually complement each others. The Iirst perspective oI
consumer behaviour that is the innovation characteristics can be applied in this case. The
most innovative, creative and attractive value added would give the strongest competition
above all other banking Iacilities. While CimbClicks is related to Golden Screen Cinema,
Maybank2U takes Tanjung Golden Village Ior its interlinking entertainment. This is because
the entertainment has became the most Iast-growing industry and coupling with it is a great
opportunity Ior the banks to promote their online banking. Besides, the banks can also
promote their services in conjunction to the major liIe events such as the recently held Big
Bad WolI books carnival where internet shopping can be done prior to collection oI the books
at the event. Better deal can be given to the customers such as more discounts on the books as
well as Iree meals at the event.
Besides joint venture, branding their own bank can contribute to value added oI the
bank. The provision oI giIts such as umbrella, shirts, stationeries, travel utilities, or better
credit card, is essential to customers especially the executive levels. This will adds to their
perspective that the bank is capable oI providing Iree goods to their customers because a
great thing is being given by a great body that is the bank itselI. Nevertheless, the appearance
oI the website, the place where the service took place, must also be attractive and creative. It
must has a consistent theme that can attract both the Gen X and the Baby Boomer besides
being accessible through the world most popular mobile device operating system such as
Android and Iphone. This is because the customers will need to be attached to their needs and
requires such accessibility anytime anywhere in this new-tech world.
ther element in the Iirst perspective that is also vital in promoting internet banking, a
SelI-service Technology, is the individual adopter characteristics. This element predicts that
the consumer needs time to adapt to new technology, in which can be used to solve the
dilemma oI customer acceptance and satisIaction. The keywords to the strategy Ior this one
are quality and easiness. The services provided online must be aligned accordingly and
systematically, easy to search, understandable in the customer language (multi-language
website) and comprehensive as a whole. Full support by the customer service that awaits the
consumer behind desk 24/7 is the most useIul tools in attaining customer satisIaction on the
quality oI the service. Besides, providing a Iree-oI-charge phone to customer service can be a
real good deal so that the customer will not hesitate to call which they might improve the
service and themselves. Most consumers will just change their service provider without
judgement to the cause oI action because oI the hesitation to communicate.
Furthermore, variation oI services provided by diIIerent online banks can also aIIect
customer acceptance. The basic transactions must be available and additional service can
diIIerentiate not only among online banks, but also the traditional banks. The development oI
oIIering additional services to the customer can be related to the second perspective oI
consumer behaviour which is attitude. Attitude is basically the arrangement oI the consumer
views on something, or in other words, their likes and dislikes. For example, the bank can
provide online consultation on account opening and gold investment according to the liIestyle
oI the consumer, uniquely. This Ilexibility will also remedy the bank to conquer a wider
demographic characteristic. In addition, scheduled transaction, that is automated service to do
common transactions oI the consumer Iavourite (which can be told Irom their monthly
transaction), can also attracts the attention oI the customers, especially whom in business
industry.
Last but not least, and perhaps the most attractive to the consumer, is the proIitability
oI using the internet banking on them. Here, the strategy can be made on the base oI social
norms, which is included in the second perspective oI consumer behaviour. Everyone, even
the banks, indulge proIit, hence must not be ignored. The banks, as they reduced cost by
means oI online services, may oIIer higher interest rate on deposit and lower interest rate on
credit. This oIIer is a very promising method oI attracting new customers but is rarely used
by banks because oI the risk oI global Iinance. Moreover, consumer who uses internet
banking can be granted redeem in the Iorm oI cash or giIts, as their options. CimbClicks, Ior
example, makes their customer play games to collect points every time aIter prepaid reload is
made online. Besides entertainment, the bank also uses the proIitability Iactor as the element
in retaining their customer on using internet banking. For the Baby Boomer, Iuture beneIits
such as penchant management and aid can be proIitably attractive in the sense that they
always plan Ior their Iuture.
As a conclusion, strategies are required to promote customer to use internet banking,
and not just any bank, but your bank. In order Ior that to be happening, one must know the
problems oI reluctance to use internet banking, the competition with other banks, be them
online banks or traditional banks. Then, the behaviour oI the target customer must be studied
beIore strategies are planned. Several strategies have been discussed in this paper by using
consumer behaviour as the tools to solve the problems. The strategies can be divided into
strategy Ior people to use internet banking, and strategy Ior people to continue to use internet
banking. The Iirst class oI strategy includes; giving inIormation oI the security, privacy and
assurance, promotion on the bank by joint venture with other popular industries and events,
branding as well as creating attractive and accessible websites oI the bank. The second
classiIication oI strategy includes; easy and comprehensive service-using, hassle-Iree
customer support, Ilexible additional service as well as proIitable internet banking.

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Llkashelr u A (2009) lacLors AffecLlng ConLlnued usage of lnLerneL 8anklng among LgypLlan
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