New, secure way to pay Facebook friends - your shout
ASB says the Facebook payment capability on its ASB Mobile app makes sense for Kiwis, who typically have more "friends" than our international peers.
ASB has enhanced its mobile banking app so customers can pay their Facebook friends directly through their smartphones.
So if a so-called Facebook friend runs out of money at the pub along the road, you can pay their round by phone or run up a bar tab.
Bank account numbers won’t be required to make these payments, regardless of whether the recipient is an ASB customer or not.
ASB says the secure Facebook payment capability on its ASB Mobile app is a first for the New Zealand market.
It makes sense for Kiwis who, on average, have more Facebook friends than the users typically have internationally, says ASB general manager digital channels Anna Curzon.
“We know from talking to our customers that they are seeking out quicker, more convenient and safer ways to make payments that reflect their lifestyle,” she said.
“The next step in this evolution is being able to seamlessly make payments from their smartphone using Facebook as a channel.”
The bank now claims to offer the most comprehensive range of mobile banking services available on Apple and Android smartphones.
ASB Mobile customers can already make direct payments using mobile numbers and email addresses.
Customers can also download and register the app on more than one mobile device - if they have an iPad and an iPhone, for example.
No personal banking information is stored on the phone, ASB says. And all unretrieved funds will be credited to the payer after 14 days.
ASB told NBR ONLINE earlier this month its ASB Mobile app had clocked 110,000 downloads, with a 75% iPhone, 25% Android split.
Georgina Bond
Wed, 20 Jun 2012
Wed, 20 Jun 2012
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
New, secure way to pay Facebook friends - your shout
21555