The launch of 'TakuBCI'

The Bank of Cook Islands (BCI) recently launched their very first banking App using the Ultracs App 2 platform, and introduced a whole new level of banking mobility and digital banking experience to their customers.

Ultradata has been collaborating with BCI as a valued client for over 20 years, and has become Ultradata’s first international customer to use the platform.

BCI recognised that with the rapid rise of mobile banking, a quality banking App was an essential tool to remain competitive in a highly competitive and changing market, and a vehicle to support their growth strategy to acquire new customers, and off-set risk in customer attrition.

As with banking markets globally, ‘the Pacific Islands are harnessing the transformative power of digital connectivity to help overcome the disadvantages of distance and deliver more opportunity for more people'.

Branded as ‘TakuBCI’, the App puts banking straight into the hands of its customers and is already receiving a very enthusiastic reception for its ease of use, convenience and mobile designed functionality, and ‘customer brand advocacy’ through the BCI Facebook page.

More than ever before, BCI customers are empowered to access all their accounts and transfer money to friends and businesses from anywhere in the Cook Islands on-demand.

Customers have all the standard banking inclusions enabling them to view and manage all their accounts and make fast payments in the one place. The TakuBCI possesses optional modules;

• Personal finance management tools for customer engagement 
• Secure messaging to communicate securely with customers within an authenticated banking environment 
• Password reset for self-service convenience and operational cost efficiency

Designed to make user experiences intuitive with simple login and navigation, customers are appreciating how easy the App is to use and commenting on features that are perceived as exceptionally useful such as the financial calculators and the savings tracker, and the App’s security options.

These capabilities are making for an engaging user experience, and an experience that brings confidence to all the 'new users' who are new to digital banking.

Growth Strategy

The Ultracs App 2 launch is part of a larger core and digital banking growth strategy for BCI. In 2020, BCI set the foundation with a major Ultracs core banking upgrade creating a new platform for their digital innovation strategy, and also introducing more operational efficiencies.

The 'loan origination' software solution was integrated in the upgrade to automate many aspects of the lending workflow for operators, with convenience and the speed in processing loan applications at the heart of 'loan origination' the application.

Subsequent to this, BCI then released a stand-out and engaging new website built on Ultradata’s Ultracs CMS, to positively position their brand and attract new customers, with Ultracs App 2 now the latest digital inclusion in BCI’s integrated Ultracs 'ecosystem', and offering, where all the core and digital banking channels work together for a harmonious exchange of customer and product information.

Looking into the future, BCI are set to release more digital tools such as My Viewpoint 3 for mobile responsive internet banking, making these financial technology improvements as the foundations that are establishing BCI as one of Pacific Islands’ most digitally progressive banking brands.