To set up the service, users must:<\/strong><\/p>\n “For now it will limit you to specific transactions within your own profile,” Absa said, speaking to security concerns.<\/p>\n “Your profile is linked to the Absa ChatBanking and is very secure. In a one-time only process you will register in a secure environment which will link your Twitter profile to your Absa bank account,” the bank said.<\/p>\n “You will be sent a sure-check via your registered cell phone number to ensure that you have permission to link the account. Your account number and personal details will never be displayed in a chat to ensure that even if someone stole your cell phone and looked at your Twitter chat, they would not be able to use the information in the same way that someone who picked up your old ATM slip would not be able to use the information on it.”<\/p>\n The bank added that data and airtime purchases are only for the account holder.<\/p>\n In April, the bank said that it would\u00a0pilot a chat bot system to enable customers to transact over social media.\u00a0Chat bots use artificial intelligence to simulate intelligent conversation through written or spoken text.<\/p>\n At the time, Absa noted that messaging apps continue to eclipse social media as the conversational channel of choice in monthly active users, which means that consumers are quickly adopting \u2018smart\u2019 two-way messaging apps as opposed to traditional, and more limited options such as SMS or email.<\/p>\n Read:\u00a0Absa to use chatbots to talk to customers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n According to Barclays Africa\u2019s Jan Moganwa, artificial intelligence enabled chatbots can answer simple customer questions quickly, freeing up staff to focus on more complex customer issues that require deeper human insight.<\/p>\n First for South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n Hashtag transactions are a new concept in South Africa, but\u00a0is not a new concept in digital transactions.<\/p>\n In 2014, Vodacom told BusinessTech that it was considering hashtag transactions in the country<\/a>, where\u00a0Vodacom customers would be able to purchase products directly through social media, taking advantage of the social relationship between customers and the brand.<\/p>\n The concept was based off an\u00a0American Express partnership with Twitter in 2013, where Amex\u00a0cardholders could\u00a0complete purchases of specific items by mentioning the appropriate hashtag in a tweet.<\/p>\n Once a confirmation hashtag was retweeted, Amex sent\u00a0a confirmation e-mail, giving consumers 15 minutes to confirm a product order.\u00a0The consumer\u2019s card would\u00a0then charged with the items shipped to their billing address.<\/p>\n Government makes a move for Absa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Absa offers free app banking \u2013 no data required<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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