In an effort to encourage customers to visit their branches and at the same time use digital banking, FNB is extending its free Wi-Fi to banks across South Africa.
Even as FNB encourages customers to make more use of its app and online banking service, it is providing more incentives to visit branches. Its active free Wi-Fi connections reached 383 branches by the end of February 2017, as the bank continues to offer free internet connectivity to customers in its branches.
“By January 2017 over 200 000 customers connected to the internet via free FNB Wi-Fi in branches,” says Lee-Anne van Zyl, CEO of FNB Points of Presence. “The roll out of free Wi-Fi is another value-add which shows our commitment to helping all FNB customers bank digitally. The fundamental aim of this initiative is to offer cheaper banking alternatives for customers through the availability free high speed Wi-Fi. Currently, about 187 FNB branches are connected via internet fibre, which enables connectivity at faster speeds.”
“The process of providing free Wi-Fi is ongoing; however, we aim to steadily increase connectivity across most of branch outlets, especially high capacity branches.”
Over the years FNB has moved to digitise its branches and avail the option of transacting via digital channels or over the counter. This happened in the form of introducing Digital Zones, which enable customers to transact via their online profiles within the branch.
FNB also has dedicated eBankers across 195 select branches that are deployed to assist customers at Digital Zones. The role of eBankers is to assist customers who transact digitally by giving support where necessary.
“We have seen a marked increase in the use of Digital Zones at branches as customers have the option to use online banking, the FNB Banking App or cell phone banking. There’s clearly an appetite for digital banking, but as more customers adopt digital channels we will have to balance this with customers’ education,” adds van Zyl.
