On October 22nd Wells Fargo announced that they would be adding an SMS component to their retail mobile banking solution. For those still unsure about the future of SMS in the mobile arena, let me remind you that it was merely six weeks ago that Chase announced their SMS solution.

However, that is not the most intriguing aspect of the story. What captured my attention is that Wells Fargo seems to have strategically positioned itself as the leader in mobile banking. In fact, WF has quickly and systematically laid the foundation for a very robust mobile offering. To recap, let's take a look at their announcements over the last six months:
    10/22/07 - Wells Fargo Launches Mobile Text Banking Service
    9/18/07 - Wells Fargo Launches Mobile Banking for Small Business Customers
    7/24/07 - Wells Fargo Launches Mobile Banking - Newest Way for Customers to Bank Anytime, Anywhere
    6/20/07 - Wells Fargo, Visa Launch Mobile Payment Pilot
    5/17/07 - Wells Fargo First to Offer Mobile Banking for Business Customers

Retail or business, browser or SMS, banking or payments, Wells Fargo seems to have a mobile solution that's either live or in development. Plus, don’t think for a minute that their solution is complete. Eskander Matta, SVP Wells Fargo Internet Services Group, said “...and this is just the beginning – we will continue to build a comprehensive mobile banking channel with solutions tailored to our consumer, small business and commercial customers.”

I guess what I’m trying to say is - keep an eye on Wells Fargo!

Note: Wells Fargo's PR strategy is right out of the textbook. The press releases are spaced approximately four weeks apart and contain just a single component. That keeps Wells Fargo in the news and top of mind. In broadcast advertising, it's called flighting.

Brandon McGee is vice president and senior product manager at The Huntington National Bank. He is not only the real deal, a genuine industry insider, but also knows exactly what's on the minds of financial service pros as they contemplate the various mobile options. For more great content, check out his blog, Mobile Banking.