Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane (SSF) is one of the most established banks in Norway and the largest in the county of Sogn og Fjordane. The majority of the bank is owned by two foundations, and SSF was one of the first savings banks in Norway to adapt the new legal regulations for the financial sector in Norway by transforming the ownership of the bank to this model. Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane is over 160 years old, and started as a merger of over 25 savings banks.

Backbase was selected by SSF for its strong capabilities in omni-channel digital banking and the benefits the ‘Backbase digital banking platform’ provides for banks wanting to gain access to greater agility and control in managing a large portfolio of banking products and services. The first phase is the launch of SFF’s new mobile application (available on iOS and Android) developed by Backbase before further focusing on improving the rest of the bank’s existing banking platforms.

The new mobile banking application has been developed with the aim of creating a greater user experience on mobile for SSF’s customers focusing on enhancing the UX elements of the banking application and its existing information architecture. Additionally, SSF will be able to manage and add their own banking features without the need to depend on a third party to do so, as previously had been the case. The launch of this new mobile application is a first phase in SSF’s digital transformation, which will be further followed by Backbase fully replacing its existing banking system.

SFF’s business teams will also benefit from having access to effective cross-selling and upselling tools that they can use to have direct control over the most important customer delivery channels. The recent launch of the mobile application has already experienced a fast adoption rate with over 40% of SSF Bank’s customers using the application for their everyday banking needs.

Reiel Haugland, Head of business development at Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane comments, “In response to our growing customer expectations to be digital forward and the importance of digital banking in the Nordics, it was essential for us to find a partner such as Backbase that not only had extensive knowledge and expertise of the banking landscape but also the capabilities when it came down to selecting an efficient omni-channel banking solution.”

Jouk Pleiter, Chief Executive Officer at Backbase comments, “Being selected by SSF to help in their digital transformation demonstrates again how our teams at Backbase are committed in developing banking experiences that will enable the bank to become an important leader in the Nordic market”. He further adds, “The Nordic region has always been known for early adoption of online banking however the landscape is rapidly changing due to the high increase in smartphone usage and technology across the region. Customers are demanding and expect more from their current bank and want to have the possibility to manage and access their finances 24/7 with convenience and speed.”