Posted by I am of the opinion that technology should make processes simpler and easier for users. After the implementation of BVN, I kept wondering why our banks continued to require customers to complete those insanely long and boring forms to get an account opened. I also wondered why any bank required anyone to physically come to a branch in order to do the same thing. A simple web interface requiring my BVN should suffice. It was with excitement that i welcomed StanbicIBTC Instant Account and went to give it a try.
StanbicIBTC Instant Account Signup
Truly, the signup interface is simple, though it has a few more steps than i think is necessary. Still, in a few moments, I had an active StanbicIBTC savings account opened and my bank account number in my hand. Awesome.
No Mobile App Access
The welcome email made it clear that I would need to visit any StanbicIBTC branch to collect my instant debit card and could then use the StanbicIBTC “Appyness” app with my account number and card details. Therein lies my problem. I do not want a debit card but I do need to be able to check my account balance using the app. I have limited web access – to check my account balance and nothing else. Which is fine by me. I want that same access on mobile, but the mobile app won’t let me in.
Every time I attempt to login on mobile, I got an error that says, “login success with limited access”but it never let me in. Here is a screenshot:
A few days ago, StanbicIBTC support people got in touch to say they noticed that I was having trouble logging in to my account. I narrated my predicament and after a not-so-straightforward discussion in which the rep at the other end tried to walk me through how to get a card and I told him I didn’t want one, he finally told that I couldn’t get mobile access without a card. Which was telling me nothing new. I think that is a silly policy.
The rep sounded like he was repeating what he had been told. It didn’t seem that he was interested in getting customer feedback. Stanbic should be listening to the customer on this one.
How Digital Is It If I Have To Visit A Branch?
I tried out the StanbicIBTC Instant Account because I loved the idea of not needing to physically go to a bank to open an account. Then the bank demands that I have to visit a branch to get a card. No. And the bank demands that for me to get mobile app access to my digital banking account, I have to get a debit card. And that means I have to visit a branch. No. Somebody at Stanbic didn’t think this stuff through.
The process of opening a StanbicIBTC Instant Account is a great improvement over the traditional clunky process of walking into a branch to complete and submit forms. It is certainly innovative. But why on earth subscribers require a debit card in order to use the bank’s mobile app beats me. This silly policy leaves a bad taste in the mouth with regards an otherwise good product.
Founder of MobilityArena. Yomi’s journey in mobile started in 2001. Besides obsessing over mobile phones, he also started creating WAP sites (early mobile-friendly websites created with WML). He began writing about phones in 2004 and has been at it since then. He has owned over 200 devices, from Symbian, Palm, PocketPC/Windows Mobile, BlackBerry/BB10, webOS, Windows Phone, Firefox, Ubuntu Touch, to Android, iOS, and KaiOS operating systems.
Been trying to open a WEMA bank ALAT account without success for a week. The option to upload my identifying documents keeps failing.
Doesn’t give confidence as a digital service ..
The insistence on the debit card is just to make extra income. Na by force.?
..just like gtb sending me sms by force on my current account. ..
I don’t think any of the banks intend to make the online account opening process work. I tried with Diamond bank, Ecobank they still told me to go to the branch.
That is just sad. We are not there yet.
Alat works though
Stanbic’s is easier, alat still requires you to upload some docs…
I opened both same day, got my account number for stanbicibtc , I’m still on alats upload session
Wema Alat is OK. Dy delivered my ATM to my location. D card was even issued free of charge. My account is still being ‘restricted’ bcos dy r scrutinizing my contact information
BSJD,
I am seeing a pattern here with these digital banks: apparently, this restriction based on “scrutiny” is where all of them are failing. See Gladys’ experience with that here: StanbicIBTC Instant Account: All that glitters…..
It just doesn’t make sense. All over the world, people open Paypal and other financial accounts remotely and are able to fund and withdraw from them remotely. Why does it have to be so hard to implement similar here?