WhatsApp is a popular messaging platform known for its large user community and ease of use. Some advantages of WhatsApp include:

• Large user community: WhatsApp has a vast user base, it provides a widespread network for communication. Hence, there is no need for your clients to install an additional app on their phones to connect with you.

• Ease of use: WhatsApp offers a user-friendly interface, making it simple for individuals to send messages, make calls, and share media with their contacts.

• WhatsApp for Business API: You can use the WhatsApp for Business API for a more seamless integration of this cannel into your IT landscape.

In comparison, SecuChat offers several advantages that distinguish it from WhatsApp:

• Closed community: SecuChat allows you to have a closed community, enabling you to control who gets onboarded and who can communicate with each other.

• Full control over the usage policy: With SecuChat, you have complete control over the service’s usage policy, including availability, associated costs, and you cannot be shut out from this communication channel.

• Full control over data storage: SecuChat provides you with the flexibility to store data on-premises or with a chosen provider. Jemmic has built up regional hosting and operational capabilities with selected partners.

• Bank-grade security: SecuChat ensures banking grade security standards by using the same technologies than mobile banking systems. Users are onboarded securely, preventing scams and impersonation attempts.

• Centralized message auditing: While SecuChat encrypts messages between the phone and server, it offers centralized auditing capabilities, ensuring compliance with regulations.

• Enforced biometric authentication: SecuChat enhances security through enforced biometric authentication according to best practices in the banking environment.

• White box audits: Clients can conduct white box audits to thoroughly investigate SecuChat’s security mechanisms, providing transparency and assurance.

• Asymmetric privileges: SecuChat allows the implementation of custom policies with asymmetric privileges, catering to specific use cases between bank advisors and clients.

• Integrated electronic signature: SecuChat offers integrated advanced or qualified electronic signature capabilities, enabling secure document signing within a conversation.

• Screensharing and audio/video recording: SecuChat integrates screensharing functionality for support cases or guiding clients through contracts. It also allows automatic recording and archiving of audio and video.

• Structured data forms: SecuChat enables the exchange of structured data through forms, streamlining information gathering and communication processes.

• Conversation history access: Adding users to a conversation in SecuChat provides them with access to the conversation’s history, facilitating context and collaboration.

• Customized branding: SecuChat offers the option to have a dedicated app branded with the client’s colors and name on users’ phones, enhancing brand recognition.

In summary, while WhatsApp has a large user community and installed on many phones, SecuChat provides a secure and controlled communication environment with features tailored to the specific needs of financial institutions. It offers a closed community, comprehensive control over usage and data storage, bank-grade security, auditing capabilities, and integrated functionalities such as electronic signatures and screensharing. SecuChat ensures compliance, facilitates collaboration, and allows for a personalized user experience.

From a customer point-of-view, having a live chat in your mobile or web banking solution is a very comfortable feature: instead of having to browse through a predefined web interface or long FAQ sections for finding an answer to my question, I can just easily type a request into a chat window.

 For the advisor however, a chat may just appear as very time consuming. Even more questions from customers lead to an increased workload. 
 But let’s take a closer look at how an integrated chat can help reduce costs for a bank: 

 1) Lower staffing costs: Chat support allows companies to handle multiple customer inquiries simultaneously with fewer customer service representatives. Compared to phone calls, where each representative can handle only one conversation at a time, chat support enables agents to handle multiple chat sessions concurrently, reducing the need for a large team.

2) Increased efficiency: A customer chat often provides agents with access to knowledge bases and pre-written responses, enabling them to quickly retrieve and share information with customers. This efficiency reduces the time spent on each interaction and allows agents to handle a higher volume of inquiries.

3) Automated solutions: Many chat systems allow to incorporate automation, such as chatbots or forms, to handle simple and repetitive customer queries. These automated solutions can provide instant responses, reducing the need for human intervention and freeing up agents to handle more complex or specialized issues.

4) Reduced call duration: Issues are often resolved more efficiently via chat than via phone. If necessary, agents can quickly jump to a video or audio call to address customer concerns, clarify doubts, and guide them through the necessary steps. Starting by default in a chat interaction and only switching when necessary to a voice or video interaction can significantly reduce the average call duration, leading to cost savings.

5) Lower infrastructure costs: Last but not least, chat support typically requires less infrastructure compared to traditional call centers. With chat support, companies can leverage software solutions that can be easily integrated into existing customer service systems, eliminating the need for extensive telephone infrastructure and associated maintenance costs.

6) Analytics and optimization: Chat support systems often provide detailed analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing companies to track and analyze customer interactions. These insights can help identify common issues, areas for improvement, and optimize support processes, ultimately reducing costs by streamlining operations. 

7) Lower bounce rates: Advanced chat platforms like jemmic’s SecuChat feature built-in functionalities like electronic signatures or pre-defined forms that allow to validate transactions immediately and without having to exit the chat. This way, the customer stays in the conversation and gets things done “right away”. This means a higher conversion rate for the bank and more customer satisfaction on the other end.

Overall, a chat offers a cost-effective solution for customer service, combining efficiency, automation, and streamlined processes to handle customer inquiries more effectively while reducing operational expenses.