The pandemic changed the world as we know it, and banking was no exception.

Customers began preferring mobile-first, secure, personalized, and digital payment methods over direct ones to transact, and banks had to adapt to survive.

Traditional banks had to find efficient ways to drive customer experience and security. They embraced digital transformation rapidly and implemented new technologies to offer customers a seamless banking experience.

Banks had to ensure that their Debit Card Management Systems (DCMS) were equipped to handle personalization, security, and the surge in usage. They had to adopt measures such as fraud detection and prevention systems, real-time transaction monitoring, and enhanced security protocols to ensure the safety of customer data.

But running a debit card operation can be a challenging task for banks. Pressure from evolving customer preferences, competition from contactless payment modes,  and evolving regulatory changes severely affect the debit card landscape. Legacy banking systems are plagued by cost and effort bottlenecks that further impact the operational efficiency and profitability of banks.

Solution: Next-gen Debit Card Management System 

To survive and thrive, banks need to modernize their core debit card infrastructure with futuristic, scalable, and innovation-friendly technology. Modern Debit Card Management Systems transform the way banks handle debit card operations. From super-quick transaction speed, personalized customer experiences, to enhanced security features and seamless integrations, modern debit card platforms are reshaping the way banks manage debit cards.

Before going head-on into what DCMS is and how it can improve efficiency, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane.

Debit card, over the years

Debit cards have always been a ubiquitous part of the digital financial ecosystem enabling inclusive access to everything from subsidies, disbursals, remittances, bill payments, and more. It is widely used for various transactions such as ATM withdrawals, POS purchases, and online payments.  Factors like freedom from debt, convenient card-based payment features, and rewards in the form of cashback have driven the shift in customer behavior towards debit cards. The security, efficiency, and convenience offered by debit cards played a vital role in India’s journey toward a cashless economy.

India’s debit card journey started in the late 1980s with technological advancements. SBI Cash Plus card was launched in 1987, followed by Electronic Funds Transfer in 1994. INFS launched in 1997, and in 2000, RBI introduced two-factor authentication for online transactions. Two-factor authentication for online transactions using debit cards came in 2010. RuPay debit card was launched in 2014, and demonetization in 2016 boosted debit card usage.

Post 2020

During and after the pandemic, wearables such as bracelets, rings, and watches linked to debit card accounts served as a safe, contactless way to transact. These wearables use Near Field Communication technology to process transactions in real-time, making payments quickly and easily.

Fast forward to 2023

As of January 2023, there were over 945 million active debit cards in India. Industry experts predict that the usage of debit cards in the country will continue to grow, with an estimated increase of 84.6 million cards by 2028.

Banks issue various types of debit cards based on the payment platform, technology, and usage. They offer banks an excellent opportunity to cater to diverse needs and expand their customer base.

But, here comes a crucial question.

Are banks using the right debit card stack?

You’ll know if you continue reading.

Traditional banks use legacy debit card management systems with limitations that inhibit the capability of the bank to innovate, scale, and grow. Here’s a quick look into the bottlenecks that hinder banks from delivering the best experience to customers.

Bottlenecks in legacy DCMS

• Scalability can be a significant issue since traditional systems are monolithic and difficult to scale horizontally.
• Use of multiple vendors for different stages of the debit card management process leads to delays in the card issuance process and quality control issues.
• High maintenance costs are a key problem faced while using a traditional DCMS, as they are complex and require additional resources and time-consuming operations.
• Inflexibility of legacy systems causes delays in system upgrades and makes it challenging for banks to keep up with technological advancements.
• Lack of integration between systems leads to delays, errors, and fraud.

To overcome these bottlenecks, banks need to transition to modern and innovative DCMS, which provides optimal customer experience, increases competitiveness, and growth.

Traditional vs. Modern Debit Card Management System

The traditional DCMS was limited in terms of personalization, accessibility, the application process, transaction limits, alert notification, and security. However, with the advancements in technology and changing customer expectations, modern DCMS has transformed the banking experience.

Modern DCMS offers a greater degree of personalization with options to choose card designs, transaction limits, and even reward programs that suit the needs of customers. Additionally, they offer more accessibility via mobile apps and online platforms, allowing customers to easily manage their accounts and track their expenses.

