By Graham K. Rogers

The iPhone and the iPad have become far more useful to me in the day to day business I conduct. With the apps as well as the normal phone functions, I can create and edit photographs, access catalogues, play games and carry out a host of other functions. With online apps from banks and credit card companies, users can access information and complete transactions on mobile devices. Thailand's SCB have produced an interesting and useful app.

A new arrival in the App Store here is an app from the local bank, SCB (Siam Commercial Bank): the SCB Easy Net app. While traditional banking needs users to visit a branch during banking hours or a mall where the hours are longer, most people will only need an ATM machine. Depending on where one lives, this can be convenient. Or not.

Where I am for example, there is an ATM for a bank I do not have an account at, and that bank charges for transactions for other banks. This may be OK as a one-off or for an emergency, but the charges for pressing a couple of buttons can soon add up. The idea of being able to access account details and make transactions by electronic means from the comfort of the home (or from the middle of a field) is attractive.

Outline

There is the website for the bank's online services, but that has limited usefulness for some users. I rather like the idea of access to such services using the iPhone: this is with me almost all the time, so away from a bank, ATM or computer, I may still have access.

After a neat opening screen, the user is presented with a page of Terms & Conditions. I do read these. There is alo mention here of versions for BlackBerry and Android phones. They need someone to check the English. Why am I not surprised?

There was specific mention in the Terms & Conditions of jailbreaking and unlocking which might cause risk. There may also be fees charged for use of the service: either now or in the future; and the user is responsible for any fees from the carrier. The terms also absolve the bank from any responsibility if anything goes wrong while using the app, like delays from the internet or carrier interruptions. I clicked accept.

Immediately, there was the offer to use a PIN lock feature, which I thought was a good idea. A settings page opened and I entered the PIN twice. A page appeared with four options: Login; Visit SCB group; ATM/Branch (locations); and Contact.

Thus far it looked fairly well written (apart from the minor English errors - above). All pages were available in Thai or English with a simple button at the top right alowing the change to be made.

Registration and Self-afflicted Problem

I entered details of the card I would be using and PIN number. I was asked to enter ID information. I used passport but there are also ID card and Alien registration options. Unfortunately my passport details were not accepted (I tried the old one in case), so I phoned the Help Desk.

After a series of security questions (useful), I was told the passport number had been entered incorrectly and I was advised to visit a branch. This was right as there are risks involved accepting this type of information over a phone line, so top marks here. It took time, but this was a problem unique to my registration.

The new passport number cannot be used as the account which I created a couple of years back recognises the old passport number. As I cannot remember the old account details, it will have to be reset. The most convenient way is for me to go to my own branch.

All the way through the process of finding out why I could not register with the app, the SCB staff at the help desk and at a branch I went to, have been helpful and clearly concerned with security, double-checking my details carefully. I was encouraged by this.

Other Parts

The item marked, ATM/Branch was useful although there is one odd feature involving the camera. A map of available branches and ATMs appeared on the screen quite quickly. The two types of access point were easily distinguishable in different shades of the bank colours, but to make it clearer there were buttons at the bottom of the screen: ATM, Branch; and All.

A scroll icon at the bottom right gave me access to List (nearest branches and ATMs) and AR. I tried this in my office and it opened the camera screen, but appeared to have no function. Initially, there was no other control and I had to reset the app. A Back button appeared on a later attempt. However . . .

Later in the day, at home, I tried again. As I held the image up near the window in portrait mode, the icons for ATMs and branches appeared. Using location data, the app was able to pinpoint the access points for customer services and display these onscreen. Moving the iPhone from side to side also moved the icons, so while the image moved, they stayed in the correct place to indicate services. I am rather impressed by this.

The last list item on the main menu was a Contact Us feature with address, phone, email, Twitter and Facebook links. It was a little odd to me that pressing the icon for each did nothing. I had to tap on the specific data (such as the phone number, but not the surrounding text), then each - except the postal address of course - linked to the function being accessed.

Comment

When I can login I will examine the banking services which include checking the account balance, transfer of funds, and bill payments.

Thus far, what I have seen indicates that this is a well-made app with some rather useful (and unusual) features.

Coming Soon: SCB Easy Net app - login and transactions

Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs.