Hellenic Bank has almost completed the reorganisation of its branch network, four months after acquiring the Co-op's good assets portfolio along with its 72 branches.
In a statement sent to the Financial Mirror, Hellenic said that as of December the bank has a network of 148 branches, with the bank is adding the final touches with the training of employees who joined HB from the Co-op.
Some 1100 staff are currently stationed at HB's 148 branches, with the Bank looking to upgrade the quality of services offered to both its old and new customers. Despite the 40% drop in the number of total branches after HB's acquisition of the Coop Bank last summer, dealings at the counter have not decreased.
Regarding the reorganisation of branches, HB said that they have stationed more staff at branches which are now catering to a larger number of clients due to the merger.
According to HB, there are currently six branches which are capable of catering to old clients of the bank and the new clients coming from the Coop.
“We plan to increase the number to 22 by the end of the first quarter. These branches will essentially be operating as branches within branches, with staff able to handle both HB and ex-Co-op systems,” the statement said.
HB said it has set up a team of 30 employees which will organise a campaign to inform old and new clients on how to make better use of online services offered by the bank such as web banking and mobile banking.
One of the themes of the campaign will also be to inform customers on the use of some 100 new ATMs equipped with the latest technology.
Meanwhile, the bank has also rolled out its second “bank on wheels” as of 21 January. A mobile branch visiting 15 rural areas in Famagusta Larnaca and Limassol.
“The results of the first Mobile Banking Unit, which commenced operations on 12 November 2018 were extremely encouraging and Hellenic Bank is pleased to serve customers who, for various reasons, find it difficult to get to our branches but through the mobile banking unit, they are given the choice to execute their cash transactions quickly and easily”.
HB expects 2019 to be an intense year and it is looking forward to completing the integration of ex-Co-op branches and business, while creating a unified Hellenic Bank which will be in a position to offer the best possible services to its client’s islandwide, without discrimination.
“As promised in September 2018, despite difficulties we have come across which may have displeased our customers to some extent, our intention is in the short term to reward them with better service, new channels of service and new quality products that our customers are in need of.”
At the end of 2018, Hellenic Bank had 61 branches in Nicosia, 37 in Limassol, 34 in Larnaca, 18 in Paphos and 9 in the Famagusta region.
