Dhaka Bank launches mobile banking app “Go”
EXPANDING DIMENSIONS
Dhaka Bank has been largely a wholesale bank focusing on large corporates and large deposits. For a certain time, it was a good strategy. But the bank realized that for sustainability, growth and the long-term prospect that’s not enough, they need to do more. So, the bank is gradually changing its focus from traditional large ticket size loan to Consumer, Micro, Small and Medium businesses.
They have come to realize that it is incredibly important to have great talents and a stellar team, more so because their ambition is higher. After identifying that they could either do this through training our their employee or by hiring capable and experienced people from outside – they did both. Employees were sent to receive training in relevant courses, after which they came back and trained others in the bank. There is no substitute for training and learning. For instance, consumer banking. Dhaka Bank hired experienced individuals to jump-start their consuming banking. And the same method was applied for the bank to enter SME more rigorously and push their SME product.
In order to higher the average talent bar, they have added some new dimensions to their management trainee program to ensure that they have only the best people and also, in turn, their MTOs can learn more.
The Bank has launched a major product diversification effort since 2017 in order to ensure further growth and long-term sustainability. After years of concentration in wholesale banking, the bank is now ramping up its effort for SME, retail, and consumer banking. As part of the effort, it has signed an agreement with IFC for a $55 million facilities.
Dhaka Bank has already introduced more technology and automation into their operations to increase efficiency, better customer experience, and faster growth. The bank’s consumer base is no longer drawn to the brick and mortar model, and expect more options. Therefore, the bank has opted for giving the consumer a virtual option to make their life easier and improve their experience.
DHAKA BANK “GO”
As a leading private commercial bank in Bangladesh, the bank is backed by quality products and services, superior technology and highly motivated personnel to realize the dream. To stay aligned with the motto, the Management of the Bank always tries to offer the best of best services to its customers as well to the stakeholders.
It is also the desire of the management to ensure maximum freedom of banking by offering robust and innovative solutions. Between 2017-2018, the Bank launched series of digital products and solutions namely, Dhaka Bank C-solutions (online cash management solution), Dhaka Bank TradeCloud (online LC management solution), Dhaka Bank Bills2Cash (online reverse factoring solution), Real-time Gross Settlement, Dhaka Bank Documentation Management System, E-Advice& E-Statement, 2FA enabled cards (for online purchase), Dhaka Bank Contact Center (world-class 24/7 helpline), etc. including Dhaka Bank Go app. Moreover, Dhaka Bank is one of the pioneers in introducing a modern customer-centric core banking solution named Flexcube (Oracle) in early 2004 which has served both the bank and the customer to the fullest extent. To be more modernized, Dhaka Bank has also upgraded the CBS (Core Banking System) to the latest version of Flexcube UBS 12.0.3 in January 2018. The new system is robust and allows the bank to design and integrate more user-friendly solutions.
All of these services have been integrated starting from the contact center to corporate website to social media page to digital banking to Credit Card to bKash integration to Dhaka Bank Go. None of these are isolated and ad-hoc development, rather these are all parts of Dhaka Bank’s digital ecosystem. As the recognition of the Bank’s continuous efforts towards innovation and superior service quality, Dhaka Bank Limited has been accredited as ‘Bank of the Year – 2018 in Bangladesh’ for banking excellence from THE BANKER. Mentionable that THE BANKER’s Bank of the Year’ Awards is regarded as the OSCARS of the Banking Industry.
POPULARIZING A PHENOMENON
Mobile App banking is a new phenomenon in our country. In the last couple of years, easy access to the internet has played a vital role in creating the digital infrastructure. At present, there are multiple banks focusing heavily on mobile app banking. Security concerns and adaptability are an uphill battle for banks employing mobile banking. If we consider the metro cities, the penetration of mobile app banking is higher. However, in semi-urban and rural areas, it is still quite challenging for the banks to gain trust.
Since Dhaka Bank is quite renowned for its superior service quality and innovations, the brand identity allows the bank to draw in crowds of consumers. Brand identity is the trust and perception customers bestow upon an organization, and Dhaka Bank’s reassuring presence attracts customers to trust their services and solutions.
DIFFERENTIATION IS DECISIVE
Embracing technology is one of the finest strategies to get a competitive edge over the competitors in this highly technologically volatile business environment. To stay relevant with the pace of changing the business ecosystem, financial institutions need to develop and innovate alternate delivery channels; through which institutions can reach their desired customer with a variety of financial services. If customers have convenient access to their account information and can avail services from anywhere, anytime, it fosters a sense of security and this strengthens the customer’s bond with the institution.
