IoT – Revolution or Evolution in the Banking or Financial Services Industry

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1. The IoT hype

We’ve got all learned about the “Internet of Things” (IoT) because these revolutionary new technologies, which can radically alter our lives. However, is it really such a revolution and can it really have an influence on the Financial Services Industry?

To refresh our memory, the Internet of Things (IoT) describes anything, which can gather information and communicate and discuss this info (such as state, geolocation…​) within the online.

This communication will frequently occur between two objects (i.e. not between any individual), which is frequently known as Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication. Well known cases are house thermostats, home security systems, fitness and wellness monitors, wearables…​

This seems futuristic, but smart phones, tablet computers and smartwatches may also be regarded as IoT devices. More to the point, beside those futuristic dreams of IoT, the smart phone will almost certainly remain to be the middle of the connected apparatus world.

IoT could have serious consequences for both the Business and IT branches of financial institutions. Flexible execution frameworks and high-performing run-time platforms will become a requirement.

2. Where does it impact us?

In nature the IoT enables making services and products more personalized, i.e. services and products will be more focused about the customer’s needs and tastes.
Additionally IoT allows companies to catch real time (and 24/7) huge quantities of data regarding the client,

Letting a more intimate comprehension of the client. IoT will consequently certainly signify a revolution to the domain name of data analytics, which ought to turn the huge constant stream of information in immediate insights and forecasts about the client (what would the client like / need / do…​).

The Financial Services Industry, being a data-driven industry offering subjective merchandise are not going to have a great deal of direct impacts of IoT (compared to e.g. the retail sector ), however the indirect consequences (i.e. info from IoT apparatus is indirectly utilized to enhance financial products and solutions) will be far reaching.

From the insurance sector, IoT enables to grow the user participation, which can be low in contrast to the banking market. Currently clients don’t have any incentive to socialize with their insurance and consequently interactions stay restricted to maintain yearly and requests premium renewals. IoT contributes to a much more extreme customer connection, as it permits companies growing value-added services in addition to their insurance contracts.

3. Use Cases

The distinct new solutions and goods caused by IoT from the Financial Services Industry are tough to forecast and only constrained by the expand of a person’s creativity.

Overall, we can classify the use cases according to two axes, i.e.

The usage of the delivered IoT data:

1. Delivery of fresh innovative products and solutions (personalization from the IoT delivered information )
2. Fine-tuning of Risk Management (e.g. development of fraud detection or enhanced quality checks and followup of charge collaterals)
3. Boost the earnings procedure for present goods (e.g. identification of cross-sell chances ( more personalized contextual messages…​) along with also the customer connection (e.g. churn detection, more accurate client segmentation…​)
4. Execute obligations, i.e. apparatus executing automatic payments
5. Identification and authentication, i.e. utilize IoT apparatus to identify and authenticate a man more correctly

The type of data the IoT device sends or receives:

1. Condition or usage of the monitored object or person
2. Geolocation
3. Payment data
4. Biometric data
5. Customer communication (i.e. human readable info)

We’ll structure this article in line with the initial axe, i.e. the use of this delivered IoT data.

3.1. Delivery of fresh innovating Services and Products

IoT is going to end in the introduction of new innovative, personalized services and products, which might be impossible without IoT.

3.1.1. Home Sensors

Connecting home detectors to a Financial Institution enables providing multiple new revolutionary services:

Connect utilities bright meters (gas, water and power ) into a bank account, allowing for

1. Pay mechanically the utilities bills
2. Provide a service to the customer to automatically switch between suppliers to get the best deal

Join a Pair of House Detectors (e.g. utilities smart meters, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire suppression systems, Innovative alarm systems) into an Insurance Provider, allowing the insurer to:

