Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1507818
AT Bank of Valletta, we are com- mitted to providing our custom- ers with an enhanced and holis- tic service that puts them first. Our mission is to create positive and memorable interactions that make our customers feel valued, empowered and eager to share their stories of exceptional service. We understand that our custom- ers have different preferences and that is why we offer various touch points that cater for different cus- tomer needs and scenarios. For those who value the human touch, we have physical channels such as branches, corporate centre, busi- ness centres, investment centres, customer service centre, and a wealth management arm. Here, our customers expect to have meaningful conversations with knowledgeable staff, fast turna- round of service, swift response times and quick resolution. We have been very active in this sphere, investing in our people, extended branch opening hours, introduced priority opening times for senior citizens, and improved internal processes to make bank- ing more efficient and easier. We are also in the process of upgrad- ing our branches to provide a more comfortable and modern environment. At the other end, our digital channels offer a range of conven- ient and secure banking services for customers who prefer to ac- cess their accounts anytime and anywhere. Whether it is through our extensive network of ATMs, our payment cards, our internet banking or mobile banking app, we strive to enhance the user ex- perience and the accessibility of our digital platforms. We have introduced several features and innovations to make banking eas- ier, such as: • a cash recycling feature in our ATMs, which reduces the down- time for cash replenishment, and an upgrade in ATM screens to a more modern and user-friendly interface; • a digital home loan portal that gives total control to customers to calculate how much they can borrow, get accurate quotes, and apply for their home loan online. Additionally, customers can al- so hold online meetings with our home loan specialists – reducing the need to visit a branch physi- cally; • an online appointment book- ing system which is currently being piloted at select branches, where customers can book ap- pointments directly from their phone or computer without hav- ing to call or email us; • digital signatures for sever- al services, reducing the need for customers to visit our outlets physically. One of our regulatory obliga- tions is to keep our customers' da- ta updated. We know that it may not be easy for our customers to visit our branches, so we devel- oped a digital application allowing customers to update their person- al information online. Within a month of its launch, around 5,000 customers used this online ser- vice! That means 5,000 customers who saved time and hassle by not having to visit a branch. We also recognise that not every- one is a financial wizard, and as a bank we play a critical role in fos- tering financial education in Mal- ta. It is with this responsibility in mind that we constantly run edu- cation campaigns through various channels. Topics vary from finan- cial scams awareness to budget- ing, travel tips, digital banking, loans and how to decrease cheque usage, among others. Our aim is to empower our customers with the right knowledge and skills to make sound financial decisions. So how do we balance all these channels and initiatives? How do we align innovation with cus- tomer expectations? The answer is simple: listening to customers. Through our Voice of the Cus- tomer programme, we collect customer feedback about their experience with us and use it to make changes and improvements where necessary. Last year, over 24,000 customers participated in this initiative and this year we are taking it even further by co-de- signing solutions and testing them with our customers, right from the start. This ensures that every innovation, every change we make truly resonates with our custom- ers and meets their needs and ex- pectations. We believe that keeping in close contact with our customers is cru- cial. Customer engagement is not a one-off event, but an ongoing process. During October we cele- brate Customer Experience Week, where we acknowledge the im- portance of customer service and introduce initiatives aimed at im- proving customer experience. We also take the opportunity to con- tinue instilling a customer-centric mindset within our staff. This year will be the second time we join other institutions worldwide to celebrate the importance of cus- tomers – after all, our customers are the only reason why we exist! These are just a few of the incre- mental steps we are taking in this journey; small steps that contrib- ute to the overall improvement that we are seeking. We know that at times we may fall short and that despite our best efforts, we do not meet all our customers' expecta- tions. However, our commitment to constantly improve remains unshaken. The pursuit of custom- er excellence is not an easy task. We will continue to work hard and focus our efforts to make cus- tomer experience remarkable, so that Bank of Valletta truly remains the bank of choice. 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 SEPTEMBER 2023 OPINION Kenneth Farrugia is CEO of Bank of Valletta and Theodoros Papadopoulos is Chief Digital Officer at Bank of Valletta plc. Kenneth Farrugia & Theodoros Papadopoulos Navigating towards customer experience excellence OPINION Whether it is through our extensive network of ATMs, our payment cards, our internet banking or mobile banking app, we strive to enhance the user experience and the accessibility of our digital platforms