Forum: Be consistent in using digitalisation for customers’ convenience

I am writing to highlight an inconsistency in the way digitalisation is being implemented, based on a recent experience with OCBC Bank.

Through the OCBC mobile app, I was able to update my correspondence address quickly and seamlessly. This reflects the kind of convenience and efficiency customers have come to expect as banks increasingly move towards digital platforms.

However, I was surprised to find out – through my telephone call with OCBC Bank’s customer service hotline – that updating my residential address still requires a physical visit to a bank branch.

This inconsistency raises an important question: If identity verification and data updates can be securely handled for one type of address digitally, why not for another? From a customer’s perspective, the distinction appears arbitrary and undermines the purpose of digitalisation, which is to improve accessibility and convenience.

In today’s environment, where digital banking is not just a value-add but also a baseline expectation, requiring customers to take time off to visit a branch for administrative updates seems outdated. This is especially so when secure authentication tools such as Singpass and in-app verification methods are already widely available and trusted.

Edwin Goh