1. Enhance the security of guaranteed houses against dangers (fire, escape, flood and theft), thus reducing the danger of insurance claims.
2. Supply more personalized insurance premiums. E.g. insurance premiums which increase, if client frequently forgets to lock his doors to switch his oven off.
3. Speak to a policyholder through his smart phone when danger is discovered and dispatch mechanically a crisis response team
4. Give the client a tracking perspective on his home data (e.g. online followup of his utilities intake )
5. Propose to the client possible improvements into the house, that can reduce the client’s insurance premium

• Use detectors (such as e.g. dampness sensor or structural integrity detectors in walls) to ascertain the status of the home as loan security . This allows banks:

1. Once an incident happens, automatically issue a house improvement loan to pay for the repair costs and issue a job order to associated repairmen. The client could reap the benefits of discounted rates for the repairs, an improved warranty and a direct approval of the affiliated renovation loan (with no government ).
2. Banks could indicate a variable rate of interest loan, where the interest rate doesn’t just change with all the central bank interest rate but also is dependent upon the readings of house detectors (suggesting how well the client protects his home ).

3.1.2. Car Sensors (Telematics)

Where other IoT cases are autonomous, using auto detectors (telematics) for supplying new financial solutions and goods is already done now by numerous financial institutions.

These detectors Lead to Many of services that are interesting:

• Usage-based Car Insurance: quantify the driver’s behaviour (e.g. kilometres driven, challenging brakes, driving in risky areas, driving at night, driving in poor weather conditions, rate…​) allowing insurers to

1. Auto insurance fraud, e.g. asserted mishaps, which Aren’t detected by the detectors
2. Give the client with numbers on his driving behaviour. When utilizing theories of gamification (e.g. contrast of driving behaviour with different clients or using a list of buddies ), motorists could be invited to get safer driving.
3. Support clients in case of automobile breakdown or injury
4. Provide fleet management solutions to SMEs

Utilize car detectors to ascertain and handle the state of an automobile for loan security. This Enables banks to

• Propose an Auto Loan with varying Rate of Interest, together with the interest rate accommodated to the amount the client takes care of his automobile
• Remotely disable the automobile, when an Auto Loan Isn’t reimbursed
• Automatically suggest a charge when costly car repairs have been required. Banks may also collaborate with automobile repair organizations to provide discounted prices for their clients.

3.1.3. Personal Health Sensors

Personal Health Sensors would be the most invasive detectors, in regards to privacy and tracking always the client’s actions. These detectors are ideal to find a constant stream of information about the consumer, permitting to get more data regarding the present disposition of the client. These detectors can hence also be utilized for enhancing the earnings effectiveness and client relationship.

But when looking at goods, that can be directly derived from the detector information, Financial Institutions can consider wearable body detectors measuring health parameters such as heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, motion, calorie burn-rate and alcohol intake.

This could enable insurance companies to personalized lifestyle and health insurances:

• Adjust pricing of this insurance Depending on the health numbers of this client
• Assess if client is correctly taking his necessary medication
• Assist with security and care for older and assisted living
• Inform policy-holder when physician visit is Suggested
• Give the client opinion on his health data
• Block automobile (if additionally insured at same insurance ), if consumer’s alcohol consumption has been high and client plans to induce

3.1.4. Supply Chain Sensors

Supply Chain detectors refer to all detectors to track the stock (e.g. amount and kind of items in stock, state of goods at a warehouse, and detect threats like mould, toxins…​) as well as the transportation of products (e.g. detectors on transport containers and transport vehicles).
These detectors are likely to be installed from the production companies themselves for enhancing their supply chain efficiency, but the information may also be utilized by financial institutions to provide new products to SMEs and corporate clients:

Banks could use this sensor data for multiple purposes:

1. Progress of credit rating, permitting to offer more personalized rates of interest but also allowing simpler approval of clients without charge history.
2. Tracking of those collaterals related to corporate credits, but also tracking of merchandise that are funded by the lender via renting.
3. This might be restricted to assessing if products are physically present in the agreed location, but could also be dependent on the characteristic of the merchandise (as tracked by the detectors ).
4. Bank’s investment study may also use the detector data to better forecast the potential financial results of a firm (shareholders can dictate that this real time transparency). E.g. the sum of shipped merchandise gives a fantastic indication of the prospective earnings.

