Digital Banking for Business

efirst is an easy, fast, secure, real time online banking system which allows the business customer to monitor and manage their company’s activities globally via the internet.

efirst Online Banking solution allows customers to:

• Check account, loan or credit card balances
• View account transaction history
• View credit card transaction history
• Transfer funds between their own First Citizens accounts
• Transfer fund to other First Citizens Accounts
• Transfer funds to other banks
• Pay bills to Surepay billers
• Communicate with First Citizens via secure messages including request credit card increases or re-order cheque book
• Obtain transaction details
• Download account information to Microsoft Excel, PDF, Quicken and Money formats.

In Phase 2:
• Make salary and other payments in batch, using ACH
• Initiate wire transfers and RTGS transactions
• Place and remove stop payments

The Online Banking experience remains free of charge to our customers. However where fees are normally associated with our other products and services, they remain applicable.

Any business customers including, sole traders, partnerships, limited liability companies, estates, trusts, society restricted liability, associations, state-owned enterprises or government organizations that has one or more account with the bank.

Registration can be done in a number of ways. Business customers may:

       1. Submit their request via a branch of their choice
       2. Contact Electronic Banking Unit at 246-434-3686
       3. Email the request for the service to online@firstcitizensbb.com.

An efirst representative will make further contact with the customer.

Customers registering for efirst would be required to complete the following documents

• Corporate Online Banking application forms
• Company Profile and Administrator Information
• Company Level Limits and Account Security Set Up
• The Role of the Company Administrator Form
• Phishing and Protecting Your Personal Banking Information
• Online Banking Agreement

The documents must be duly authorized in accordance with the signing rights on accounts opened with the bank.

Yes. A customer information file (CIF) number will be created for you, and your credit card attached to that CIF to allow assess to card detail online.

Yes. First Citizens Barbados customers who reside outside of Barbados can apply for the service. The requisite documents will be provided upon request. The completed documents MUST be notarized and returned to the Electronic Banking Unit. An efirst officer will contact you and provide a thorough walk through of the system.

When applying for online banking you are required to provide details for one or more company administrators.
Some online banking transactions may require dual control, in which case at least two administrators would be required.

You may access efirst via the Bank’s web address http://www.firstcitizensbb.com
Then click on the online banking login icon and follow the links to Corporate online Banking (efirst).

After a successful setup of your efirst service, your company Administrator(s) will be provided with a package which will include a user guide and login credentials.
Upon logging on using username and temporary password provided, your Administrator(s) will be prompted to change the password and complete your company online registration information.

Pay attention to the rules for creating a new password. You are advised to use a strong password. DO NOT store passwords.

Navigate to the “Administration” option on the main meue, click on “Change Password” and complete the form to change your password.

If you are unable to remember your password you would first need to provide additional security details to First Citizens after which you may use the “forget password” link on the login page.

If your account is locked out after too many unsuccessful logins, you must contact our Electronic Banking Unit at 246-434-3686 for assistance to regain access.

The dual control feature in efirst allows the business owner to control who can initiate and approve transactions. Dual control requires at least two company users. Where needed one user would initiate the transaction and another is required to approve or release the transaction for processing. This may be configured in accordance with the signing rights on each account.

Although efirst is certified for Internet Explorer, the application was tested internally to work also with Firefox, Opera and Chrome.

• Ensure that you install the latest security updates to correct possible weaknesses in your computer’s operating system.
• Install the latest Anti-Virus software to safeguard against malware. It is recommended to perform regular anti-virus and anti-spyware sweeps of your system as well.
• Protect your system and its contents, by utilising a firewall which minimises attacks by unauthorized traffic.
• Choose a password which no one else can think of, but is easy for you to remember.
• Do not save passwords when prompted by the browsers or computer.
• Do not access the system on the same computer being used for social media.
   

A payee is an individual or institution (other than you) to whom you wish to send funds or pay a bill. In efirst there are two types of payees:
• Standard Payees, for sending funds or paying bills externally
• Custom Payees, for sending funds to another customers’ account within First Citizens Bank (Barbados)

Using the “Bill Payment> Payee” option in the main menu, you are required to first setup your list of payees with the correct names and account information. You may then select the payee from your payee list when making payments.

It is important to always enter information accurately when adding a Payee as this is used to credit your account at the respective institution.

You may pay bills for any of the following Surepay billers in of List of Standard Payees:

• Barbados Light & Power
• Barbados Public Workers
• Barbados Water Authority
• Cable & Wireless Barbados (LIME)
• Capita Financial
• Clico Life
• Consolidated Finance
• Digicel
• DirecTV
• First Citizens MasterCard
• First Citizens MasterCard Prepaid
• First Citizens VISA
• FLOW
• Fortress Fund Manager
• Globe Finance
• Insurance Corporation of Barbados (Health / Life)
• MCTV
• National Petroleum Corporation
• NicNat Direct
• Signia
• Student Revolving Loan Fund
• SunPower
• Trident Insurance
• United Insurance
• University of the West Indies
• Winet

Use the “Bill Payment>Payment” option on the main menu to send funds to an account at another local bank. Enter the transaction details and select the payee from your payee list. Remember, the payee must first be set up from the list of local banks in the Standard Payee list, with the bank and account details in the correct format using the “Bill Payment> Payee” option.

You may transfer funds between your own accounts using the “Account Transfer” option on the main menu. When funds are transferred between First Citizens savings and chequing accounts, the transaction is immediate. Credit Card payments however, take longer and are dependent on when the payment is made. Refer to below.

Use the “Bill Payment>Payment” option on the main menu to send funds to funds to another First Citizens Customer’s account. Enter the transaction details and select from your payee list. Remember you must first setup the Custom Payee with the account details using the “Bill Payment> Payee” option.

Yes, you can setup recurring transfers and bill payments also referred to as “Pending Transfers” or “Pending Payments” options on the main menu. When making the transaction simply choose to setup as a Schedule and choose your start date, end date and frequency cycle, then “submit” your changes. Go to “Account Transfer>Pending Transfers” or “Bill Payment>Pending Payments” in the main menu to view your schedule.

When bill payments or other bank transfers are made, the funds are debited from your account immediately. Bill Payments are processed twice daily at 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. Payments to other banks are processed at 11:00 am. Payments received after these times are processed the next business day. We recommend that you make your payment 3-5 business days before the payment is due at the receiving institution.

First Citizens credit card payments are to be made by 6:00 pm daily and are available by the next business day. Payments made after these times, weekends or public holidays will be credited and available for use by the next two working days. All payments will be reflected online accordingly.

When funds are transferred between First Citizens savings, chequing and loan accounts, the transaction is immediate. Credit Card payments however, take longer and are dependent on when the payment is made. Refer to above.

Secure messaging is a secure form of communicating with First Citizens Bank. It is an internal messaging system (not done via Internet Service Provider), whereby you are required to log into your Online Banking account to send and receive messages.

You may contact our Electronic Banking Unit at 246-434-3686, send an e-mail to online@firstcitizensbb.com or send a message via Secure Messaging.
It is important that you include the relevant details pertaining to the transaction such as the branch, date of transaction, amount of transaction, the query and any other information that would help us assist you better.