Screengrab from https://www.xoom.com/track-transfer
SAN FRANCISCO—A leading digital money transfer provider is introducing a text update service to money transfer recipients in the Philippines so they are notified when their money is available.
Earlier this year, Xoom Corporation (NASDAQ: XOOM) launched StatusTrak (https://www.xoom.com/track-transfer), a tracking center that provides Xoom customers with a variety of ways to track their money transfers. These methods include e-mail updates, SMS text message updates and 24/7 online and phone support.
“When our customers send money, they want the peace of mind of knowing that their loved ones have received it—which is why we introduced StatusTrak,” says Julian King, Xoom’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate development.
“Now we can notify their family and friends who are receiving money in the Philippines, by texting them to let them know that the money is ready for pickup, delivery or on its way to their bank account. This new feature makes sending and receiving money more convenient for both the sender and recipient, which is very reassuring to our customers,” King adds.
The majority of remittances sent to the Philippines are picked up in cash by the receiving customer. In the past, the sender would have to relay the transaction number to the recipient before the money could be picked up. Now, with Xoom’s convenient tracking service, the sender no longer has to relay the transaction number and alert the recipient that money is available to them. Xoom can automatically send a free text to the recipient.
“According to a report by Business Monitor International (BMI), Filipinos use SMS texts to stay in touch with their loved ones back home, and the number of Filipino mobile phone subscribers has grown to more than 100 million people,” King saide. “The same report showed that Filipinos generate the largest SMS texts volume in the world, accounting for more than 10 percent of global SMS texts.”