• For insurers similar opportunities exist:

1. Improved prices of transport insurances, because of better detection of damage and theft to the shipped products
2. Improved prices of corporate insurances

Aside from supplying these brand new innovative products, carriers and banks could also utilize the detector data to provide new services to their clients, like e.g.

• Supply data and real time dashboards on stock and transport of goods
• Automated telling of any anomalies with transport of goods
• Assist in retrieval of stolen merchandise

3.2. Fine-tuning of Risk Management

This will definitely go from handling customer danger (in context of KYC) more than handling credit risk (i.e. danger that client won’t repay his loan), insurance risk and operational risk to handling external and internal fraud threat:

• Client Risk: utilizing detector data gives additional data to fine-tune the KYC hazard model to ascertain the client threat at onboarding and execute the constant monitoring later. E.g. the use of geolocation information to verify the home address of the client.
• Credit Risk: detectors make it possible for banks to acquire a better comprehension of the client and his threat of not reimbursing an charge, but could also help in better managing the value of collaterals connected into the credits. As an instance:

1. General demographic predicated credit versions could classify a client as a high-risk client for approving financing, but detector information about his driving style and how he handles his house (e.g. is client economic with his power, heating and water) may give a more favorable risk classification to the client.
2. Banks might have a close real-time balance sheet coverage, dependent on detectors in the warehouses and also at the transportation vehicles of corporate clients. This enables better handling collaterals of credits, such as e.g. based on credit for operating capital which many corporate clients possess.

• Client Insurance Danger: better handle the risk insurance companies take when insuring a client.
• Client Fraud Detection: IoT info may be utilised to enhance the discovery of fraud cases. E.g.

1. Credit card fraud detection: use cellular geolocation information in real time as an extra input to the credit card fraud analytics that is predictive. E.g. real-time game the account holder’s place data together with the positioning of this trade.
2. Insurance fraud detection: detectors allow to spot when episodes happen and what the positioning of the customer is at the instant (via geolocation). This can decrease significantly customers hoping to document frauduleus insurance claims.

Operational Risk: in the financial service firm, IoT may also contribute to reducing the functional threat. Different use cases exist , such as e.g. better security from the buildings, enhanced tracking of networks and hardware to prevent service outages…​

More advanced monitoring instances may also be anticipated. E.g. businesses could track the private health detectors of their workers to get elevated anxiety levels and patterns of motion. This may allow to identify inner fraud, but also the danger of burn-out or attrition.

3.3. Supporting Sales and CRM Process

IoT will even support financial service firms in enhancing their earnings and CRM processes. IoT enables identifying the client’s needs more precise and instantaneous (even real time), permitting to execute a great deal more successful marketing and targeted earnings. This more intimate understanding of the client enables more personalized connections and so enhances considerably compared to the client.

This paragraph provides some examples in this domain:

Beacons in the entry of branches would enable to identify the client (through his cellular phone) instantly when he moves. This Enables the reception worker to

1. Welcome to the client by title
2. Get a direct view about the client on his pc, i.e.

. Full 360° perspective on the client’s assets and liabilities

. View on all activities the customer lately did (e.g. where did he look in on his net banking the past days)

. Review of any revenue opportunities based on client analytics

• Utilize the”Personal Health Sensors” and geolocation solutions to identify the ideal moment to create a sales call with a client, i.e. prevent interrupting client on the job, prevent sales contact when client is worried…​
• This beacon or geolocation technology may also be employed to provide services and products, when a client arrives at a particular place , e.g.

