FNB says its branches are playing a pivotal role in introducing customers to digital banking channels in order to bank in a convenient and affordable manner.
The bank revealed that over the last year, its branches recorded the highest number of customers that migrated to the FNB Banking App, Online Banking and Cellphone banking for day-to-day banking.
“The major driver has been our effort to show customers how easy, affordable and safe it is to use digital platforms, including self-service channels such as automated deposit tellers (ADTs) that are available across most FNB branches. This digital journey is enabled through sustained investment in digital infrastructure which continues to be intensified through continuous innovation in branch design,” says Lee-Anne van Zyl, CEO of FNB Points of Presence.
Van Zyl says, today most FNB branches are markedly different compared to a few years ago. She says the evolution continues to yield meaningful benefits for customers.
“Currently, our customers spend less time queuing at our branches and many prefer using self-service channels to make deposits or to purchase select prepaid products. We have also seen an important shift in the way our branch personnel interact with customers, which includes helping individual and business customers adapt to using the digital channels, thus creating more time to help customers with more complex transactions,” she adds.
In South Africa, banking branches remain an important channel for consumers and businesses to access banking services. In a society where financial inclusion remains a major challenge, it’s very important to enable digital adoption through channels that people are accustomed to. Whether a customer is new to bank or they have been banking for a long time, digital remains a remarkably convenient platform.
The digital enablement of customers happens across different customer segments within FNB, namely: Easy, Gold, Premier, Private Clients, Wealth as well as Business accountholders. The success of digital migration and adoption has been seen across various client segments.
“The migration of customers to digital platforms is not only about cost effectiveness, it’s also about efficiency for customers and giving them options to bank in a way that is most convenient. From an FNB point of view, this also increases the potential of being rewarded with eBucks from using the qualifying channels and product sets,” says van Zyl.
