Bank of Ireland (BoI) has added a range of new functions to its Internet banking service, 365 Online, following a EUR10 million investment in the site.
New functions include the ability to top up mobile phones, set up third party beneficiaries and set up, amend and cancel standing orders.
The bank has also added an international payments option which enables customers to make payments to 40 countries. This will be a major benefit to the migrant community living and working in Ireland, says the bank, as well as for customers holding overseas accounts.
BoI says use of the 365 Online service has grown enormously, with the number of online transactions increasing 30% so far this year. The bank has also witnessed soaring online sales volumes, with a 150% increase in the number of customers using the Internet service to apply for loans over the last two years.
Brendan Nevin, director, strategy and marketing, BoI, says: "With over 650,000 customers registered at www.365online.com to date we are in no doubt that the addition of these new services will further fuel demand for online banking."
Nevin says the primary reason that customers do not use online banking is the mistaken perception that it is difficult to use. As a result of this, the bank is introducing new online demonstrations of the service in English, Polish and Mandarin.
The latest investment follows a site overhaul last year to enable customers to register accounts online, view and cancel direct debits, schedule future payment dates and view payments pending.