An Iowa-based credit union is now offering an interactive mobile video banking service, the first time the technology has been available in the state.
Gail DeBoer, CEO of Cobalt Credit Union, headquartered in Council Bluffs, says they’re premiering mobile video banking as an option for Iowa clients.
“We have a mobile application so wherever they are, they can go online and work directly with a member and see them face-to-face,” DeBoer says. “The nice part is, they can sign documents, they can do anything you can do in a branch, other than get cash.”
The service is available to credit union members via smartphone or laptap. Security is the number-one concern, DeBoer says, and they’ve taken every step to ensure the members’ data is safe.
“The nice thing is, you can actually show our representative your ID so they know for sure that it’s you,” DeBoer says. “That’s a nice feature that you don’t get over the phone. We have ways over the phone to verify your data, but with this you have that additional layer of security.”
The video banking offers customers the option of “chatting” or using the full video app for face-to-face consultations. The official rollout of the service is this Wednesday but credit union members can already access it. “We did a soft launch in April just to give our employees a chance to practice with it and get better at dealing with it,” DeBoer says. “We’ve seen the numbers just escalate already as people discover this.”
Using the app enables clients to perform an array of banking tasks, including secure document exchange, approvals, deposits, applications, and more, all without ever stepping foot in a branch.
“We had a member call in from the country of Peru,” DeBoer says. “He was buying some fine art and he needed his debit card limit increased. He was able to see our rep, they were able to verify everything, he was able to make his purchase and he absolutely loved the convenience.”
The feature will not result in the loss of any tellers — to the contrary DeBoer says, they’re adding positions for the video service. Cobalt has Iowa branches in Council Bluffs and Denison with several more in Nebraska.