Bulbank Mobile users reached 40 000 for 2 years

Client 2.0 is well-informed, mobile, online and adapted to the new technologies, wants to do everything quickly and easily at a suitable time and place

New technologies and alternative banking channels help the banking sector draw closer to its clients. This was one of the major conclusions Yulian Vlahov, Head of Alternative Channels Department, Retail Banking, UniCredit Bulbank, arrived at during the Webit CEE Digital Summit Conference.

Latest data shows that 7.1 billion people on the planet use 5.1 billion mobile devices. Smartphones account for approximately half of sold mobile devices, as the sale of tablets exceeds the sale of portable computers. Although smartphones are not that widely used in Bulgaria in comparison to other European countries, according to the American company Norway smartphones will account for 97.6% of all mobile phones worldwide by 2017.

“The new virtual reality is changing clients’ behavior in the banking sector and their requirements for certain services”, says Yulian Vlahov. He classified client 2.0 as well-informed, mobile, online and adapted to the new technologies, wanting to do everything quickly and easily at a suitable time and place. The widespread use of mobile banking proves this tendency: Bulbank Mobile users have reached 40 000 for 2 years.

“UniCredit wants to be part of people’s lives, offering them better banking”, said Paolo Barbesino, Head of Internet & Mobile Banking, Retail Banking, CEE, UniCredit. He said that alternative banking channels are now used not only to sell banking products but also to develop client relationships.

Three-fourths of UniCredit Bulbank clients contacted the bank for the first time via the alternative banking channels. This means that what people do first is obtain information by contacting the call center, consulting the bank’s website, social media, etc. At a later stage they visit the bank branch seeking an expert opinion or conducting more complicated banking operations.

“There are twice as many opportunities to do business and attract new clients via social networks”, said Yulian Vlahov. Today 3 billion people have been using the social media, as 25% of users log in their facebook profiles more than 5 times a day.

At the same time buying online worldwide has increased by more than 19% per year and is expected to reach 1.5 trillion dollars in 2014, according to the data of Forrester Research and Goldman Sachs.

More information for clients:

UniCredit Bulbank, Call Centre

Phone: 0700 1 84 84

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