U.S. Bank grows Internet customer base

Bank officials attribute the growth to free Internet bill-pay service, growing customer confidence in online banking and recent enhancements of the Web site, www.usbank.com.

U.S. Bank made its Internet bill-pay option free in 2003; since then, active bill-pay customers have increased by more than 250 percent, according to a company news release. Site enhancements include the option to view canceled checks, deposit slips and statements online, customized alerts that notify customers of large transactions and increased fund-transfer capabilities.

Bank officials say the growth illustrates a national trend. “Consumers want to stay close to their accounts and to access their bank through multiple channels,” said Steve SaLoutos, senior vice president of consumer products and services at U.S. Bank, in a news release.

U.S. Bank is a subsidiary of publicly traded U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB).