Transparency and dialogue with Clients

Our goal is the farthest possible simplification of language which we use to communicate with our Clients in Bank documents, letters, promotional materials, etc. Simple language should allow everyone to understand specialised communication, e.g. e-mails with details about products, and even complicated legal provisions, such as the Bank’s regulations. The rules of simple language ensure that Customers – who are not banking specialists – will not have any doubts about the meaning of documents, even after reading them for the first time. Therefore, in 2019, we started working on a simplified language for use in communication with Clients. We have established cooperation with linguists from the Simple Polish Workshop at the University of Wroclaw. The project began with training sessions for employees who are responsible for communication with Clients. In 2019, we held 5 workshops during which we trained almost 100 employees from the complaint, marketing and Customer Experience departments. In 2020, we continued initiatives aimed at simplifying the language of communication with Clients. We conducted further training and provided training materials (including e-learning) to employees. We also prepared an internal textbook with simple-language rules, guidelines for preparing documents (such as regulations, contracts, etc.) and sample letters. All employees of the Bank follow the newly developed Simple Language Principles.

We actively promote good practices in the Polish financial industry. This applies to our internal policy, but we also aim to focus the attention of the entire financial industry on issues of social responsibility which are important to us and our Clients. We are among the founders of a self-regulation project for financial entities – the Declaration of Responsible Sales – which was launched in 2019. The co-founders of the projects are financial institutions, including BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A., ANG Spółdzielnia, and its host is the Polish Consumer Federation. The project was created to improve and promote ethical standards in Customer relations, to educate business and consumers, to build trust in the financial industry and counteract unfair practices.

In 2020, we successfully passed an audit carried out by the KPMG company. Its aim was to verify the Bank’s compliance with standards set by the Declaration. An important criterion for auditors was whether an organisation follows internal regulations which specify the principles and methods for verifying product simplicity and ease of use. The number of new products introduced in the last 12 months was also assessed. The signatories of the Declaration also needed to demonstrate that they had developed guidelines for simple communication with Clients and that they regularly analyse external documents in terms of clarity and simplicity.

„We listen, we understand, we act” – this is the motto for our operations aimed at developing a Customer experience management strategy. Our goal is to offer simple and fast services. We provide our Customers with professional, friendly service which is open to their needs. In 2020, due to the pandemic, we had to adapt quickly to a changing environment and the new needs of our Clients. We developed new virtual services and improved existing ones. All to ensure the safety of our Customers and employees.

• We analyse Customer opinions expressed in internal and external surveys.

• We conduct analyses of operational data and observe market trends (not only in the field of banking), which gives us the opportunity for continuous development.

Our Customer opinion analyses are supported by the entire BNP Paribas Group as part of the international Advocacy Program. The latter ensures that the customer-oriented profile of our organisation is maintained, through both Client- and employee-oriented initiatives. In addition, we ask for the opinions of our Customers every day, through the #KLIENT platform. It provides employees with easy access to research results. Currently, over 10,000 employees (of the Bank and partner companies) use the tool, and the data is updated on a regular basis with the results of research surveys. The platform is not only a source of knowledge, we also use it to conduct dialogue. We contact Clients via the platform after the survey and we clarify any issues. In 2020, we opened the platform to more Customer segments (e.g. corporate).

For several years, we have been carrying out the Net Promoter Score Survey. It gives us feedback as to Customers’ willingness to recommend our Bank and services to their relatives. Additionally, the survey contains a space for Customers’ comments and recommendations regarding our services and product offer. The NPS survey is part of the Customer Advocacy program which helps us to promote Customer opinions in the organisation. We involve employees in pro-Customer campaigns, teach them about NPS and work together to improve Customer satisfaction.

In 2020, we launched a new survey. Clients were asked about specific processes and emotions. Currently, NPS research is carried out at various intervals in over 10 of the Bank’s departments. We conduct c. 7,000 surveys per month, thus acquiring Customer opinions about our products and services. We also conduct the “Secretive Customer” surveys devoted the quality of service in individual service channels. We analyse Customer opinions in retail banking (including Premium and Wealth Management), in the segment of microenterprises, SMEs and in corporate banking.

In the age of the pandemic, Customers were increasingly forced to move to the digital world. Therefore, in 2020, we were constantly working on new solutions to develop self-service functionality in our mobile and internet banking as well as our website. We introduced, i.a. a feature for booking appointments at branches via the Booksy application and the Bank’s website. In cooperation with Autenti, we have successively implemented paperless processes. Our Customers can open accounts and sign contracts electronically, both at branches and via our website or the GOmobile application. We have also introduced a number of new GOmobile features, including: ‘Click2call' which allows verified-Customer connections with the Bank, and a feature which allows Customers to view and generate personal account statements.

In 2020, BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. organised „Customer Days”. It is a celebration of Customers, but also of our employees who create unique experiences. During the event, employees had the opportunity to learn about developing lasting relationships with Clients, about focusing on the emotions, experiences and needs of Clients, and about acting in the best interest of Customers, in accordance with the principles of Compliance.

