The new AIB Business app makes it easier for AIB’s iBusiness Banking (iBB) customers to manage their business banking. Customers can use the app to view transactions, make payments and look after their other day-to-day business banking needs.
Using the app, customers can make and save payments; transfer funds between accounts; view, export and share transactions; make secure third-party payments within their existing iBB limits; authorise one or multiple payments or save for authorisation later; and keep on top of their bills with quick and easy payments.
They can also use the quick payees facility to make payments to people and companies they’ve already saved in iBB.
One business which is making extensive use of the new AIB Business app is the Station House Hotel in Letterkenny, County Donegal. Situated in the centre of Letterkenny at the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way, the aptly named hotel began life as the original station house which served the County Donegal Railway from the early part of the twentieth century until it stopped serving the town in the late 1940s.
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The building was bought by the Gallagher family in 1953, four years after the last train passed through. It became their home and they lived there until 2004 when they developed it into a hotel with 81 spacious bedrooms, the Depot Bar and Restaurant, along with conference and banqueting facilities.
Brian Gallagher is managing director of the hotel. “I grew up here on the grounds of the Old Station House,” he says. “As the years passed, I had my own family, and along with my wife Christine, we wanted to develop the site to ensure it retained its historical significance while building a business that would sustain us into the future. It was a significant time for the country, the Good Friday Agreement had been signed and people were beginning to travel around the country for tourism and business reasons in ways that they hadn’t before. We turned the sod on the building in 2005 and opened in August 2006, and thankfully we haven’t looked back.”
He has seen his share of challenges over the years, not least those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there were hard decisions made and tough times, there were also some unforeseen outcomes as well.
“During the pandemic, we had an increase in visitor numbers to Donegal in the absence of being able to travel abroad,” he points out. “It felt like a far-flung destination for many people. Before the pandemic, we rarely had visitors from Offaly, Tipperary, Carlow, or Wexford but because of the restrictions, a lot of people chose Donegal for their holiday as it was the farthest place they could go and maybe they hadn’t been before. The good news is they liked what they saw and enjoyed the hospitality and scenery and have come back many times since.”
Looking to the future, Gallagher says sustainability is key. “We always keep in mind the environmental impacts of our business; we have made a number of green changes already such as LED lights throughout the building and we have independent heating in all our rooms to allow us to monitor the temperature of the rooms centrally. This means we don’t have to heat more rooms than necessary. The next step is to consider solar panels, not only to allow us to use the electricity but to send any excess back into the grid.”
Some nights, I am lying in bed, and I remember something that I needed to do, such as send a payment or schedule one and I can do it on the app, there and then
He says it’s important for him to have a friendly face to talk to in his bank when making these kinds of changes and growing his business. And he believes that service, coupled with the technology and always-on nature of the AIB Business Banking app, makes running his hotel a lot easier.
The company’s financial controller, Gareth McDonnell, uses the AIB Business app every day and finds it extremely user friendly, he says. “Some nights, I am lying in bed, and I remember something that I needed to do, such as send a payment or schedule one and I can do it on the app, there and then. It’s a breath of fresh air to know I can rely on it to be safe, secure and stable.”
Getting started is easy. Customers can download the app on the Google Play store or the Apple App store and install it on their phone. After that, they’ll need their AIB Digipass to pair the app securely with their device. Once the initial set up is completed, the app can then be used to securely log in to iBB on a laptop or desktop PC by sending a push notification to your registered mobile phone to verify your identity after you have entered your login details. Customers will no longer need their Digipass to log in, reducing friction while maintaining high levels of security.
The AIB Business app is just one of a number of ways AIB is supporting business customers with their banking needs, according to AIB’s business advisor in the North West, David McHale. “Supports such as PromptPay allow businesses to plan their cash flow and conserve cash for unexpected expenses by spreading large one-off expenses such as their annual tax bill across six to 11 months,” he says.
“Advice is also available for longer-term financial planning,” he continues. “AIB offers tailored advice on succession and retirement planning, to make sure your years of working hard in your business pay off with the lifestyle you want in your retirement.”
Those supports are developed with the needs of business customers in mind. “Working with companies such as The Station House Hotel provides AIB with real insights into how we can support businesses on a day-to-day basis, and with their more strategic, longer-term goals,” McHale explains. “The AIB Business app provides businesses with the latest secure technology in their hands, to allow them manage their day-to-day finances seamlessly and at a time and place that suits them.”
The bank also offers a range of supports to businesses to assist them on their decarbonisation journeys, he adds. “As a lender at the heart of the Irish economy, AIB recognises that businesses need support as we transition to a low carbon economy and tackle climate change together. We offer sector specific advice and guidance as well as lower-cost finance options to support customers to make sustainable changes to their businesses. These green changes not only help to reduce emissions and fight climate change; they can also save money.”
For find out more about AIB’s iBusiness Banking click here