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Bank Australia's New Website Revamp Is A Winner
01 July 2014
Each year Canstar research and rate the online banking offerings of Australia’s financial institutions. This year’s winner of the Customer-owned Online Banking Award is bankmecu [now known as Bank Australia], thanks to a great app, easy online.
Rowan Dowland – bankmecu’s General Manager Development – took the time to answer a few Canstar questions.
Q: Bankmecu’s website underwent a significant revamp late last year – what were your reasons for doing this?
A: We are continually assessing our website and online presence to ensure that it is meeting the needs of our customers and keeping up to date with changes and developments in technology and people’s interaction with it. The latest revamp included the introduction of bankmecu Central as a customer engagement tool. Being customer owned, we have a responsibility to not only keep customers informed and up to date about the activities we do on their behalf, but to also involve them in some of our decision making. bankmecu Central provides us with a direct way of presenting stories and having an ongoing conversation with customers, which is very valuable to the business.
The revamp also saw a large upgrade to our online application forms which aligns with our business strategy of attracting a younger group of customers. We know people want choice when accessing the Bank and we also know that they want the experience to be simple and easy no matter which way they choose to approach us. Having end-to-end online application forms is great step forward.
Q: Can you share some of the feedback you have received from customers regarding the website revamp?
A: We’ve had a strong take up of the online application forms and this has assisted in making lending applications more efficient and simpler for customers. Many customers have also told us that the quick pre-approval indicator is useful and avoids going through a long process to find out that they don’t qualify for the amount or type of loan they’re looking for.
Bankmecu Central has also been successful with the audience growing each month. We’re really pleased that customers are also commenting and interacting with us through Central – and also having conversations with each other, which is even better.
Q: I noted a comment by (bankmecu Managing Director) Damien Walsh in a recent magazine interview, calling the internet a fantastic leveler. Can you expand on that?
A: As a small bank with a limited physical presence, high quality comprehensive online services mean that we can compete effectively in the market with bigger institutions. We can have customers across the country who still get high levels of service and choice in the way they do their banking through our online platforms.
All indications are that the future of banking will be increasingly technology enabled and that this – not branches on every corner – is what Australians will be looking for. We see this as a great opportunity to offer a viable, forward-looking and competitive alternative.
Read Canstar’s Online Banking Awards here.
