Transparency and dialogue with Customers

We strive to simplify the language used to communicate with our Customers. Since 2019, we have been gradually rewriting our documents, letters and promotional materials in line with the plain language standard.

In March 2021, we signed an agreement with an expert – a linguist and experienced plain language coach. As a result, over 1,100 standard pages (approx. 330,000 words) of documents in simple language were created. We simplified external communication documents of all types, ranging from personalised to mass communication.

We have also begun simplifying legal documents, such as contracts and regulations for the most popular products, i.e. loans and credits.

From 2021, messages sent by the Bank to corporate and SME Customers are verified in terms of simple language. This applies to both the Bank’s official correspondence Customer Service communication. We modified our forms and certificates to make them as clear and user-friendly as possible. Employees of the Corporate and SME Banking Area regularly increase their competencies. We provide them with training materials on practical simple language usage.

We build lasting relations with our internal and external Customers. We are sensitive to their needs. Our motto is: „We listen, we understand, we act”.

We constantly gather Customer feedback, analyse opinions expressed in internal and external research, as well as observe market trends (not limited to the field of banking).

Our approach to research is multi-dimensional. We evolve along with the needs of Customers and changes at the Bank. We periodically collect Customer opinions and analyse them daily. The Bank’s employees have access to research results through the #KLIENT platform, which is currently used by over 10 thousand of our employees and representatives of partner companies. The data is updated automatically when Customers complete surveys. The platform is not only a source of knowledge about the results of research and Customer feedback – results and reports are shared on an ongoing basis within the Bank. We combine them with operational and complaint data. We join perspectives. Thus, we were able to create detailed recommendations for specific business lines.

In 2021, we achieved the highest NPS level since the beginning of the study. We have also introduced Customer Journey research, which allows us to respond to the needs of Customers on an ongoing basis. Furthermore, we tested new qualitative research methods, such as VoiceBot and online surveys. We intend to implement some of the solutions within the following year.

In March 2021, the Bank received awards in six categories in the 6th edition of the „Institution of the Year” competition. We won in the „Best service in remote channels” and „Best bank for companies” categories, as well as in the most important one – „Best bank in Poland”. The remaining trophies were awarded for „Best service in a branch”, „Best online banking”, and „Best remote account opening process”. Currently, competition organisers are carrying out research for another edition. After three waves of research, we are among the leaders, both as regards service in branches and remote channels.

In 2021, the Bank’s Contact Center received the ISO 18295 certificate once again. It is an international standard for the quality management of CCC services. The audit passed by our Contact Center and the certification of compliance with the ISO 18295 standard confirm the high quality of our services.

In 2021, we implemented a strategy adopted the year before – we put the Customer first. A key element of this strategy is the Customer Excellence Board (CEB). We organised a series of monthly meetings, where we talked about the needs and problems of our Customers. We analysed all aspects of the Customers’ contacts with the Bank. Participants represented multiple departments, including sales channels, products, communication, compliance monitoring, risk, operations and IT. In 2021, nine meetings were held. We drafted over 100 recommendations, which we are now implementing.

We also organise Customer Room workshops. Meetings are held regularly and are in line with the Lean Management methodology. The workshops are devoted to the most complex issues. To improve our understanding of Customer needs, we analyse their stories. The workshops are attended by representatives of units that participate in a given process. It allows specialists in particular areas to look at certain issues from a different perspective. Gradually, long- and short-term solutions are developed.

In 2021, the workshops were devoted to two processes that are crucial from the Customer’s point of view. We defined the problems and identified solutions.

We constantly train our employees. We have introduced Customer Experience training on the My Development platform. We also conduct training for new employees and managers. Additionally, we have selected and trained Customer Journey ambassadors who effectively improve the customer experience.

Our efforts to build a Customer-oriented organisation are supported by the Advocacy Programme, implemented within the BNP Paribas Group. We regularly organise communication campaigns about our pro-Customer initiatives.

The „What have you done for your Customer” campaign tells the inspiring stories of employees who change our Bank. We chose eight representatives of various areas, but far more employees create great experiences for our Customers.

Another campaign was entitled „He who listens does not err”. It summarised the changes introduced based on Customer feedback in the last quarter. We invited representatives of various areas to participate because we cooperate on initiatives submitted by internal and external Customers and the initiative provides a platform for discussing results.

