MoneyGram’s New Platform Steps Up Online and Mobile Payments

June 18, 2015         By: Michael Cheng

No one stays on top for long by just standing still, and MoneyGram is one of the biggest names around when it comes to money transfer services. So with that in mind, MoneyGram’s move to bring out a whole new platform makes a particular note of sense, and you won’t believe what it’s got in mind.

The altered platform includes both a new MoneyGram.com website-it’s been freshly re-launched for the purpose-and a new mobile app as well, available for not only iOS but also for Android, which covers most of the mobile user environment.

It’s said to be the first such tool to ever allow customers to send money to over 200 different countries and territories without first having to create an account; ostensibly that would mean just routing a credit or debit card through MoneyGram and firing off cash as surely as if sending it to an Amazon seller.

The apps also come with new tools, including the ability to check the status of a transfer-be it online or offline-with the new Track a Transfer tool, thus allowing users to see how that money shipment is going and when someone’s going to get paid.

While that may not sound like much, MoneyGram has also included a note of futureproofing in its apps, allowing for rapid updates and the introduction of new features as such become available. There are even some improvements made here to security by way of better risk management protection, and some added conveniences for frequent users including what are called “quick-click re-sends” as well as instant ACH transfers.

Pamela H. Patsley, who serves as MoneyGram’s chairman and CEO, offered up some insight around the new changes, saying “Our customers send money to family and friends to provide for life’s essentials, fund emergency cash needs and celebrate big moments. We are excited to make these transactions as seamless as possible. Behind our transactions, there are human stories that we want to facilitate. Every element of the design of the new MoneyGram.com started with the customer in mind. The new platform is currently available for sending money that originates in the U.S. and is designed to scale globally. We look forward to rolling out this new experience in additional countries.”

MoneyGram brings out its new updates at a time when it’s never been easier to send money from one place to another; be it by PayPal or any of a host of other systems including the classic Western Union.

But MoneyGram is no Brand X to simply overlook as an also-ran; it’s a major force in the market. But it’s also a major force in a market that’s starting to flood with competitors, so in order to maintain its position, it’s likely got little choice but to improve its operations just to keep up. Still, there are some important upgrades here, and it’s likely that the user base is going to take to these well. It remains to be seen, though, if it will pull a lot of new users in as a result.

MoneyGram clearly gets the idea that it’s got to, as said in Shawshank Redemption, “get busy living, or get busy dying.” Here it’s clearly getting busy living, pushing an expansion forth to get more users interested.