State Bank of India Enhances Customer Experience with Datacard® Instant Issuance Debit Card Solution

State Bank of India Enhances Customer Experience with Datacard® Instant Issuance Debit Card Solution

First Integrated Kiosk Solution in South Asia that Offers Self-Service Capabilities for Instant Issuance of Debit Cards

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India and Minnetonka, United States

EntrustDatacard today announced that it has launched the first integrated instant issuance kiosk solution in South Asia with State Bank of India (SBI). This is also the first instant EMV chip card personalization application in Asia – which follows the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) regulation.

State Bank of India opened its first set of seven outlets immersed with digital capabilities in prime business districts and shopping malls in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The sbiINTOUCH outlets appeal to India’s burgeoning millennial population. The technology-savvy customers are attracted to the efficient, self-service nature of these outlets, in which they will manage the majority of their business on their own while SBI staff focuses on more value-added advisory transactions.

“India is in the midst of a major demographic transition and we recognize that our customers increasingly expect digital services to help them manage their financial needs,” said Arundhati Bhattacharya, the chairman of State Bank of India. “Today, more than half of India's population is under the age of 25. By 2020, India's average age will be just 29 years – this is a digital demographic: one that expects businesses to provide solutions immediately. At the same time, the mass affluent – no matter what their age have similar expectations. Indian banks need to provide a strong response to these new demands. These branches are a first step in the journey to offering full digital services across the nation.”

“INTOUCH is the start of SBI’s digital journey,” said S K Mishra, deputy managing director, State Bank of India. “This is our attempt to put our brand SBI in touch with the dreams of the aspirational customer. It is a deep rooted transformation that has three aspects: a transformation of the customer experience we deliver; introduction of device centric technology that is at the forefront of our global peers; and transformation of the behavioral model of our staff-base to be even more customer centric.”

From their compact size to their self-service orientation, SBI’s digital outlets are designed for efficiency. Using self-service kiosks, customers can open accounts and access online banking accounts. The customers can also make use of instant debit card issuance kiosks which enable a secure and real time issuance of a fully personalised debit card.

State Bank of India, the largest public sector bank in India is recognized for innovative banking technology. With the vision of “Next Generation Banking with a difference” SBI has decided to implement instant issuance of personalised debit cards in sbiINTOUCH outlets. Entrust Datacard is one of the partners in enabling this unique branch model for the customers to experience instant issuance of personalised debit cards.

“Banking models are evolving and transitioning to meet the needs and requirements of our younger generations,” said Rajiv Singh, managing director of Entrust Datacard, South Asia. “The Datacard® instant issuance kiosk solution will allow SBI to evolve with the market demands of the massive card growth in India, as well as differentiate themselves by providing a powerful new way to drive revenue and engage customers.”

Entrust Datacard currently has over 20,000 instant issuance branch installations worldwide, and millions of cards are issued on their solutions every year. In addition, the Datacard® portfolio has been combined with the Entrust® software authentication platforms that strengthen security in a wide range of identity and transaction ecosystems. Financial organizations can now rely on this bundled offering to include the physical issuance and personalization technology of card programs; and the logical and digital security features for cardholder data and transaction-based applications.

About Entrust Datacard

Consumers, citizens and employees increasingly expect anywhere-anytime experiences — whether they are making purchases, crossing borders, accessing e-gov services or logging onto corporate networks. Entrust Datacard offers the trusted identity and secure transaction technologies that make those experiences reliable and secure. Our solutions range from the physical world of financial cards, passports and ID cards to the digital realm of authentication, certificates and secure communications. More than 2,000 Entrust Datacard employees serve customers in 150 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.entrustdatacard.com.

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Customers Buy with Heart or Head?

Right from the corporate to the small business establishments, there is competition for one thing customer’s money. But there are few who succeed and excel in this competition, know who? Those who know the importance of touching customer’s hearts and emotions. It is a bare truth we all experience in our life.

