For those of you out there who have online banking: can your customers sign up for basic services directly on your website? Or do they need to actually come into the branch to sign up or mail in an application (for customers with established accounts).

My thought is that if you set up some secure protocol (i.e. the customer has to answer a series of questions to identify themselves), then you could allow them to register online to be able to view their account and transfer between accounts. We would require them to fill out a paper application, though, for Bill Pay and other services such as down-loading information to Quicken or other such software. Does this make sense?

We allowed online setup. In some cases we did telephone verifications. Before funds could leave that account (transfers, bill pay, etc.) we had a signed request.

Our customers can sign up online. Once they do that, they are told they need to call a branch to get their FI key, which is needed the very first time they log in. Once they have done that, the FI key is no longer needed.

Our customers can fill out an online application but they do not have immediate access. We have to accept their enrollment and send them a letter with instructions on their username and initial password (which they are required to change the first time they login.)

Our "sign-up" is completely online - it's a matter of having customers that have already opened an account go through a 'process' online. First - Overview page; Second - disclosure page with an "I accept" button at the bottom that takes them to the online banking site with that site having a disclaimer that they must review the disclosure first. That's it.

We don't offer bill payment. If we did, I would want to have a signed document with third party payments the big issue.

We go online in November.

Our customers will be able to access the application online but are required to sign and deliver it to us.

We will deliver the UserID to the customer via e-mail and the PIN via postal.

Question for Paragon:

Is your e-banking sign-up process truly automated, or does someone in back-room operations get notified that the customer wants to sign up after the customer applies online - and then back-room operations has to review the online application and add the customer manually?

Thank you Paragon:

Once more question, if you don't mind: can you tell me who your e-banking software vendor is, even if by Private message? Our IT person is telling me that we can't do true online sign-up and I am trying to determine if it is a software vendor issue or other issue.

We are with Fiserv, but that fact should have no bearing on online sign-up. Technically, we don't have online sign-up, as nothing is signed. On our site, we simply have a process involving a series of pages that all have one goal - make sure that the customer needs to go through the process to reach the internet banking site. In other words, they need to review and accept the discloser. Since an actual signature is not required, other than the one secured when the checking/savings account was opened at the branch, the process has all the required elements.

So, it may be a fact that you cannot do 'true online sign-up,' but it all depends on the definition of 'true online sign-up' as interpreted by your IT person. Internet banking is simply an access method that is covered by new account disclosures. A disclosure review is posted as customer’s access their accounts in this manner, along with education material and specific warnings, e.g. email security, etc. A signature is not required.