Digitalization is everywhere we go, banks are also getting digitalized, in order to adapt to the different behavior of the clients. This was stated by Yulian Vlahov, Head of Alternative Channels Department of UniCredit Bulbank during the conference, organized by Banker Newspaper on the topic of „The Digital banking – the future today“.

Vlahov outlined the new trends in our behavior and pointed out that the introduction of the new technologies changes our everyday life to such an extent that it is now impossible for any business to ignore them.  We use cameras less and less frequently, because we take photos with our smart phones, we read books on mobile devices, we work with a computer and a phone all the time and even when having fun with friends, we are there with our phones and tablets.   An even greater part of the world trade is performed on-line, enormous trade companies don't have even a single brick-and-mortar store but realize enormous sales.  Media, transport companies, hotels, airports - they all use on-line platforms where various services are available to the clients.  

The changes in the financial sphere are no smaller.  Large IT companies and websites for shopping use their large client base and offer a different type of financial services.  

„Banks are now high-tech companies, too - we started monitoring the information about our clients using large data bases. We realized that we can cooperate with the FinTech companies“, Vlahov pointed out. At UniCredit Bulbank a total of 80 % for the customers' contacts with the bank are through digital channels – via the on-line and the mobile banking, the call center of the bank and the self-service halls at the branches.  Over 70 % of the operations are digital, as well as a significant part of the sales.

A large part of the bank services can be received on-line – performing transfers and payments, opening an account, concluding an insurance policy, even receiving financial advice through the Financial Advisor service of UniCredit Bulbank.

„As a result of the introduction of smart phones, the mobile banking has turned into a widely-used service - it is now used as a digital branch of the bank. Through it the customers can pay bills, send money and even get consultation“, Yulian Vlahov pointed out.

„Our call centers have gradually turned from a customer servicing instrument into a commercial instrument - they offer remote services, too“ shared Vlahov. According to his words this is the only digital channel involving the human factor and it is about to develop in the future.  According to Vlahov the moment of having a virtual banker to provide remote consultations is not in the distant future.

Entirely new is the vision of the bank branches of UniCredit Bulbank, which are transformed with a focus on the customer experience.  Visitors of the new branches of the bank receive a new model of servicing and a combination of technology and expertise.

In the world of digital services the question of the security of on-line payments and the danger of frauds on-line is getting more and more important.  Ivan Stanchin, Senior Manager of ICT Security and Crisis Management Department of UniCredit Bulbank, presented the main characteristics of the phishing attacks and the ways to protect ourselves from them.  The phishing attack aims at collecting information about the users from any type of mobile devices.  Around 40% of the Internet users in the EU are victims of cyber attacks, in Eastern Europe they are 49% and in Bulgaria they are even more - between 53-60%.  According to Stanchin the reason why is that a large number of Bulgarian users use unlicensed software and anti-virus programs.  We should carefully check the identity of the senders of the e-mails that we receive and we shouldn't give our personal data.  No matter how necessary the social media are, it is better for us to upload as little personal information as possible there, and when surfing the Internet we should not be misled by various advertisements, offering registration in websites and provide data, advises the expert. 

More information for media:

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

Mara Bareva, Phone: +359 2 9264 963, nbsb/cbsfwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Beatris Nikolova, Phone: +359 2 9232 528, cfbusjt/ojlpmpwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch