Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 26
By Eldar Janashvili – Trend:
Head of the Personal Banking Services Division of Azerbaijan’s Rabitabank Aynur Makhmudova disclosed upcoming products, discount campaigns and the work with clients in an interview with Trend.
Which client services single out Rabitabank among other Azerbaijani banks?
- I would like to start with such an important factor as stability. Rabitabank was founded in 1993. The bank has never lost stability in the market for 26 years and still remains one of the most stable banks in the country. Everyone remembers the time when two devaluations occurred within one year. But despite the crisis in the banking system, Rabitabank did not lose its customers and survived.
As for client services, Rabitabank is distinguished from other banks by the high quality of service, as well as flexibility and efficiency in the customer service and the settlement of various problems.
Our services are easy and affordable. We have recently launched the updated versions of internet banking and mobile applications in which clients from any gadget can perform most of the operations. For individuals, there is the only internet bot among the Azerbaijani banks in Telegram and Facebook Messenger. By adding it to your contacts, you can perform completely different operations on accounts without contacting the bank, for example, transfer money to a friend in one click, order a card or take a loan.
Rabitabank is also distinguished by an individual approach to legal entities - customers of the bank during conversion and money transfers. A client can always ask for a concession, which will necessarily be considered by the bank.
Moreover, we have very favorable conditions for the payroll projects. The main feature of the bank is that when withdrawing the cash from a payroll card at any Rabitabank’s ATMs, the commission is zero percent.
Rabitabank is characterized by favorable loan terms with a low interest rate and quick processing. In particular, it is enough to have an identity card to get a consumer loan.
So, does this mean that it is easy enough to get a loan in your bank?
- A loan can be taken online, through the aforementioned bot or mobile application, as well as through the bank’s website. After a short period of time, the client will be contacted and given the date when to go to the bank and get the money. All documentation is done very promptly. Loans for small amounts can be obtained within 40 minutes. This is also conditioned by improved system capabilities of automation, when the operator only needs to fill in the blank.
What projects are planned at Rabitabank before the end of the year?
- One of the most important projects at the moment is the restyling of our bank. Soon customers will see the new image of Rabitabank. In particular, this concerns the optimization of service, communication and product line. The list of major projects also includes the issue of new Kartmane cards based on VISA and MasterCard payment systems (VISA Infinity, VISA Reward, MasterCard World and World MasterCard Black Edition).
This year marks 10 years of Kartmane, which has become recognizable and popular among customers. How well did this project prove itself?
- Kartmane is a brand of Rabitabank that combines the functions of a payment card and a deposit. The product has fully proved itself. If you look at the sales statistics of this card, it is growing rapidly. It is expected that with the launch of a new project, sales growth will increase significantly.
- Which of the important complaints of clients did Rabitabank successfully satisfy?
After customer complaints about queuing violations and servicing without queues, electronic queue devices were installed at all points. The queues themselves have also been reduced, thanks to improved software and the transition to full automation of client operations. For the convenience of customers, each of them after the service is provided with information about the benefits of internet banking and mobile applications.
Operators are equipped with mobile phones to quickly respond to customer complaints, as well as for an individual approach to them. Also, at the request of customers, we opened a 24-hour branch on Bul-Bul Avenue, where you can even get a loan until ten o’clock in the evening.
- What are the requirements for operators, as for personnel, directly in contact with customers?
Focus on customers and professional attitude. The operator must perfectly know the products that the bank provides in order to be able to provide information to a client at any moment, and he or she must be not only an operator, but also an adviser.
- How much has the customer base increased recently?
From the beginning of 2018 to September this year, customer base of the bank increased by 70,000 people, and the total number of our customers is 295,000 people. That is, over a year and a half, the growth of Rabitabank’s customer base amounted to about 30 percent.
- How do foreign clients evaluate your services and do they place deposits in your bank?
Positively. Among them are not only cardholders or payroll clients, but also depositors, for many years trusting their funds to the bank and renewing them from year to year.
- How often does the bank announce discount and other campaigns and what is the bank focused on?
The emergence of new customers is a matter of interest for any bank. Almost every season we have discounts, their preliminary preparation takes a lot of time, a thorough market review is carried out. So far, all of the bank’s campaigns have been successful and profitable. We adhere to creativity in advertising, and we strive to offer favorable conditions for customers.
For example, a discount campaign for consumer loans at 18 percent continues inour bank. One of its advantages is that when making an application online, the client is exempted from paying a commission fee for obtaining a loan. The New Year is coming and, most likely, the bank will again please its customers with profitable campaigns.
- Thank you very much for the interview!
- Thank you!
