Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications service provider in India, and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) have announced the launch of WhatsApp Banking Services for IPPB customers. This service will allow customers to access banking services on their mobile phones with just a few clicks. The initiative aims to augment the Government of India’s Digital India mission by enabling seamless connectivity between IPPB customers and their bank through WhatsApp.
The WhatsApp messaging solution will be delivered through Airtel IQ, a cloud communications platform as a service (CPaaS) that enables brands to engage with their customers across voice, SMS, and WhatsApp channels. Airtel is the first telecom company in the world to serve as a Business Service Provider (BSP) for WhatsApp.
Through this collaboration, IPPB customers can now easily avail a host of banking services, including doorstep service requests and locating the nearest Post Office, directly on WhatsApp. The Airtel-IPPB WhatsApp Banking solution is also working on building multi-language support, allowing customers, especially those in rural areas, to access banking services in their preferred language.
Airtel has been working closely with IPPB to deliver approximately 250 million messages per month to the bank’s customers, many of whom are located in smaller towns and tier 2 and 3 cities. The addition of WhatsApp messaging will further enhance customers’ ability to connect with their bank, promoting the Digital India mission of the Government of India.
Gursharan Rai Bansal, CGM & CSMO of India Post Payments Bank, expressed delight at the partnership with Bharti Airtel, emphasising that technology-driven financial services have great potential to ensure that the best financial products reach the farthest corners of the country.
Abhishek Biswal, Business Head of Airtel IQ, highlighted the robust, intuitive, and secure nature of the Airtel IQ cloud communication suite. He noted that the addition of WhatsApp messaging to the existing SMS and voice communication services offered to IPPB customers would enable a two-way communication between the bank and its customers.
IPPB and Airtel IQ are working to integrate a live interactive customer support agent into the WhatsApp solution, enabling customers to access 24/7 support and receive quick resolutions for their queries.
Airtel, headquartered in India, is a global communications solutions provider with over 500 million customers in 17 countries across South Asia and Africa. India Post Payments Bank, with 100% equity owned by the Government of India, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 1, 2018. IPPB’s vision is to build the most accessible, affordable, and trusted bank for the common man in India, leveraging the vast Postal network of 155,000 Post Offices and 300,000 Postal employees.
The partnership between Airtel and IPPB reflects their commitment to providing equal opportunity for financial security and empowerment to every citizen of India. Through their joint efforts, they aim to create a less cash-dependent economy and contribute to the vision of Digital India.
