Instant notifications of customer transfers via banking applications… and “text messages” are optional

Banks operating in the country have addressed their customers to notify them that, starting this October, they intend to send instant notifications via the smartphone application regarding transactions and bank transfers of less than 100 dirhams and above. These notifications will also soon be expanded to include direct debit and credit card transactions.

According to the e-mail messages sent by these banks to their customers, and obtained by Emirates Today, one of the advantages of receiving notifications through smart applications is receiving real-time updates about financial transactions, in addition to increasing and enhancing security, as these notifications are encrypted and sent directly to the application, as well as quick access to all transaction details by clicking on the notification, in addition to better control by managing notification preferences from within the smart application.

The banks explained in their messages that the option to receive text messages will remain in place, if the customer does not have access to the application, whether he is outside the country, or does not have an internet data package, or a malfunction occurs in the smart application that is beyond the customer’s responsibility, or the customer is not using the application at all.

For her part, banking expert Awatif Al-Harmoudi told Emirates Al-Youm, “The trend of banks towards relying on smart applications to send notifications of financial transactions to their customers came as a result of the greatly reduced confidence on the part of customers in text messages, especially if they contain links, in addition to the fact that this method is considered safer and more reliable.”

Al Harmoudi added: “Banks will not cancel text messages or use the application as an alternative to send notifications, but it is an option they provide to customers, especially in light of the increase in hacking attempts, in addition to the dependence of a large segment of customers on the banking application for most transactions.”

She continued: “There is also a segment of the elderly who do not prefer the smart application. They will still be able to receive text and postal messages, in addition to customers who cannot receive notifications for any reason, which will be re-sent via text messages over the phone,” noting that banks use artificial intelligence applications in cooperation with the two telecommunications companies in the country, to ensure that notifications reach the customer in all the ways they provide, whether through the application or By text message if the app is not working. She pointed out that the artificial intelligence application shows the status of receiving notifications, which contributes to switching directly to using text messages, if the customer is out of coverage or the application itself does not work for any technical reason.

Al Harmoudi pointed out that banks bear the cost of text messages through which notifications of various transactions are sent, but this is not at all the reason for the shift towards using the smart application to send instant notifications.