Making the Most of Digital Tools for Banking

Connected devices, like mobile phones, tablets and laptops, are dramatically reshaping our patterns of life and work in ways we haven’t seen since the 19th century, when the invention of the light bulb opened up our evenings and early mornings to all kinds of possibilities by allowing us to safely extend our hours of work, leisure and socialisation.

Just as electric light gave us greater control over our time, freed us from tedious manual tasks, like maintaining oil and gas lamps and brought us safer and higher quality forms of artificial light, connected devices are bringing new controls, freedoms and safety solutions to virtually every aspect of social life.

Of course, the rapid pace and broad scope of 21st century change is far beyond anything we have experienced before. Keeping on top of what’s new, what’s next and what’s best for you in the digital era can be downright intimidating. But you shouldn’t let that stop you from making the most of the digital tools available and the host of benefits they provide. I may be a little biased, but I’d say this is especially true when it comes to digital tools for banking. Given the ease, safety and convenience that come with these tools and the fact that banks will usually offer them for free, most commonly through a internet banking or a mobile app, there really is no reason why anyone should be hesitant to make digital tools a regular part of their banking experience.

If you’re only just beginning to navigate your way around digital banking, getting to know the digital versions of the banking services you use most regularly would be a good place for you to start. Using your laptop, mobile or other internet enabled device to perform vital yet simple transactions like transferring funds between accounts or paying bills is not only a major timesaver and a safer way to do business but also a great starting point for getting your digital banking feet wet.

Digital banking tools can also be incredibly useful when it comes to managing your finances and keeping yourself up to date on your account activity. For instance, you can use online or mobile banking tools to check your account balance and transaction history. It is also possible to sign up for a range of account updates that will notify you of low or insufficient account balances, unusually large transactions or even reminders for upcoming bill payments. Together these tools have made it easier than ever to stay in the know on your account details and help keep your account safe by making it easier for you to detect any unusual activity.

You might think that digital banking is just meant for personal use but corporate banking customers also get a lot of value out of these services. Special tools, like e-commerce solutions, that allow businesses to facilitate online payments for their products and services and the Automated Clearing House (ACH), which facilitates large volume transactions like payroll and tax payments, have also proven to be invaluable in maximising the efficiency and streamlining the operations of businesses of all sizes.

Overall, digital banking tools offer countless opportunities for us to make better use of our time and to manage of our finances more efficiently. They may seem intimidating to the uninitiated, but once you try digital banking you’ll find that using these tools is as easy as flipping a light switch and you won’t look back!