NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 15 – Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has launched a customer service centre aimed at supporting the bank’s increasing financial products with timely and resourceful customer support.
Speaking at the launch, KCB Managing Director Martin Oduor-Otieno said the establishment of the Contact Centre is testament to the ever-changing ICT industry.
He said the Centre would enable the bank approach its customers from an interactive perspective and taking the business forward through use of the right technology.
“As a bank we are happy to set the standards for the industry by bringing our customers closer to our business,” he said.
The Contact Centre will be charged with handling all customer enquiries ranging from product information, ATM location, complaints handling, basic accounts queries, among other services of the bank.
“It will handle customer’s calls, receive e-mails, text and voice mail as well as scanned documents and enable customers to chat over the Internet,” Mr Oduor-Otieno highlighted.
The Sh63 million facility will also replace the conventional switch board.
Speaking while presiding over the launch Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Bitange Ndemo said he was delighted that companies were starting to utilise government investment in ICT infrastructure.
“Many have said government investment in ICT would never be used because Africans just talk and talk but never do anything. So I am glad companies such as yours are beginning to realise the value of this (fibre optic) cable,” he said.
Currently the Centre is designed to support 24-hour operations, but will initially run from 8am to 5pm (9 hours). There is no charge to the customer aside from the standard operator fees.
Mr Oduor-Otieno said the Centre would enable the bank to offer uniform services to its customers in the East African region.
“Our customers from all 185 branches will be attended to by the agents anytime they raise complaint or make enquiries relating to our services," he said.
The bank is planning to open seven more branches in Rwanda by year-end.
The MD also revealed that KCB would be introducing mobile phone banking services upon receiving approval from the Central Bank of Kenya.
“We are just going through the normal regulatory approval but we plan to have it in place very soon,” he said.
He said the company would continue to roll out new products and services that would be exciting to the customer as well as give the bank a competitive edge in the banking sector.
“The launch of this contact centre is just the beginning of this journey,” Mr Oduor-Otieno said.
