Among the fastest growing segments of the Russian economy is mobile Internet. More and more Russians are starting to use the corresponding online services, are actively acquiring gadgets, installing applications for them. Against the backdrop of this trend, entrepreneurs are creating various startups. Among these are projects based on the concept of using mobile Internet as a communication channel between banks and their customers. At the same time, the functionality of the corresponding application becomes more significant in terms of satisfying the needs of the user than, in fact, the services of a financial institution. An example of such a project is Rocketbank. What are its features?
Service Overview
“Rocketbank”, reviews of which are increasingly appearing on thematic online portals, is a service for organizing payments using mobile applications. The legal entity that owns this brand does not have customer service departments , call centers or online interfaces, such as banking, that could be used to organize customer access to the account. Many experts and users relate to the “Rocketbank” concept (reviews on thematic portals confirm this), first of all, as a mobile service. Therefore, it will be useful to consider the functionality of the corresponding application, but a little later. For now, we’ll study how the unusual Rocketbank service was created.
How did the project come about
The project in question was brought to market by entrepreneurs involved in businesses such as Groupon. Businessmen decided to create a service in Russia that would greatly simplify the work of customers with banks, but at the same time they would not legally be a financial institution. The founders of "Rocketbank" at the same time set themselves the task of launching a service that would be perceived as a bank by customers. In order to solve it, it was necessary, first of all, to find a reliable partner among, in fact, credit and financial organizations.
As the founders of the startup admit in an interview with the media, negotiations were held with about 20 Russian banks, and in most cases partnerships could not be established due to a lack of understanding of the project’s features by traditional financial institutions. Banks, as noted by top managers of Rocketbank, are used to perceiving a client as a consumer, in particular, of credit services. In turn, the startup, based on its concept, did not imply work in such a segment. Rocketbank did not intend to issue credit cards (see the photo of the corresponding product from the brand below).
The main thing that the founders of the startup tried to get from partners was the consent to connect to the internal corporate network infrastructure so that it was possible to manage customer accounts. Many of the employees of financial organizations were not ready, therefore, to support the initiatives of the Rocketbank project; feedback from security officers of credit institutions regarding the prospects for such cooperation was not the most positive.
However, over time, the founders of the project managed to find a partner. That was the Interkommerts Design Bureau. This organization, with which Rocketbank has an agreement, occupies very decent positions in the ranking among banks. In particular, it is among the top 70 Russian financial institutions in terms of assets. With the joint efforts of partners, the startup was thus launched on the market in 2013.
Target customer group
The founders of Rocketbank identified the target group of project clients as users of mobile Internet. The founders of the startup expect the formation of a significant influx of customers from the IT segment - in particular, people who are used to regular use of online services can be especially active users of the service. Thus, the Rocketbank project began to develop actively in the mobile segment of the Internet. However, the founders of the startup are also considering the possibility of supplementing mobile services with the traditional Internet banking system as well. But at the same time they note that a request for a similar service in the required volume has not yet been formed.
Now let's move on to exploring the capabilities of the application that Rocketbank developed. A review of this solution can be carried out by examining its key functions.
Features of the mobile application “Rocketbank”
Among the most noteworthy features of the Rocketbank application, available to users of mobile gadgets, is cost analytics. Such an application displays clearly. The user’s expenses are classified into several categories. They are also displayed in the form of a percentage graph, which allows the user to track the most common costs.
In the payment transaction tape, the name of the outlet at which the goods were purchased is recorded. If necessary, you can find the necessary data by using the application search system, as well as tags. It can be noted that the statistics of expenses of one user can be combined with the indicators of another.
A plastic card
One of the aspects that bring Rocketbank's activities closer to traditional credit and financial organizations is the issue of plastic cards. Each client of the service in question receives a plastic card of the VISA payment system. Possessing such means that a person has the right to significant preferences. Among them are discounts in stores, various service programs, personification of services.
Cards issued by Rocketbank (customer reviews regarding this aspect are the most positive) are connected to accounts in which funds placed by the user increase by about 9% per annum. At the same time, the corresponding amounts are not considered a deposit - they can be freely spent or increased due to account replenishment. The interest on cash that is placed on the card is accrued every day, but actually paid once a month. The main condition for increasing the amount on the account is the presence of 30 thousand rubles on it. If on any day of the month there will be less money, then interest will not be accrued until their value reaches 30 thousand rubles. The maximum amount for which interest can be accrued is 300 thousand rubles.
Another opportunity to increase income for a client of the “Rocketbank” system (reviews indicate that this option is also very pleasant for Russians) is to return bonus interest on purchases to the account. So, for example, if a user has connected the “All Inclusive” tariff, then he will receive 1.5% of the costs. The tariff "Light" guarantees a return to the account of 1% of purchases.
Reliability
“Rocketbank”, despite the originality of the service delivery format, is affiliated, as we noted at the beginning of the article, with a full-fledged credit and financial institution - CB “Interkommerts”. This organization has been operating in the Russian market for over 20 years and is included in the deposit insurance system. The institution with which Rocketbank interacts, the rating according to the regulations is very decent - A + level. That is, it can be considered a completely stable and reliable financial institution.