We go to a particular shop or to a particular person to buy something because of the relationship we have with that person. And if we get everything that we need from that particular persons store we prefer going there. Why? Because that particular person was successful in touching our heart and emotions. Those people who know this and implement this become very successful in business.

“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that, emotions lead to action while reason leads to conclusions”. - Donald Calne

This one quote says it all. As humans we prefer going to places and person who fill us with good feelings and emotions. If as a business person, your aim is to get more clients and generate repeat business it is very important to keep this fact in mind. We prefer going to places and people where we are made to feel special, good and important. And customers are humans; the day you understand and implement it you need no worries about your business.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that, it is not important to have a good relationship with customers or clients. Because they think that people prefer those goods or services that are more beneficial and economical and in this emotions and relationships play no role. But it is a wrong notion; customers and clients become loyal when they have a relationship with you, when you become a part of their life by constant good relationship over time.

The day you are successful in establishing such relations with clients and touching their hearts. No matter what your competition may do and market may change, you have no worries. Point to think.

Photo Credit - AIGA

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Airtel launches 24x7 Emergency Alert Service for customers

New Delhi, December 2, 2012: Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, today announced the launch of an innovative 24x7 ‘Emergency Alert Service’ for customers. During an emergency, Airtel mobile customers can now send an alert with their geographic location to their closest 10 loved ones simultaneously with just a call, facilitating an access to easy and quick help. Subscribers can even send a ‘SAFE’ SMS indication to a pre-defined group of 10 family members and friends and keep them informed of their well-being especially when out alone and during any natural calamity or disaster with just one click.

The innovative emergency alert, the first by an operator in the country, will also find easy adoption by various customer segments including, teenagers, working women, retired population, migrant workers to name a few. It is also a great way to stay connected with friends and families during natural calamities such as tsunami, earthquake, cyclone or disasters like fire & accidents. In addition to providing assurance of safety of the sender, it can also be used to seek help round the clock.

STEPS TO USE 
Activation 

• Activate service by dialing 55100 and follow menu options. You will be charged INR 30/- for 30 days 
• Identify your closest 10 loved ones by adding their number by messaging START <MobileNumber1>, ,  up to 10 numbers 

Inform them of your safety 

• SMS SAFE to 55100 to reassure loved ones that you are safe 

Send an emergency alert 

• When in an emergency and unable to talk, give a call to 55100. Your family will receive voice and SMS alerts with your location details 
• Need help urgently and cannot decide whom to call? SMS HELP to 55100 and send alert to all your closest 10 loved ones

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How Can A Business Get Rid Of The Bad Name That It Has Earned?

There may be many factors or reasons, as to why a business has earned bad reputation, in the market. Fir to get rid of the bad of the bad name that it has earned. It is very important to know, why? And what for it has earned bad name. The reasons may be many and for that matter any. A particular business may have earned bad name, because of the employees or because of the quality of goods, products or services.

Once you have found the reason. You have to work on the solution. For example, if it is the employee’s behavior or attitude, you have to take necessary steps, to correct the behavior. You should try to find out the root cause of the problem as to why that particular situation has raised. Or as to why the particular person or employee behaved in such a way, so that a permanent solution can be taken out.

If the problem is with the quality, you have to check if your product standards match with those of the market. If the product quality is inferior, you have to see if there are any chances of improvement, if so how. Or if the people working in the quality check department are doing their properly, or are there any technical problems, or issues to be resolved.

After sales service is one of the main areas, where lot of people have complaints. If this is the problem or cause for bad reputation. You have to go through if there is a proper lay out in the organization to handle these issues. Such as separate department, with sufficient number of skilled and trained personnel. Who are capable of handling complaints?

The reason may be any and many. But you have to keep one thing in mind, if a particular business or an entrepreneur has earned bad reputation in the market, it is highly difficult to gain it again or to be frank it is nearly impossible. So, best part is not to have such a situation, if for any reason, such a situation arises, you should find out the root cause and take out a permanent solution, at the earliest possible.

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