The customer experience of banking text messages

Banks are dependent upon having up to date contact information for their customers, essential in the event of any fraud issues where they need to contact you with minimal delay.  This rich customer data provides the additional benefit of accurate contact information for building out self service functionality and marketing. One of the early self service capabilities developed was using SMS messaging to send a regular bank statement update of your last 5 transactions.  Also useful for text alerts upon overdraft usage or limits changes. The bank statement service is a useful mechanism to keep a track on your finances throughout the month but can be an unwanted intrusion especially if like me you elect to receive it on a Friday. As all thoughts drift to the weekend you begin to relax and consider the joys ahead over the next two days while hiding from the working week when BANG into your inbox is a message from your bank. Not a loved one or friend sending you a text with some banter about your weekend antics but your bank telling you how little cash you have to kick off these activities. A good idea?  Undoubtedly, but a sobering reminder of life's responsibilities before you even introduce your taste buds to any alcohol. Banking text messages. Epic?  Not really but sensible, absolutely.