Keeping the slogan ‘Excellence in Banking’ in frontier Dhaka Bank introduced Dhaka Bank Go App in late 2017, which is a pioneer financial service providing mobile apps in Bangladesh. The registration process for this app is also very user-friendly. A customer needs to apply for mobile app registration by visiting nearby bank branches. Or they can reach out to the bank’s Contact Center (16474, +88 09678 016474) for placing the registration request. Upon successful registration, one will receive an SMS on mobile and he/she needs to call the contact center to generate his/her TPIN number. Using mobile number and TPIN, one can easily login over Dhaka Bank Go app. After the first login, one will get a verification code. The customer then only needs to call the contact center and mention the verification code to complete the registration process.
This is the leading mobile app which has collaborated with the largest MFS (Mobile Financial Services) namely, bKash for the first time ever in Bangladesh. Through this collaboration, customers are now able to transfer money from their bank account to the bKash account. Other than that, the app also allows its customers to access both conventional and Islamic banking accounts. The features of the app also include access to account details, transaction inquiries, utility bills payment such as DPDC, WASA, etc., mobile top-up, fund transfer through EFT and NPSB to any bank account, credit card bill payments, etc. A customer also enjoys the access branch and ATM locations, exciting offers and campaigns including the list of EMI partners.
MARKETING TO MILLENNIALS
According to Peter Drucker, the Father of Modern Management, every business has two basic functions i.e. Marketing and Innovation. Both are required not only for growth but also for survival. Dhaka Bank strongly adheres to this motto, and believes that to taking the banking experience to the next level, relying solely on branding and marketing is not enough, innovation at each level is absolutely necessary. The strategy is pretty simple; ‘give the customers more than what they have asked for’. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. This requires continuously looking into the smallest details; generate new ideas, challenging the existing systems, carefully listening to the customers and more. Success requires collective and integrated approaches. Dhaka Bank’s branding strategy is not an isolated series of acts, rather it is the true reflection of the overall philosophy of the Bank i.e. empowering customers.
Mr. Zel Bianco, President, founder and CEO Interactive Edge once said, “Millennials are very loyal, in my humble opinion, until something better or new comes along (which always does).” Millennial consumers are slightly more demanding than any other customers. They always look at the best and personalized solutions at the lowest possible time. Keeping that in mind, the bank has been heavily focusing on the digital spaces i.e. social media marketing, search engine marketing, revamping the corporate website, cross-platform integration, etc. just to make their customers’ lives easier.
DATA AND DIGITAL MARKETING
Digital Marketing and Big Data will play a vital role in the coming days. Digital Marketing is not an isolated activity, rather it is the part of the entire digital landscape. Dhaka Bank has set strides in the digital arena through their Corporate Website The corporate website is developed with cutting edge content management system with secured infrastructure and optimized performance which compliments the brand image of Dhaka Bank. The corporate website is functioning as a Digital Branch of Dhaka Bank and complimenting all the business processes and marketing campaigns. The corporate website is displaying the bold promises that Dhaka Bank wants to cater to its customers by taking worldwide benchmarks of other financial institution into accounts. The website has a proper infrastructure which handles the uptime issues. The freshness of content and strategic alignment of the website is functioning as a key marketing medium which propagates business messaging and creates customer acquisition funnels. Dedicated hosting environments with the highest uptime and optimized performance rate is ensuring streamline the experience, fast browsing and routine vulnerability service are keeping the corporate assets highly secured at all times. Dhaka Bank is adequately updated with visitor interest through heatmap analysis, scroll and behavioral analytics which gives the proper direction towards new functional implementations.
A second way the bank is cementing their digital footing is through Social Media Management. Dhaka Bank’s social media presence is used as both an outstanding marketing messaging platform and inquiry management tool that broadens the perspective through which the bank can reach and cater to its prospective audiences. Dhaka Bank profiles the idea customers and forms a winning response management practice which creates advocates of the bank. This attempt transcends the simple fact that Dhaka Bank cares for its audience. By using advance creative and visualization processes, Dhaka Bank’s social media page is one of the most responsive and visually appealing pages in the country. Their page initiates the sales funnel process by implementing state of the art copywriting, static posts, loop videos, explainer videos with an appropriate call to action.
DELIVERING A SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW
Dhaka Bank looks forward to being more engaged with the ‘everyday life’ of the customers; making banking activities more flexible and enjoyable by introducing more out of the box solutions. Their Medium-Term Objectives include maintaining steady business growth and enhance the balance sheet, recovery of the NPL and prevent further deterioration of the asset quality and up-gradation of the IT platform.
While their Long Term Objectives include to focus on SME and Retail sector more than earlier times and taking the portfolio segmentation from 80:20 (Corporate: Others) to 60: 40 ratio by 2021 as these sectors are high yield generating business segments. The bank also wants to assure a standard that makes every banking transaction a pleasurable experience by offering customers supreme service with accuracy and reliability through cutting edge technology. The banks strive for continuous development of products and services for offering a unique and timely solution to fulfill customers’ both business and personal needs.