Modern debit card platform: Introducing M2P DCMS

M2P DCMS is a 360° card management solution that offers fast, scalable, and customizable debit card capabilities, including product setup, card issuance, inventory management, EFT switch, and card management services.

Key features

• Robust API for platform integration
• Seamless onboarding
• Personalized rewards program
• Effective Personal Finance Management (PFM)
• Hassle-free reconciliation & settlement
• Intelligent Access Control Server (ACS) System
• Inclusive set of inbuilt reports & dashboards
• Inbuilt security & compliance

Seamless API integrations

Our API-driven DCMS offers a flexible and scalable platform for banks to innovate and adapt to changing customer needs and market conditions.  Seamless API integration and communication enable easy integration with third-party services, namely Personal Financial Management (PFM) tools, fraud detection software, and loyalty programs. API integration plays a vital role in enabling the following.

• Real-time data exchange
• Automated workflows
• Streamlined processes
• Improved data accuracy
• Better customer experience

With API integration, customers can access their account data and perform transactions via different modes, namely online portals, and mobile apps. They can also receive real-time notifications of their account activity, namely purchases, withdrawals, and balance updates. Banks are allowed to enhance their offerings and create more personalized experiences for their customers.

Hyper-personalization

Tailoring offers and services to customers based on individual preferences, spending patterns, and other relevant data is very important. It allows banks to create a more personalized customer experience which in turn improves customer satisfaction, loyalty, and engagement. This helps banks to detect and prevent potential security threats and fraudulent activity in real-time. With modern DCMS, banks can take proactive measures to prevent fraud and ensure the security and safety of customer funds.

Security

To deliver differentiated card programs with the utmost security, banks need an advanced DCMS.  The security features must be sophisticated to thwart fraud and cyber-attacks. This is where modern DCMS comes in, offering a range of advanced security features such as the following.

• Multi-factor authentication
• Encryption
• Tokenization
• Real-time fraud detection
• AI/ML algorithms

These systems give users more control over their accounts and enable them to set up alerts and notifications for any suspicious activity, further enhancing the security of their transactions.

Scalability

As the number of debit card users continues to grow, it’s important for the system to keep up with the increasing volume of transactions. Modern DCMS offers a highly scalable solution that can easily adapt to accommodate the growth in users and transactions. Advanced technology and architecture such as cloud computing, microservices, and distributed systems are efficient and reliable even as the number of users rises. This scalability ensures that customers can perform transactions without experiencing delays or system downtime, resulting in a seamless and satisfactory user experience.

Launching multiple products with quick TAT

DCMS offers banks and financial institutions faster turnaround time (TAT) for launching new debit card products with innovative features and benefits. Through advanced technology and flexible APIs, DCMS can integrate new products and services into their systems quickly, helping banks to cater to their customer’s evolving needs effectively. This not only keeps banks ahead of the competition but also ensures that customers have access to a wide number of debit card options resulting in faster TAT and greater loyalty and satisfaction.

Why M2P Debit Card platform?

With market-winning features and benefits, M2P DCMS is designed to enhance customer experience and operations for banks.  Our agile, cloud-agnostic, cutting-edge platform comes with a modular event-driven architecture for maximum impact.

Integration

M2P offers an API-first technology stack that ensures seamless integration across all apps and web portals. Our aim is to offer a fully customizable solution that meets the unique needs of each client.

Time to Market

We offer end-to-end solutions and in-house capabilities to help you launch your debit card program 5x faster than the competitors. Our streamlined process ensures minimal dependencies, which allows to get your product to market quickly and efficiently.

Cloud Agnostic

Our platform is designed with a cloud-native and cloud-agnostic approach, utilizing the latest micro-services architecture and low code development to ensure a modern and future-proof solution for our clients.

Modular Event-Driven Architecture

Our composable architecture enables banks to run multiple programs concurrently. With this architecture, banks can efficiently manage and scale various programs while ensuring data privacy and security for all parties involved.

Want to know more about deploying a Debit Card Management Solution?

Reach out to us at business@m2pfintech.com.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get the latest fintech news, views, and insights, directly to your inbox.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for insightful fintech bytes curated for curious minds like you.