Service Fee
The business model of “Rocketbank” involves charging customers a fee for servicing the card. Its value depends on the tariff. For example, if such is All Inclusive, then the fee is 290 rubles. For the tariff “Light” - 75 rubles. As we noted above, “Rocketbank” does not issue credit cards. Therefore, if funds run out on the client’s account, his account may be blocked if the required amount is not paid within 6 months.
It may be noted that the use of certain services that are provided at other banks, as a rule, on a commercial basis, is free at Rocketbank. Among them - the issuance of certificates, statements. In some tariffs - sending SMS notifications.
Cash withdrawal
Among the most notable features of the “Rocketbank” system is the ability to cash out money without a commission at any ATM. The main thing is that he supports the work with the VISA payment system. Although, of course, it is very difficult to find ATMs that do not meet this criterion.
True, the number of free withdrawals is limited. At the tariff “All inclusive” there can be 10 of them during a month. The “Light” tariff guarantees 5 free cash withdrawals. At the same time, it does not matter in which country the ATM is located - the main thing is that it supports the work with the VISA payment system.
Refill
There are several ways to replenish the account to which the Rocketbank client card is linked.
First, you can transfer funds from the account of another financial institution by using a plastic card attached to it. In order to carry out this procedure, you need to launch the “Rocketbank” application, then select the “Top-up” option, and then enter the necessary data about the card from which the withdrawal of funds is supposed. The main thing is that the bank that issued it supports Card-2-Card technology. As part of this method of crediting funds to the Rocketbank account, no commission is charged.
Secondly, you can deposit cash through the terminals of the United Settlement System (or OPC) or the ICD ATM. It can be noted that in the Rocketbank application (customer reviews confirm this) there is a function for displaying the coordinates of the corresponding points. Deposits through the ICD ATM or OPC terminals to the account of the “Rocketbank” client are also carried out without commission.
Thirdly, you can replenish the card balance using a conventional bank transfer. This method is not the fastest - money when credited is credited in about 1-2 days.
Another option for replenishing an account of “Rocketbank” is the option “Top-up by request”. It involves an appeal to transfer funds to another person via e-mail. After receiving a message, opening it and following the link to the Rocketbank recharge service, a friend or acquaintance of the user can provide him financial support in one way or another. The client of “Rocketbank” can, in turn, send money from its account to other users, to a bank card or by details.
How to get a Rocketbank card?
So, the user is convinced that the project we are interested in is interesting to him, and the credit and financial organization with which Rocketbank cooperates takes an acceptable position in the rating of banks - the matter is about registering an account in this unusual service. How to solve this problem?
First you need to fill out an application for a plastic card issue on the brand website. After some time - about 1 week - the courier will have to meet with the applicant, who will have a Rocketbank card and an agreement on hand. They need to be signed, after which the card will be activated. Access to the application will open during the day.
Rocketbank Team and Employee Reviews
The most important aspect of the stability and competitiveness of any service, especially banking, is the competence and coordination of the work of his team. How is things going with Rocketbank? The specificity of this project is that it almost fully operates online. Among the key structures of Rocketbank working through the Internet is the marketing department. For a long time he was represented by one of the founders of the company, who independently maintained a blog, talked on social networks, and promoted the site. Over time, he had assistants, however, the project manager continues to answer questions from users asked through social networks.
The bulk of customer requests comes nevertheless through the application of the Rocketbank system. Feedback from startup employees online so far is not so common that it was possible to have an unambiguous idea of the working conditions in the company, but it can be assumed that communication with the client is accompanied by a solution to both completely routine and very difficult issues. In principle, top managers of the company, who are also actually involved in solving tasks that are the prerogative of the hired specialists, also speak about this.
According to startup leaders in an interview with the media, the main task posed to the Rocketbank team is to solve the problem in fact, not limited to unsubscribing and formal explanations. So, for example, if the service is hindered by a technical malfunction, then the support staff will not only inform the client about it, but will also offer him to use one or another alternative way to make a payment.
It will be useful to study the specifics of the support service of Rocketbank in more detail.
Support service features and reviews
Despite the fact that the service in question does not have a call center similar in function to a bank, the support service of the Rocketbank system (customer reviews confirm this) is functioning at a high level. In particular, the option of requesting assistance from a service employee is already implemented in the application itself. You just need to send a message to the operator with the question. As users note, service employees respond politely to requests and try to solve the difficulties as soon as possible.
It can be noted that the support service of the Rocketbank project (feedback on the work of startup employees confirm this) works seven days a week. Specialists of the relevant division of the company carry out their work in 2 shifts - from 8 in the morning to 12 at night. As senior project managers noted in an interview with the media, over time, the formation of a staff of specialists working on the night shift is expected. Among the main principles of the functioning of the support service of “Rocketbank” is communication with the client in an accessible language, without unnecessary use of banking terminology.
Much attention is paid to the comments on the service. Anyone containing a constructive assessment of the Rocketbank project, a review of the bank’s work, is examined in detail by the relevant brand services. In general, customers are satisfied with the level of customer support of Rocketbank. This is confirmed by the positive opinions of people, especially in social networks, a large number of “likes” and informative comments.
This is our small review that reveals the basic facts about the Rocketbank project. Both customer reviews and the service development policy allow us to conclude that this is a very promising project. He has few direct competitors, so the potential growth of a startup can be impressive given the dynamic indicators of the development of the mobile Internet market in Russia.