1. When client enters a car dealership or a store for additional expensive posts, the lender could alert the customer how much funding he’s accepted for (and provide a favorite interest rate).
2. Banks may collaborate with stores via loyalty applications. The real time location tracking would enable banks to send supplies and bargains real time. The deal may only be appropriate if the client pays at the store with the bank card.
3. When client isn’t a home owner and is now located at a home available, the lender could send instantly a mortgage deal for your home.
4. When client arrives at a foreign nation, the lender could instantly check whether the client’s credit card is approved for the nation and suggest to trigger it if it isn’t. The lender may also provide to temporarily boost the client’s credit limit, letting him pay his hotel bill.
5. When client arrives at an airport and client failed to take a journey insurance however, it may be a good idea to suggest this kind of insurance to the client.

3.4. Automatic Payment Execution

All former use cases are about IoT sending sensor information to the bank, which acts upon the information. For automatic payments, IoT usually means that the thing takes actions itself, i.e. orders a couple of goods or services and pays for them (with no human interaction).

Typical examples could be:

• A refrigerator ordering itself goods into the super-market
• An automobile paying itself in the gasoline station or in the recharging station (in the event of an electric automobile )
• Smart helper on a Cell telephone ordering airline or film tickets
• A blown light bulb ordering a replacement

Supporting these use cases will still expect substantial growth in the payments sector, because the amount of payments would radically increase (with reduced payment amounts), meaning that the expenses of payment must also reduce accordingly (to prevent clients and banks needing to cover increased prices ). What’s more, IoT apparatus will need to be properly linked to an individual or more precisely into a bank account.
Frequently using blockchain is put forward as an answer to such difficulties.

3.5. Identification and Authentication

IoT may also help improve the identification and authentication of consumers. Within a ever-increasing electronic world and ever-growing issues of digital protection, IoT may bring a fantastic solution to this dilemma.
Now identification and authentication remains mainly performed by the blend of”something that you have”, i.e. generally a card (bank card or identity card) and”something you know”, i.e. generally a PIN code or password. Now this kind of safety is no longer adequate.
IoT may bring an answer through distinct kinds of validations, according to”something you are” (i.e. biometrics tests ).

Examples are:

• Iris scanner or face recognition through your Cell Phone
• Verifying how, you maintain your Cell Phone
• Assessing your last-known places together with all the location where the petition is created
• Ensure certain behavioral patterns based on IoT with the current behaviour

4. Required IT Capabilities

Banks and insurance companies will radically need to alter their IT infrastructure and software landscape to manage IoT.

The main game changers for IT will be:

The capture and processing of information and interactions with the client should occur in real-time and ought to be 24/7 accessible. Within a market, which remains mainly batch driven, together with important windows of unavailability (such as batches, maintenance…), this is really a challenge.

IoT provides a constant stream of considerable quantities of information. This may exponentially increase the quantities of information fiscal institutions need to take care of. Potentially a migration into cloud solutions (businesses specialized in dealing with these amounts ) are the only logical measure.

With IoTs collecting exceptionally personal information (e.g. about client’s wellbeing ), safety, security and confidentiality is vital. This information must be protected from the exterior, as from the interior (you don’t want your banker to have an opinion in the own body temperature of the final week).

On the flip side, you really do need your banker to have the ability to describe why a service or product is suddenly getting more expensive (due to specific sensor information ).

What’s more, IT should come across a remedy to connect a client or account into a device. For apparatus only used by 1 person (such as e.g. smartphones and private health detectors ) this can be relatively simple, but for apparatus shared with many consumers (e.g. thermostat or automobile telematics) this could be complicated.

The IT infrastructure must support different apparatus, together with most probably various communication protocols. Additional the IoT apparatus will frequently evolve (e.g. send new kinds of information ).
An extremely flexible structure with very reduced growth instances (supported by various frame tools) is therefore crucial.

5. Conclusion

Gradually IoT devices along with the information accumulated by these will require a more prominent part in the products and services provided by financial institutions. Today the majority of the use of IoT from the financial services sector remains in the experimental stage, but using an exponential growth in use this can quickly change.

Banks and companies should therefore behave now in altering their program architecture and more especially their information structure, to have the ability to encourage these potential usage cases.

The common evolutions into DevOps, Agile, Cloud and microservices may be an excellent prep for this particular IoT (r)development.

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