Consumers can check balances, control their cash flow, pay bills, transfer funds, access rewards and find nearby Citibank ATMs and branches via the iPad app. The app also lets users connect with the company’s 24-hour customer service Twitter handle via the app and tweet the company directly from Citibank’s mobile site.

“Customers can see real-time tweets from @AskCiti, Citi’s social media customer service handle, right within the app – and they can of course follow us or tweet us,” said Andres Wolberg-Stok, director of mobile and emerging technologies at Citibank, New York.

“We are very proud of our social media customer servicing channel, and we wanted to ensure we showcased it here in our new app,” he said.

Citibank is a financial services company with 200 million customer accounts and works with businesses in more than 160 countries.

Rich banking
According to the bank, this app is different from other banking apps because it plays up rich, tablet-specific features with a new user interface.

The app is currently available in Apple’s App Store for free download.

Consumers can also view graphs and visuals of their accounts and transactions.

“We believe that tablets offer a unique opportunity to engage our customers more deeply than on the Internet or mobile,” Mr. Wolberg-Stok said.

“We’ve consistently heard from our clients that they want simple and intuitive solutions that deliver flexibility and control,” he said.

Based on the graphs, users can plan cash outflows, analyze personal spending habits and compare their shopping habits with general consumer data.

In addition to account information, users can view updated content from Citi Personal Wealth Management and Woman & Co., a venture of Citibank that targets women consumers.

Mobile need
In February, Citibank discussed the importance of mobile into the company’s strategy (see story).

The company also has mobile editions on the Android, a mobile-optimized site and a SMS program.

“While a consumer could simply go online, we created the app to best utilize the tablet form and provide an optimized experience that is unlike anything else,” Mr. Wolberg-Stok said.

“There was a real, tangible demand for an iPad app from Citi – our customers had been very vocal about telling us they were really looking forward to it,” he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily