Ulster Bank pledges to meet customer needs
Ulster Bank has today announced a ground-breaking list of commitments to customers following extensive consultation with them about their needs.
The 15 new customer commitments, which have been created for and by customers – pledges to meet their needs through a range of initiatives aimed at making the experience of banking more agreeable.
Ulster Bank said it drew up the commitments following wide ranging consumer research and would stringently follow what customers say is important to them. The commitments detail the services and standards which customers would most like to see from the bank and include:
lBranches in main towns and cities will open on Saturdays 10am to 1pm
lA promise not to close any of its 236 branches on the island
lImproving ATMs and their availability
lFree text messages to help customers take action to reduce avoidable current account charges
lA promise to do everything to ensure customers wait less than five minutes in branches
The bank’s progress against meeting the customer commitments will be independently assured by business advisors Deloitte who will issue an external opinion on the bank’s progress which will be publicly available on the Ulster Bank website.
Mike Bamber, chief executive retail markets, Ulster Bank, said he recognised that banks needed to change and reflect customer needs.
“Customer needs have changed and we have had to react to that. If customers do not notice a difference by the end of the year – then we will have failed and that has to be the acid test.
“We have to move on and get back to basics, and start meeting our customers needs more than we have met them in the past.
“Through extensive research carried out by the bank, we’ve listened to thousands of consumers, taken on board their suggestions and responded with these commitments which we hope will begin to address many banking concerns.
“We’ll use Deloitte to review how well we’re fulfilling our commitments or, equally, where we need to do more. We will continue to listen to our customers who will ultimately judge us on our performance and we will be open and honest about this feedback.” he added.
On the issue of Saturday opening, Mr Bamber acknowledged that Ulster Bank had been slower than a number of its rivals to offer the service. However, he said the bank was now moving from one branch in Londonderry opening on Saturdays to a total of 45 in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
“We will have more branches across the island of Ireland open on a Saturday than any other bank and we will be offering a full service.
“A total of 600 staff have volunteered to work on Saturdays – and we have recruited an additional 80 staff around this,’’ he added.
The Consumer Council said the new commitments to customer care was good news for consumers.
Julie McCurley, Head of Money Affairs at the Consumer Council, said: “Consumers have been telling us that they want clearer communication from their banks and to be treated fairly.
“The Consumer Council welcomes the fact that Ulster Bank has engaged with its customers and listened to what they want before putting these new commitments together.
“The Consumer Council and customers will be able to measure whether Ulster Bank has achieved these commitments or not and will review and challenge their progress when the results are published.”
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Tuesday 14 February 2012
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