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Project Overview
While Heritage customers value the access they have to the Westpac ATM network, the arrangement represents a challenge for Heritage, as they need to manage and publish their own Branch and ATM information in conjunction with Westpac data, as well as publishing and maintaining this information in real time across multiple channels (Web and iPhone).
eHound is unique in its ability to allow Heritage and Westpac to manage their data independently, while ensuring the combined information is accessible by Heritage customers in a seamless fashion on the Heritage Building Society iPhone app.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
eHound helps companies to manage and deliver location information. Since starting our journey in 2005 we have witnessed rapid change in terms of how this information is accessed by consumers.
Project Brief
Heritage Building Society required an iPhone app that converts mobile searches for ATMs and Branches to receiving information they requested, in a fast and easy way, ensuring a positive brand and customer experience.
With a successful website Branch and ATM locator already provided by eHound, the iPhone app had to replicate this experience on the iPhone by providing consistent data across the two channels.
Queensland-based Heritage Building Society has 58 branches and 130 retail outlets across Australia. With more than $7.5 billion in assets and a history stretching back 136 years, Heritage has grown to become Australia’s largest building society. In 2010, Heritage finalised an agreement enabling its members to use the Westpac ATM network, giving them access to a total of more than 3,000 ATMs around Australia free of direct-fee charges. Users are increasingly on the move and they want access to this network to avoid charges and receive information quickly and easily from their iPhones. Therefore the greatest challenge for eHound was to aggregate the data across the Westpac and Heritage networks to provide consistent information to the iPhone user.
With thousands of customers having already downloaded the app, the project has been an unqualified success. "The collaboration between Westpac and eHound has added significant value to the Wholesale ATM proposition", said Tony Crighton, Electronic Channels Manager for Heritage Building Society. "We have also been very pleased with the responsiveness and professionalism shown by eHound in developing our Web locator and iPhone application."
Project Innovation / Need
eHound is unique in its ability to allow Heritage and Westpac to manage their data independently, while ensuring the combined information is accessible by Heritage customers in a seamless fashion. The data from Branch and ATM networks across both companies are continually changing. eHound solved this problem by providing two solutions:
• An XML data update every time the app is opened
• An easy to use data management tool which is an extranet called MyHound. With clever access permissions the tool enables manual changes to add, edit, delete data by relevant staff in either organisation. The data manager can therefore move the location of a branch or ATM to accurately position it, using a ‘point and click’ map function to move the location.
The Benefits of the eHound service include:
• Eliminate headaches regarding data management
• Support from eHound across all relevant channels (Web, iPhone and Mobile Web)
• Integration of Mobile Banking
• Real time reporting
User Experience
The iPhone app is downloaded by the user from iTunes. Each time the user accesses the Heritage app they are notified if a data update is required, and can initiate this synchronisation at the touch of a button.
The application makes the most of the iPhone technology available on the handset, such as iPhone 4 users receiving high definition retina display images. The application uses GPS and the phone's location technology to position it and therefore the user does not have to enter their location by typing a suburb or postcode. eHound uses the phone’s location to return the nearest ATM or branch on a map.
Customers have access to their Mobile Banking, ‘Click to Call’ for both Branches and the Heritage Contact Centre and the ability to provide real-time feedback, either generic or specific to an individual location.
Heritage customers themselves have reinforced the positive outcomes from the project:
“I absolutely love the new mobile banking, it makes everything so easy!! “ Sarah
“This app is fantastic!” Daniel
“This app for iPhone is awesome. Well done!” Damien
Project Marketing
Adoption of the Heritage app has been reinforced by:
• Making the app free to download
• Selecting appropriate keywords so that the it can be found quickly and easily on the App Store
• Promotion on the Heritage website, EDM communications and offline collateral
Financial Information & Tools
This category relates to applications that provide financial information and tools.
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