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Push & Pull - Explanation Needed

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Question: 
Can someone please explain what “push” and “pull” mean in regards to e-banking?
Answer: 

Those terms are used to describe how a customer obtains an electronically delivered statement or other account-related document. In a "push" system, all such records (disclosures, statements, etc.) are sent to the customer via email. Those with confidential customer information are typically encrypted and require some form of customer validation to be opened and read.

In a "pull" system, the customer accesses the records by knowing where to find them on the bank's (or third party's) server, and either reads them online or pulls them down to his/her computer for storage and/or reading. Often, the bank sends the customer an email announcing the availability of the record, and provides a link. The customer then needs to provide security access codes (such as a user ID and password) to access the record. In other cases, there may or may not be an email to the customer to announce the availability of the record, and the customer accesses the record through the bank's online banking system, which requires customer identity validation for entry. A bank might use a hybrid, in which statements are provided under a "pull" framework, and non-customer-specific notices and disclosures are posted to the bank's website or sent via the "push" method.

First published on BankersOnline.com 3/23/09

First published on 03/23/2009

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