The annual highlight of our Customer-oriented activities are the Customer Days. In 2021, we focused on our new values ​​of organisational culture:

These values allow us to build a better Bank – for us, our employees and our Customers. During the 3-day event, we gave the floor to internal and external experts. The conclusions from this year’s edition can be summarised in one statement: In our Bank, a Customer is always a Customer – capitalised and always put first.

We improve our processes and implement new solutions. In 2021, we identified the TOP10 key initiatives based on Customer feedback. We involved all the Bank’s employees in their implementation, which included the following steps:

Regardless of whether Customers visit the Bank’s branches or contact us via remote channels, we ensure an equally high level of service. We constantly implement new solutions, e.g. a chatbot handling product inquiries with a continuously updated knowledge database. There are also noticeable changes on our hotline. The IVR (Interactive Voice Response) for Customers (a system enabling interactive handling of the caller) has been simplified. Customers can also check the traffic flow on the hotline online, choose the best time to connect or opt for remote channels such as GOonline, GOmobile.

We promote self-service on the hotline, and we encourage our Customers to use electronic banking. We also ask our Customers to contact us through verified channels and strive to ensure “first call resolution” (FCR).

The changes were positively assessed not only by our Customers, but also by the auditors of this year’s Friendly Bank survey conducted by Newsweek. They appreciated our procedures, especially the simplicity and legibility of contracts. Our hotline also received high ratings.

In 2021, our motto was: „Through the employee to the Customer”. We believe that making sure Customers are at the centre of our attention requires taking care of our employees first. We have created the Inspiration Zone on our intranet – a space where employees can share inspiring activities and ideas. We also organised workshops for multiple branches.

We do not forget about corporate Customers. Employees of the Business Service Center and the Business Service Zone can submit orders on behalf of the Customer, based on a previous telephone conversation. They are able to commence processes that cannot be resolved at first contact with the Bank. In such situations, Customers receive standard information about the beginning of a procedure.

We have also introduced individual, personalised service in the Business Service Zone for Customers from the Top Active SME portfolio. This group of Customers can resolve their cases even faster and is entitled to professional help.

In addition to standard complaint structures, the Bank has appointed a Customer Ombudsman. This 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 supports Customers in the process of appealing against the Bank’s decisions regarding complaints.
• The Customer Ombudsman represents Customers’ interests in contacts with the Bank and acts as an intermediary in the re-examination and final consideration of cases.
• The Customer Ombudsman provides the relevant units of the Bank with information about significant problems reported by Customers.

The process of handling and considering complaints is one of the primary sources of Customer feedback. Our Bank uses a clear set of instructions that clearly defines the roles, tasks and obligations of units involved in a given case. It specifies the distribution of responsibility at each stage of the process and sets a timeframe for each activity. The instructions comply with the requirements of relevant legislature. Our standards for considering complaints and providing answers are additionally specified in the Bank’s „Complaints Policy”.

The Complaints Office consists of three specialised teams. Each deals with a different type of complaints. As a result, the Office responds to complaints faster. The answering process is based on two pillars – qualitative and operational. The process is supervised by the director of the Transformation and Development of Customer Experience Department.

We aim to tighten cooperation between our front channel units and the business owners of products and services. Therefore, we regularly organise meetings that serve as a platform for planning joint initiatives and discussing progress.

We have carefully analysed the complaint process to introduce improvements. As a result, we have authorised employees on the first line of contact with Customers to resolve simple matters. They are able to consider cases that relate to fees and commissions and can decide to use the Trade Gesture, which allows for a quick reimbursement of fees. Thus, we build lasting relationships with our Customers and strengthen the Bank’s positive image. In 2021, the changes resulted in a year-by-year decrease in the number of complaints by almost 15%.

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

Listening to the Customer’s voice, we have developed GObetter – the first cloud-based tool for handling complaints.

In 2021, the number of Customers who benefited from the Trade Gesture was 26% higher than in 2020. We have fully automated the process. In the first half of 2021, we introduced organisational changes in the Complaints Office. We have selected specialised teams for handling specific product areas and business lines. We have also chosen employees who handle complaints from financial institutions, we centralised the complaint team in Ruda Śląska, and we changed the complaint handling processes of the Brokerage House. We have enabled Customers to submit complaints through online or mobile banking without contacting a Bank advisor.

We ensure the security of the Bank’s systems and of applications used by our Customers. We spread knowledge about the safe use of banking services daily. We regularly commission external audits of electronic banking because we want the security of our internet banking to maintain the highest level.

More information on Customers privacy protection is available here.