Sainsbury's offers online banking simulation

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has doubled the number of customers signing up for its internet banking service by allowing prospective customers to try out an online simulation of it first.

The joint venture between Sainsbury's and HBOS added the online demonstration to the supermarket's banking website ahead of a relaunch in March.

The demonstration uses simulation software from VeriSIM, which exactly replicates the banking system but without compromising live data. Customers can gain experience of navigating the system and try out available services.

Customers choose one of three fictitious users and are then guided through the logging-in process. They can then make changes to the account as if it were their own.

"The idea of using a supermarket for your banking service is quite new to most of our customers. This allows us to support those people and help them understand our service," said Derek Bottom, deputy chief executive of Sainsbury's Bank.

By checking the activity of new customers, Sainsbury's believes that the simulation has doubled the number of prospective customers signing up.

The demo can be seen here

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