It is a truism that consumers increasingly expect all of their digital interactions to have the same top quality user experience they have come to expect from the likes of Uber, Amazon, and Netflix. So it is little surprise to see Russian fintech innovator, Tinkoff Bank take a page from the world of social media to make it easier to educate and market to its customers.
Tinkoff Stories provides “fascinating themed collections and practical tips for any occasion,” according to the company. Similar to the Stories feature on Instagram and Snapchat, Tinkoff’s solution gives the bank yet another way to reach not just the one million people who regularly use the company’s mobile app, but also the company’s entire six million customer base. Tinkoff Stories is one of the major upgrades to the company’s mobile app, which is available for download at the iTunes App Store. Tinkoff also added an Invite Your Friend section, enabling users to recommend the app to friends and earn bonuses.
“Stories is a great way for us to bring a range of content to our users,” VP of Mobile for Tinkoff Bank Maxim Yevdokimov explained, “both to make them aware of new products as we introduce them and functionality of the app that they might not be aware of, and to provide informative content from currency rates to tips on managing their personal finances.”
The news of Stories comes as Tinkoff launches its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), Tinkoff Mobile. The MVNO will give customers more options when it selecting a mobile plan and will be initially rolled out in the greater Moscow, St. Petersburg regions before expanding to other cities in Russia. “We have strived to create the most convenient, straight-forward and simple-to-use product, and we are offering our customers only the most in-demand services,” Tinkoff Mobile CEO George Chesakov said. “We believe this is precisely what mobile was meant to be.”
Tinkoff demonstrated its Click-to-Meet solution at FinovateFall 2013. Click-to-Meet enables bank customers to apply for credit or debit cards online or by phone and have signable documents and the card delivered to the customer the next day by smart courier at their place of choice. The company was founded in 2006 by entrepreneur Oleg Tinkov. who earned the support of investors including Goldman Sachs, Vostok Nafta, Baring Vostok, and Horizon Capital.
Named Russia’s 2017 “Bank of the Year” by the Banker in November, Tinkoff introduced facial recognition ATMs in August – the same month the company’s mobile app earned top honors in four categories from Markswebb Rank & Report.