Professional consultations and safety guarantees — this is what the young want from banks.

Quality consultations and data safety guarantees are among the most important criteria for bank services according to young people. These requirements are closely followed by the speed of servicing. Almost 70% of young people between 18 and 25 are ready to substitute the visits to a bank branch with online banking if it is possible for all services that they are using. Despite that, however, consultation with a professional bank employee in real time remains one of the most important services for young people in their work with the bank and they would like to meet with a banker before submitting documents for a loan.

These are part of the results of a survey among future bankers, students from D.A. Tsenov Academy of Economics and the University for National and World Economy (UNWE), conducted within the UniCredit Bulbank My Bank of the Future project and the kosher.bg student platform. The survey was conducted by the future bankers among young people between the ages of 18 and 25. It does not represent national tendencies but is a clear sign about the attitudes and expectations of the young towards the bankers.

In the beginning of July two clubs started work on the My Bank of the Future project: Bankers of the Future from D.A. Tsenov Academy of Economics, Svishtov and Business Bank from UNWE. By the end of September they had to develop their ideas as to what the bank of the future should look like, what its products, customer service, etc. should be. UniCredit Bulbank employees were mentors to the clubs. The students also received professional trainings in project management, customer satisfaction and presentation skills.

What does the bank of the future look like?

The students from both clubs expressed in their research and in their ideas for bank of the future the desire for a 24/7 access to a bank consultant and services.

Bankers from the Future presented a high-technology mobile bank branch concept which looks like a sphere and contains interactive electronic boards. All different types of bank operations can be done with them and in case the need to a consultation arises, the screen offers real-time connection to a bank employee. Interesting ideas from the young people on the future of banking include a pen and a ring for quick and easy banking, new generation bank cards with mini-USB flash adapter, among other things.

The Business Bank club from the UNWE sees the future of mass banking as an interactive bank website, which offers comprehensive customer servicing via an interesting, clear and fun visualization of every banking option. According to the UNWE students the increasing number of Internet users requires us to focus on that channel for banking. About 80% of the students interviewed by Business Bank like the website of the bank they are using. Currently, the main inconveniences are the unclear guidelines for the use of some of the functions.

The jury which evaluated the final projects focused mainly on innovation, applicability of the ideas and the benefits. The best participants received the opportunity to do an internship with UniCredit Bulbank. The chairperson in the jury was the Head of Retail Banking Division, Mr. Pasquale Giamboi.

The bankers of the future from the two students clubs met personally with the chief executive officer of UniCredit Bulbank, Mr. Levon Hampartzoumian. When asked what their priorities should be in order to succeed, he advised the students that they should constantly aim towards good education and they should pay special attention to accounting. At the same time he said that it is very important for them to create a balance in their lives and to find enough time for rest and reasonable fun activities. "Success is a combination of skills, initiative and luck", Hampartzoumian said.

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch