Case Study: TSYS Digital APIs boost operations and enhance the customer experience

A case study

Agility, personalization and speed. Digital application programming interfaces (APIs) are transforming the payments industry. While many financial institutions (FIs) are determining how to take advantage of the technology, one North American bank and its more than 13 million online banking customers are reaping the rewards of using TSYS digital APIs. Instant access to real-time data, cost reduction and enhanced operations are helping this financial institution deliver new services more efficiently to their cardholders.

Their journey began in 2019 when the bank identified a need to throttle down the number of customer alerts and notifications to its system. Daily alerts exceeded their ability to manage the batch loads. So they turned to TSYS, a Global Payments company, to build out a notification process to handle batch loads with its Digital Engagement service, which includes digital APIs and microservices.

Their architects and developers liked that TSYS APIs required no engineering or development, and only minor technical involvement in decisions to store messages and handle the velocity of alerts and notifications. Fewer internal resources meant the bank could focus more attention on other business areas while letting TSYS handle many of the technical aspects.

Since 2019, TSYS has supported this North American FI with digital APIs to solve disjointed online banking experiences, including mobile, web and call center omnichannel continuity as well as single sign-on capability.

Fast track services in development with APIs

Another key advantage with APIs is the implementation of new releases and feature functionalities to existing technology (e.g. custom mobile apps). These can be rolled out at a fraction of the cost and time versus using essential APIs or MQ/MQXML. For example, instead of 6 months to launch a new service, when employing a continuous development cycle as in this case, APIs helped speed up deployment to just a few weeks (30 to 60 days). As a large and influential consumer FI in a competitive and commoditized market, product development and speed to market are essential for their success.

Advantages of Digital APIs vs. Essential APIs and Message Queues MQ/MQXML

• Easier to use (e.g. orchestrated calls—ability to add an authorized user)
• Easier set-up (no firewalls, portals and environment to set up)
• Reduces costs with resource management, programming and development
• Decreases number of required resources
• Decreases time for upfront planning

TSYS data is mature data. This North American FI exposes their APIs to consuming channels that can fully maximize TSYS digital APIs across credit card calls as well as customer service and digital servicing. Fit for purpose, TSYS digital APIs can be monitored and exposed readily—genuinely giving the FI the ability to power their own application.

Better technology for a better banking experience

APIs have opened new opportunities for customers, too. Real-time functionality across banking apps and services, enables a fully connected customer experience. This means a complete, holistic view across a customer’s entire banking and credit relationship for a more secure and efficient online and mobile experience. This FI continues to support their customers with the right service, technology and partnership for the right experiences. Management at this FI indicated that 90% of their credit card customers are also deposit customers. Therefore, it's imperative that they have the same customer experience between deposits, savings and credit cards.

Best Practices

• Expose APIs to all consuming channels (card, servicing, fraud)
• Employ agile, continuous deployment design
• Establish feature-oriented development pods
• Make real-time data calls
• Seamless experience across channels
• Protection against lost or stolen data

Find out more

If you’re interested in learning more about TSYS Digital APIs and how they could help your business, click here.