Customer Days in Numbers:

In addition to standard complaint structures, Bank BNP Paribas has a Customer Ombudsman. The function is within the area of responsibility of the Director of the Customer Experience Management. It creates an internal possibility of appeal for Customers who have doubts about the decision regarding their complaint. The Customer Ombudsman also considers matters reported to him directly by the Bank’s Management Board, the Supervisory Board, the Bank’s Spokesperson, as well as important matters raised in social media. The Customer Ombudsman ensures Customer satisfaction and open dialogue. He represents clients' interests in dealing with the Bank and acts as an intermediary in the resolution of problems.

• 4,600 cases were revised by the Customer Ombudsman in 2020. 669 were addressed directly to members of the Bank’s Management Board.

• 88% of complaints were submitted by individual Clients and 12% by companies.

The complaint process is based on two pillars: qualitative and operational. In 2020, a new unit of the Customer Experience Transformation and Development Department was established for the processing of complaints: the Complaint Processing Management Office. The goal is to increase efficiency and effectively gather valuable information from all contact channels. Thus, we are able to improve our understanding of Customer needs. We intend to use the obtained information to improve the products and services provided to Clients in line with their expectations and suggestions. Another goal is to reduce the number of Cus-tomers’ complaints and objections. To increase the number of complaints which are resolved in the Customers’ first contact with the Bank, we decided to increase the competences of our front units with regard to simple complaints which do not require in-depth analysis. Thus, we build positive Customer experiences and relationships with the Bank.

The standards for handling and responding to complaints are set out in the Complaints Policy. Customers can submit complaints in a way which is most convenient to them:

• via the online banking system (chat),
• in writing,
• via telephone.

• via a form on the website,
• in person – at any Bank branch.

In 2020, there was a significant change in the organisation of the complaint handling process. The processes and resources related to complaint analysis were taken over by the Customer Experience Transformation and Development Department. The goal was to increase the quality of complaint-handling. The units dedicated to the process were combined, and organisational changes in the complaint management process were introduced.

Teams dedicated to specific types of complaints were created:

• Regulator complaints

• Transaction complaints

• Product complaints

The division of complaints by type and the assignment of dedicated resources to each type contributed to improving the quality of services. Closer cooperation was also established with front channel units as well as with owners of products and services. It was achieved through regular meetings, joint activities and progress monitoring.

The analysis of the process led to the conclusion that the competences of first-line contact with Customers should include the handling of simple complaints, such as fees and commissions. This was achieved with the aid of “Commercial Gesture”, a tool which refunds fees automatically and swiftly in justified cases. The solution is conducive to building relationships and educating Customers. It also improves the Bank’s image.

In 2020, Customers complained primarily about issues related to changes in fees and commissions, as well as to changes in the product offer after the operational merger of November 2019. Due to the ruling of the CJEU, the bank also recorded an increase in complaints related to loans (mainly cash), as well as complaints after the interpretation of the ruling changed and banks were obliged to adjust their operations in a very short time.

2020 was also the first year of the pandemic which had a significant impact on complaints related to credit holidays and statutory holidays. Some of the complaints were related to the Bank’s role in corporate Clients’ applications for subsidies of the Polish Development Fund (Anti-Crisis Shield).

In 2020, the Bank established the Customer Lab, an internal „Customer information centre”. The Lab employs modern technologies as well as expertise in the fields of psychology, sociology and statistics to constantly analyse whether the Bank’s offer and communication processes meet the expectations of recipients. The Lab’s specialised team supports all of the Bank’s organisational units in the field of research. The Lab’s modern space is located at the Bank’s headquarters (ul. Grzybowska in Warsaw).

Research at Customer Lab is conducted on a continuous basis. The scope of research covers all areas of Customers’ contacts with the Bank. The Lab focuses not only on the end result (a product or service), but also on UX/GUI tests and the refinement of the planned and present functionalities of e-banking, mobile application and the Bank’s website. Constant monitoring of Customer expectations facilitates the design of products and services, and in-depth surveys adapt communication processes to Customer expectations.

The work of the Customer Lab is coordinated by the Customer Relations Development Department. It supports all departments and divisions of the Bank which require knowledge about the nature and opinions of Customers in their daily operations.

Everyone of us is a Customer and everyone has Customers of their own (external or internal). Everyone also has their own observations. To encourage employees to share their insights, we created the Your Observations project. It is an innovative initiative addressed to employees who wish to improve Customer service. We encouraged employees to provide their Customer service observations via an internet platform. We asked what is important to them, what they expect, etc. Employees can enter any number of 2-3 sentence observations. The employees of our branches are especially active in sharing their observations about the Customer-Bank relationship from their perspective.

We value security and trust in all banking processes. We use the latest technological solutions to protect the sensitive data of our Clients.

Safety at BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.:

For more information, visit: https://www.bnpparibas.pl/bezpieczenstwo