French banking group Societe Generale is reporting a 105% rise in online banking users and a 31% increase in online transactions across all direct channels during the first half of 2002.
Societe Generale says its remote banking channels (voice servers, call-centre platforms, Internet, Minitel, SMS messages, interactive television and WAP) generated more than 68 million customer contacts (+31% vs first 6 months of 2001) during the first half of 2002.
At end June 2002, the number of visitors to Logitel Net (societegenerale.fr) and Credit-du-nord.fr sites stood at 856,438, up 105% compared with June 2001. Overall, the total number of connections since the start of the year stands at more than 18 million, against 10.1 million at end June 2001, an increase of approximately 77%.
The bank also experienced strong growth in SMS messaging, with the number of subscribers to Messalia, Societe Generale's service enabling customers to consult their account by receiving SMS messages on their mobile phone, rising to 360,651 (against 166,107 on 30/06/01). In total, 19.4 million SMS messages were sent over the course of the first half of 2002 (including 3.7 million in June alone), up 158% over the first half of 2001.