When I was invited to a bloggers’ preview on Standard Chartered’s new iPhone application, Breeze, I thought to myself, “Oh, just another bank with an iPhone application with the usual bells and whistles”. As skeptical as I was, I agreed to the event thinking that there could be something to wow users, though I still maintained my initial opinion. Having used both DBS and OCBC iPhone applications, my take back have always been the same…just normal.
But after yesterday’s event at The Queen and Mangosteen at Vivocity, a lesson was reinforced in me – never judge before getting the full picture. After speaking to the developers and marketeers about the application over breakfast (I kinda think its more like lunch), I discovered that the people behind Breeze were really passionate. In fact, Breeze was their brain child, beginning from the first idea, to the conceptualisation and finally the launch of their first version. This is not an application that was thought of by some scholar or the very senior management in the bank and then passed down the corporate food chain until some poor fella got arrowed. The people behind Breeze are dead serious. I’m talking about lit up eyes, ‘why didn’t I think of that’ moments and a sense of excitement when a blogger posted a question or suggestion.
I always feel that there is no better way to fully commit to a project than believing in it first..with all their heart. After listening to their presentation and upon installing the programme in my iPhone, the first page I encountered was really welcoming. There is no corporate feel other than the colours and the bank’s logo, which we all know can be a real turnoff, and everything else had the consumer in mind. The first four buttons were straight forward and do not require someone with a doctorate in rocket science to navigate around the application. You can easily locate the nearest ATM, the latest promotion or call the bank for queries. However, the only area I didn’t venture into, is the login page since I don’t bank with Standard Chartered. This is where the demonstration comes in.
Left: The start page | Right: Offer page
Left: Login page | Right: Working with Google Maps to locate branches, ATMs and AXS machines
Apart from the usual logging in and quick services allowing you move your money around and pay bills, one function that completely beats the heck out of other Bank’s services is the e-Cheques. All you need to do is to key in that person’s name via the iPhone application, fill in the amount, click send and voila!!…the bank will help you mail the cheque…for free!! This is perhaps the first chequing service of its kind and it kind of blew me away. Of course, I will leave the usual initial application details out of this post since you can find more about it on their website. They even added some cute but interesting play functions such as shaking the iPhone left or right to get to a page or a night and day wallpaper. Yes, the Breeze developers aren’t boring.
Left and Right: Standard Chartered’s Aman giving the 20 or so bloggers a walk through and taking questions
At the end of the day, I must admit that I was glad to have attended the event. The folks behind the application were genuine, eager and kept dropping nuggets of their next plan. Having said that, there are some considerations such as the possibility of an Android version, but I believe as every project go, they should take one step at a time. If their passion is any indication of where Breeze is heading, all I can say to the other banks is watch out….they will kick your ass if you don’t put the consumers first… 
More photos in my Flickr album here.
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