Citibank today launched its first state-of-the-art smart banking branch, underlining its commitment to customers and its continued investments in Malaysia.
The Citibank Smart Banking branch in Malaysia is also Citi's largest smart-banking branch in the region, covering a floor area of more than 27,000 sq ft, and is the first of its kind in Malaysia.
Located at Menara Citibank, Jalan Ampang, the branch seeks to redefine the customer experience by leveraging a customer-centric approach to the way customers interact and do transactions with their bank. By building on the concept of "Smart Banking," Citibank enables its customers to have access to its wide array of products, services and information, in a simpler, easier and more convenient way - where, how and when they want them.
Citibank's Smart Banking branch is equipped with cutting-edge facilities, such as the Citi Interactive Media Wall, which displays a diverse range of information; the Citi Work Bench, which allows customers to conduct certain banking transactions independently and at their own pace; and Citi video conferencing facility, which customers can use to obtain expert opinion and consultation from Citibank specialists. Also available are the Citi Service Browser, the Citi Media Wall and the Citi Private Briefing Room.
"Our new smart-banking branch reaffirms our commitment to our customers and our continued investments to grow our retail-banking business in Malaysia," said Sanjeev Nanavati, Chief Executive Officer of Citibank Berhad. "It also underscores our leadership role in banking technology and innovation. As a customer-centric bank, we will continue to offer cutting-edge facilities and market-relevant information to further enhance our customers' banking experience."
To date, there are nearly 100 smart banking branches in Asia Pacific, including Japan, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore and Thailand.
"Citibank strives to be the most innovative banking institution in the industry. As part of this commitment, we are always looking for new and better ways to facilitate and enhance our customer's interaction with us. The design of this branch represents a paradigm shift in the way customers do banking. We built upon a solutions-based approach to drive and enhance customer satisfaction and redefine their banking experience with us," said Fabio Fontainha, Head of Consumer Markets for Citibank Berhad.
"Using technology as the enabler, we are giving customers control over their banking needs. Customers can open a savings account, place a time deposit or apply and get approval for a credit card within an hour here at our branch, on their own. They can use the interactive touch-screen panels to browse for information, obtain assistance from Citi professionals or enjoy a consultation with a product specialist by using the video conferencing facilities This is what we mean by giving customers control over their own financial matters, at their own pace," he added.
Citibank Smart Banking branch will operate from Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be open every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon.
The Menara Citibank branch also includes a state-of-the-art Citigold center, which consists of 17 private consultation rooms and dedicated tellers to exclusively service the wealth-management needs of Citigold clients.
"We believe it is time for banks to redefine the way they interact with customers. At Citibank, we believe that this should be based on making banking simpler, more informative and readily accessible where and when the customer needs it. There is no more need to wait to execute a transaction. We are confident that this will be the start of a new and exciting consumer-banking approach in Malaysia," added Fabio.
Currently, Citibank has 11 branches, 10 Citi Sales and Outsourcing centers and offers customers' access to 10,000 ATMs at more than 2,000 locations in the country via the Malaysian Electronic Payment System (MEPS) network.