Page 46 - ICE BUSINESS TIMES February 2020
P. 46

Banks should shift the                                    CVV with anyone, it may jeopardize
                                                                                    their financial accounts.
                          paradigm to create
                          comprehensive solutions                                   Agent Banking has proven to
                                                                                    be a monetary masterstroke
                          that demonstrably fix                                      which has facilitated millions
                                                                                    of Bangladeshis with formal
                          practical problems                                        banking services. But agent
                          instead of product-centric                                banking is focusing on deposits
                                                                                    only and customers are not
                          pushes.                                                   getting loans from agent
                                                                                    banking? What is ONE Bank's
                                                                                    plan for agent banking?
                                                                                    Financial inclusion implies that
                                                                                    irrespective of income level, all
                                                                                    individuals, households and
                                                                                    businesses must have access to
                                                                                    financial services and products that
                                                                                    address their needs. Agent banking
                                                                                    plays a crucial role in financial
                         to win the hearts of millennial and bring them             inclusion.
                         under the banking ecosystem. Sometimes, we                 Agent banking is growing at a rapid
                         assume internet banking as digital banking;                pace. The current customer base in
                         digital banking is one-stop banking that you               the market reached 4 million, which
                         can do from a single mobile app – from savings             is astounding and agent outlet base
                         account opening to loan application in minutes             reached around 10,000. We
                         without visiting branches. Banks should shift              launched agent banking in
 OK Wallet, ONE Bank's digital Wallet has been very well   the paradigm to create comprehensive   November 2019, and we are moving
 received by the customers. How has ONE Bank Limited   solutions that demonstrably fix practical   fast. We have soft-launched 17
 (OBL) successfully differentiated its service from numerous   problems instead of product-centric pushes.  outlets, and we aspire to reach 150
 competitors currently present in the market?  Coming to your next question, lending is   outlets by 2020. Beside deposit
                         thriving in different markets, and the digital             products, we are going to offer
 Well, Cash-in and cash-out transactions are dominant in MFS   loan is scalable and unbanked or underbanked   home loan products of small ticket
 market. To stand out, we have focused on digital payment, covering   people can avail digital loan through mobile   size for our agent banking. Besides
 online payment and offline payment. We have onboarded 6000   phone. We are working on this to offer   banking services, customers can
 merchants, composed of chain retail stores, retailers, restaurants,   disruptive value pillars for consumers and   pay for different utility services,
 rideshare startups, home appliance companies, electronics shops and   quick access to finance. We have around 50   avail remittance services, Passport
 e-commerce marketplaces for facilitating the payment by OK Wallet.   million millennial who can be game-changers.   fee, online to offline (O2O) and
 To drive our payment strategic plans, we are offering a couple of   Banks need to come up with digital banks and   commerce services, among others.
 utility payment services like DESCO, DPDC, WASA, NESCO, NID Fee,   digital lending. Only 1 million people use
 Credit Card payment. OK wallet users can add money from agent   credit cards; this number is minimal compared   Do you have any message for
 points, ONE Bank branches and VISA and Master Cards. Users can   to our working force size. Banks need to target   the young generation and
 withdraw cash from OBL ATMs, Branches and agent points. We   millennial and rising middles class and offer   aspiring bankers?
 emphasized the strategic alliance and teamed up with different   different DFS focused services to reduce the
 marketplaces and rising startups named Pataho, Zantrik, Sheba   cost and ensure the scalable business model.   Passion, execution through skill and
 where users of OK Wallet and these startups can take a diverse set of   While our 3rd and 4th generation banks have   problem solving – these three things
 services paying by OK Wallet.   an average customer base of 1 to 1.5 million,      are much needed for our youth. The
 We are also coming up hotels booking, movie tickets and bus ticket   lot of digital banks have 3 to 4 million   world is changing fast, big data, AI
 booking services through the OK Wallet. We are also going to launch   customers whom they onboarded in just 4 to 5   and Machine learning are changing
 a digital savings scheme for OK wallet users soon that will offer to   years. Without digital bank and DFS   business models of any business
 compete for digital customer experience and easy savings options.  proposition, it will be challenging to increase   more quickly. They need to prepare
                                                                                    themselves, and they can work on
                         in the customer base over the next decade.
 Going forward into the new decade, how crucial is it for                           solving different points.
 banks to adopt Digital Banking and Digital Financial   Do the clients (customers) have a role to   Fresh graduates who aspire to build
 Service (DFS) to keep up with the rest of the world? Can   play in keeping their transactions and   a career in banks, it is an excellent
 DFS solve access to finance problems as small and   bank details safe?              industry filled with prospects. The
 unbanked borrowers don't get loans from banks?                                     best way to start a career in
                         Yes, customers have an essential role in                   banking is to start as a
 Banking and DFS will keep thriving, and Fintech is riding on banks.   keeping personal information and banking   management trainee. To become an
 Banks need to team up with fintech to offer competitive products. A   details safe. One Time Password (OTP) and PIN   MTO, they need to take
 lot of renowned contemporary banks launched parallel digital banks   are the most critical data that must be handled   comprehensive preparation and
                         with extreme caution. If customers share their             should have excellent analytical and
                         OTP or PIN of Wallet and card number with                  communication skills.
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