5 Mobile Banking Tips

Time is a quantitative commodity. We all only have so much of it, so who wants to spend it waiting in line at the bank? In recent years, there have been many advances in mobile banking. You can now bank from your couch in your pajamas, or even from your favorite coffee shop. Priorities, such as balancing a checkbook, depositing checks, paying bills, or looking over your bank accounts can be done on your laptop or mobile device¹, freeing up your day to spend time with loved ones, take in a good movie, or read a favorite book.

Banking no longer needs to happen during business hours. Rather, it’s accessible 24-hours a day. Or as Natalie Higgins, Citizens SVP of Digital Self-Service Strategy, phrases it, “Citizens’ digital platforms provide real-time account balances and transaction activity, making it easy to manage your money 24 hours a day.”

Essentially, mobile banking allows you to focus on the things you really want to do, and live your best life by making the right money moves. But you may be wondering, is mobile and online banking safe? Or is mobile banking secure? Thankfully, mobile banking security features use state-of-the-art security to protect your data over the internet.

In the event that you spot suspicious activity or lost your card, you can easily lock or freeze your debit card via your bank’s mobile app from your phone. “Citizens uses a variety of security tools in our digital platforms, which work with customers’ credentials, including biometrics and passwords, to ensure accounts and transactions are safe,” says Higgins. “These features confirm the customer’s identity and the access device to protect their information and activities while using mobile or online banking.”

In addition, other ways tech helps simplify your life is you have access to your accounts 24/7 to check your balance and monitor your transactions. A neat technical advance is custom insights into your spending/saving habits that can help you get on track for your savings goals. The customer experience is evolving. Providing real-time alerts about important transactions or balance changes is also extremely helpful for the savvy consumer.

One reason digital banking is growing in popularity could be the ease of saving and spending trends and data, available right on your device. Sometimes referred to as insights, they’re an easy way to manage your money via a mobile app. Typically personalized insights help you gain information about your financial health and provide digital solutions. Whether it’s charting your grocery-buying costs, or documenting how often a week you’re ordering takeout, insights and notifications are one aspect of online banking that have evolved to give the consumer a more positive banking experience. Think of it like having your own accountant, readily available on your phone or laptop 24/7.

Another way mobile banking makes budgeting easier is you have quick access to your money. It saves you time to get a check into your bank account, so ultimately you can spend or save the money faster.  “Mobile deposits² are typically available the same day, or next day,” says Higgins. She notes that the app confirms the expected posting date at the time of deposit, and you immediately see the deposited amount in your account. You can conveniently check on the status of your account in seconds. “The Citizens mobile app¹ makes it easy, with confirmation messaging, so customers know when the deposited amount will be available,” she adds.

Just as ordering and paying for groceries digitally has become a popular way to shave time off your weekend, sending funds from any of your devices can also be a huge timesaver. Picture yourself out to lunch with a friend. Instead of stressing over which person has the right amount of cash, or throwing down several credit cards, one person uses their card and the other uses a peer-to-peer payment app (also referred to as P2P apps) to reimburse them digitally in seconds.

In today’s on-demand digital landscape, peer-to-peer payments offer convenience, flexibility, and choice, and are growing in popularity.

P2P payments are a simple way of quickly paying someone. Deposits and withdrawals are usually made instantly (sometimes for a small fee). To keep security tight, most P2Ps suggest you only make transfers between family and friends, and only when you know their email address. The app has a search bar, so you can type in a username, email address or phone number to find the person you’d like to send money to.

While writing a check is always a possibility, the process takes longer. P2P payments, such as Zelle®, allow the consumer to deliver payments quickly and easily, and can be found within your bank’s app. It’s a way to save you time so you can enjoy life and focus on the things you really want to do. “With mobile deposit, bill pay, and Zelle, making payments and deposits in the mobile app saves time and makes it easy to bank wherever you are,” adds Higgins.

Congratulations! You may feel ready to try something new. Keep in mind, even if you bank online or on the mobile app, you’ll still have access to bankers either in-person or by phone if you need help. To take the first step, journey to Citizens Online™ Banking to sign up for online banking. Then download the mobile app¹ in the Apple App Store^® or in Google Play™.