Big-four bank First National Bank (FNB) this morning unveiled changes to its logo and brand, including a redesign of its popular banking app.
The FNB app, introduced more than a decade ago, saw its active transacting base exceed 4.7 million customers, based on results for the year ended 30 June 2022.
Furthermore, migration volumes to the app were up 24% for the period under review.
Detailing the app enhancements, FNB Retail CEO Raj Makanjee said the app has been redesigned to offer “more intuitive help for ease of use and a safer digital experience”.
This has been driven by customer feedback for a new user experience underpinned by personalisation, he noted.
“Customers can now personalise their FNB app by customising its home screen and selecting frequently used or preferred features. Customers can also view a snapshot of their transactional accounts, credit, investments, insurance and value-added services.
“In addition, the search function has been improved to help customers find services much quicker. Similar enhancements are being made to the internet banking channel.”
FNB has also introduced Money Protect, a new benefit of free insurance cover for certain fraud-related losses when using interfaces such as the app and ATMs.
Says FNB CEO Jacques Celliers: “We continue to facilitate our customers’ journey from analogue to digital and digital to platform. We’re excited to see millions of our customers embracing the migration to more accessible, user-friendly and safer interfaces.
“Our digital interfaces have become a one-stop shop for customers' financial and lifestyle needs, with over 3 billion transactions and 1.6 billion digital interactions over the past 12 months. Likewise, we recognise that fraud is a reality in our society, and we are continuously enhancing our measures to assist millions of our digitally-active customers in mitigating these risks.”
The bank has also brought its mobile digital wallet service, FNB Pay, under the app umbrella.
Other enhanced payment solutions available on the app include instant payments, pay me, chat pay, bill payments, virtual card, as well as a contactless payment solution for businesses called speedee app.
“While our digital interfaces give our customers access to a wide range of credit and investments solutions tools, payments and cashflow are the lifeblood of any economy, and today we’re proud to highlight some of our unmatched standout offerings available within our digital payments ecosystem, making it more inclusive and convenient for customers to pay and get paid. The facilitation of payments for individuals and businesses is one of the key features of the power of network effects of our platform," states Celliers.
According to FNB, it is focused on being advice-led, rather than product-led, in the delivery of its solutions.
This means it is striving to become an integrated advice partner connecting the dots between customers’ day-to-day activities and their aspirations and goals.
Makanjee further explained that this means for frontline staff, such as bankers, call centre agents or branch staff, the bank is renaming them to be advisors.
“These advisors are going to be there to help you figure out how to balance the everyday with the ‘better tomorrow’. As we speak, we already have 1 000 advisors that are credited and doing this on a day-to-day basis.
“In the next few years, we are going to be investing massively in increasing our advisors. We expect over the next few years to have over 5 000 advisors across our bankers and our front-line in branches and call centres that will be skilled and experienced to provide advice.”
Celliers adds: "We aspire to be a trusted partner helping customers, their families, and their businesses thrive and achieve their goals through positive changes in financial behaviour.
“We want to help customers through various life stages for themselves, their families and their businesses, and to ensure we advise them on the right solutions for their needs.”
On the rebranding, the FNB CEO comments: "For 184 years, our sense of care has been vital to our efforts to help millions of individuals, families and businesses realise their dreams and aspirations.
“Our efforts to transition beyond banking are still deeply rooted in our promise of helping customers with advice they can trust, solutions that are easy to use and safe, and a brand that is relevant at every life stage. Our journey to help customers navigate life is similar to the versatile Acacia tree that has been deeply rooted within our brand and continues to grow and thrive, withstanding the test of time."
He concludes: “Our platform journey continues. Whether our customers need help navigating life, making every day easier, or realising their dreams for a better tomorrow, we are invested in helping them realise their goals.”
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