Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Wednesday, 7 September 2016 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
As a responsible state bank, National Savings Bank has introduced a new program to bring banking facilities to its customers’ doorstep.
The program, named NSB Reach, was recently launched at the bank’s head office in Colombo and will be implemented through the island-wide NSB branch network under the theme ‘Your address is our address’.
Earlier NSB customers had to go to the branch mentioned in their passbooks. Now since the bank will be coming to the doorstep of the customer through the NSB Reach program it is not necessary for the customer to visit the branch any longer.
With 250 branches island-wide and postal banking network offices, the bank expects to strengthen its presence among the people through NSB Reach because it believes in providing banking and financial services to all sectors of the country.
The bank often makes it a point to fulfill this responsibility entrusted to it by paying attention to three major aspects - availability, accessibility and affordability - when delivering banking services to customers. NSB Reach has been designed to pay greater focus on catering to the banking needs of the people based on these three aspects.
Traditionally, banking hours have been limited to a few hours from 9.00 am to 3.00 p.m. Most often the people who are employed may not have a chance to go to the bank during the day and after work the bank is closed and banking services are not available. Availability is essential. It provides the person with the opportunity to obtain the expected service. Therefore accessibility is always important. Even if both availability and accessibility are assured, people may not be able to afford the services. With the lowest initial deposit amounts, National Savings Bank frequently ensures affordability for its customers.
However, NSB Reach National Savings Bank now offers a productive, innovative and satisfactory banking experience featuring all these three aspects as the bank visits customers and collects their payments.
The bank officers visit all segments of society including farmers, teachers, etc. and all places including mini-supermarkets, small- and middle-scale industries and factories. People can also open savings accounts on a scheduled day. A bank officer will visit once a month at a day previously scheduled to collect payments after opening the account.
During the initial stage of the program customers can only open savings accounts with other banking services slated to be offered later. Individual customers can also obtain banking services at their doorstep on a request made to the bank.
The NSB Reach campaign has won the Silver Award at the Sharing Best Practices and Innovations in Public Administration Award Ceremony organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA).
As the premier savings bank of the country, NSB has received the AAA National Long-Term rating by Fitch Ratings Lanka for the 14th consecutive year which bears testimony to its financial stability and underscores its billing as the safest place for the savings of the people of this country.
