First National takes banking to customer’s doorstep
One of the biggest savings and loans companies in the country, First National Savings and Loans Ltd, has stepped up efforts to bring banking to the doorstep of it existing and potential customers and potential customers.
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Subsequently, the bank has unveiled its mobile banking vans to enable it to realise its dream of making banking easier while mobilising the large number of unbanked people into the banking circles.
The vehicles are fitted with an electronic device known as the mobile Point of Sale (mPOS).
This comes at a time when financial intermediation in the country has not been deepened because about 70-80 per cent of Ghanaians are unbanked.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 1st National, Mr Patrick Anumel, who unveiled the vehicles explained that the move to acquire the vans was to practically demonstrate the vision of the company, which is partly “to be a truly national bank for the ordinary person.”
“Like other products we have rolled out in the past months, the vans [Mobile Banking vans] are going to be used for the purpose of realising the vision of First National. The concept of mobile banking/branchless banking is herby practicalised by the use of these vans,” he stated.
According to the CEO of 1st National, statistics available showed that many Ghanaians lived in the rural and suburban areas.
Against this backdrop, he stressed that the introduction of the mobile banking through the use of the vans would make it possible for his outfit to serve the unbanked population at their doorstep.
“It is significant to note that First National was the first financial institution to adopt the concept of Field Cashiers, whom we now call mobile bankers. These are First National staff who go round from shop, house, office to office, market to market, assisting people to deposit their monies into their various accounts with the use of mPOS”, he said.
He said the mobile banking vans would make banking for “our customers more convenient, safe, secured and reliable.”
“You don’t need to stop whatever you are doing and walk or drive to the banking Hall. We shall drive the Banking Hall to you through these vans,” he said.
On some of the services of the mobile banking vans, Mr Anumel disclosed that it would allow for withdrawals from accounts and deposit into accounts.
The other services are transfer from one account to another in 1st National and transfer of funds from one person to another in 1st National, he added.