INTERNET BANKING SERVICES IN BANKS-BOON TO CUSTOMERS

The contemporary trends in Banking operations andPOS.  The client enters his personal identification
services with the help of computers are quite cheeringnumber [PIN] and confirms the amount due.
for customer. As we find information technologyCustomer’s account is automatically debited with
invading the banking sector, only banks, which used thethe amount of purchases and it credits the retailers
right technology, could come out with success.  Banksaccount POS installed at petrol stations and large retail
are required to ‘restructure’, re-invent andhouses are linked to banks network.
reengineer themselves go meet the necessary D-Mat Accounts:
performance improvement and get the competitive Transacting shares business through electronic
edge due to the introduction of information technologymedia is called D-Mat.  Investor opens an account
(Internet Baking) being an imperative onecalled Demat Accounts with DPS.  They get shares
Application of Information Technologyin electronic form.. Then they send the actual shares to
Phone banking:the investor.  Investor pays for the opening,
1.                Bank on phone, providesmaintenance and collection of shares.  This has
easy access for customers to have large businessesreduced the paper work, bad deliveries; loss of shares
through   telephones. Data are exchanged   overand less transaction cost.  However delays in
the phone regarding any queries, to issue instructionsdemating, higher cost charged by the investors has not
on balance transfer, statement of account, cheque-given a good start for the growth and scope of
book, stop payments, new schemes, interest rates etc.Demat in India.  Depository participant sometimes
at any convenient time and place. Tele banking hasmake illegal money at the cost of investors.  SEBI
gone a long way in providing maximum customershould find ways to over come this to give a good
satisfaction within the limited infrastructure.scope for Demat in India.
Automatic Teller Machines:  (ATM) Electronic Data Interchange-EDI:
1. Now, the banks provide this facility in a moreEDI refers to the electronic exchange of structure
sophisticated way that a customer of one bank andinformation using telecommunication like payment
branch can withdraw from any other banks, at anyorders, debits credits, statement of account etc.  As
other branch, nation wide. In developed countries, thispart of EDI, satellite communication network is also
service is provided to their blue chip client globally. Thisentering the banks.  EDI will very soon do away with
is possible only through worldwide networking andbranch banking and the customers will be identified as
communication system.ban customer and not branch customer
Credit cards: E-cheques:
               These plastic cards enableDigital cheque used by the payer to the payee through
customers to spend whenever he/she wants withininternet is called e-cheques.  Electronic versions of
the prescribed limits and pay later. Debit card is acheques are issued, received and processed.  Most
prepaid card with stored value, whereas credit card isof the banks use e-cheques.  A secure means of
post paid with fixed limits. It is seen that spending isoperation is provided for collecting, payments, and
higher through debit cards than with credit cardstransferring cash flows through this method.  The
currently CITY Bank and time bank have started withpayer issues a digital cheque to the payee and the
Debit cards and now other banks are also followingentire transactions are done through internet
these to launch their own cards.  Benefits of Internet Banking Services
Electronic Funds Transfer: (EFT)     1.It reduces cost of   both in services and
           Electronic funds transfer is aadministration
system of processing and communication of payment     2. Overcoming the geographical barriers
through electronic methods. EFT assumes greater     3.  Cost minimized for customers
significance in the banking system as the RBI also     4. It helps to maintain customer loyalty
encourages the commercial banks to adopt this     5. Web site enables banks to develop
technique. Normally, payments are made through cash,advertisement
cheques, drafts and credit cards. The latest in this     6. Information technology enables banks to
process are the debit card system, charge, digital cash,deliver products and services
and electronic purse and so on.     7. Multimedia capabilities offer homogenous
SPNS- (Shared payment network system):branding     
                  SPNS installed by the     8. Online banking encourages promotion of
IBA in the city of Mumbai, enables electronic bankingvarious schemes of the bank
service like cash transactions, extended hours of     9. Individualized and customized services with
banking, utility payments, cheques, point of sale facilitiesthe help of integrated customer data       
by the SPNS can go to any ATM linked to SPNS.   10. Minimizing fraud and misappropriation by
Electronic Clearing Services [ECS]:inter-branch reconciliation      Convenience to
                   Electronic clearing ofcustomers – like card free banking, cash free
funds from one centre to another for handling bulkbanking provides a domain of access to banking
transactions like salary, interest, dividend, commissionservices.
etc., has dispensed the cheques. A part of electronic From the discussions on the internet banking
clearing service is computerized clearing of cheques atservices, it is felt that, this will enable the domestic
metropolitan centers and linking with internationalbanks to challenge the competition from their foreign
communication system of SWIFT. These servicesrivals. Further, there will be a reduction in the staff
have contributed in a great way towards improvingstrength to a considerable extent due to the adoption
the customer’s services globally. ECS wasof information technology and ultimately banks can
introduced in India in 1996. It has made it possible forprovide timely services to customers to their fullest
customers to get the funds next day itself.satisfaction.
Point of sale [POS] terminal: 
                     Payment card at.
a retail location for electronic transfer of fund is called