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Restaurants are providing curbside pickup. Shops are offering delivery. DJs are offering drive-by parties to celebrate birthdays.
Businesses are finding creative ways to provide access to their products and services while continuing to support community efforts to maintain a safe physical distance from one another.
Banks are doing their part too. In fact, banks have been providing products and services all along that can help limit or even eliminate person to person contact, while still allowing clients to make purchases, deposit checks, transfer money, and open accounts.
You may already be an avid user of mobile and online banking platforms, but if not, here are some ways these services can support social distancing measures:
Mobile Wallet
Mobile Wallet is a virtual wallet stored in your smart phone. This virtual wallet stores your debit and credit card information, loyalty cards, tickets to events, and more. When you use mobile wallet to make a purchase, your card data is encrypted, providing a payment method that may even be safer than carrying your physical card.
As for social distancing, mobile wallet payments are contactless. That means you do not have to touch the card reader or hand your card to the cashier when making a purchase. Simply hold your phone over the Contactless icon on the card reader and follow the prompts on your phone to verify the purchase. As an added bonus, it can be an even faster way to pay: no more fumbling with your wallet to find the right card!
Mobile Deposit
While checks are becoming less common, they are still a part of life. With mobile deposit through your mobile banking application, you won’t need to make a trip to the bank to deposit that check. Simply use the app to take photos of the front and back of your check, and you can make your deposit right from home!
Sending Money
If you’re looking to avoid checks altogether, you can send money to friends and family through your mobile app or online banking as well. Armed with only a phone number or email address, you can send your friend money for picking up your dinner from your favorite local restaurant, and request money from your sibling for the Mother’s Day gift you ordered. It’s a fast, safe, and easy way to send money.
Online Account Opening
Maybe you’re looking to switch banks, or open a new account with your existing bank. You can do it all online. If you’re switching banks, you’ll likely need to provide a bit more information, but if you already have accounts, it’s even easier – simply sign in to your Online Banking and find the option to open a new account. It will do most of the work for you!
As we all do our part to keep ourselves and each other safe, now is a great time to start using banking products and services you probably already have that will benefit you long past this time of social distancing.
