Financial institution FirstMerit saw 11 percent of its clients enroll  in mobile banking  just one week after the company rolled out mobile offerings.

The company launched a line of applications and a SMS program earlier this month. FirstMerit worked with mobile services company Fiserv on the mobile advances.

“The fact that so many customers downloaded our mobile app so quickly speaks to the importance of mobile banking in their busy lives,” said Rob Townsend, media relations officer for FirstMerit Corp., Akron, Ohio.

FirstMerit Bank is a subsidiary of FirstMerit Corporation.

Fiserv is a global financial services company headquartered in Brookville, WI.

Text checking
In addition to  launching  apps, FirstMerit has also rolled out a new SMS program.

FirstMerit bankers can opt-in to the company’s text alert system by sending the keyword TXTFM to a designated short code – depending on the kind of notifications they want to receive.

For example, users who want to find the balances for accounts can text the keyword BAL to the number while consumers interested in finding close ATMs can send the keyword ATM, as well as their ZIP code to a designated short code.

“With mobile devices becoming so much a part of our customers’ daily life, it was only natural that we make ourselves available that way,” Mr. Townsend said.

Check into mobile
The company has rolled out apps for  iPhone, Android and BlackBerry devices.

With the apps, consumers can check their account information.

FirstMerit clients can also review specific activity in their accounts.

Additionally, consumers can  transfer funds between  accounts.

Using GPS, consumers canalso track down the closest ATM or branch.

“FirstMerit’s strategy is about always putting the customer first,” Mr. Townsend said.

“Allowing them to access their accounts wherever they are, whenever they want is the driving force behind our mobile offering,” he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York