What bankers say
DEC 20 -
Nationwide ATM network makes banking easier
Yunesh Puri
Head of Cards and New Channels
NIC Asia Bank
NIC Asia Bank, formed after the merger of the country’s two leading commercial banks NIC Bank and Bank of Asia Nepal, has so far issued around 100,000 debit cards under the SCT network and 35,000 cards under the Visa network.
The bank maintains 49 ATM outlets across the country. The bank offers a number of services like merchant payment, sale of tickets of QFX and Big Cinemas, account information inquiry, mini statement view, fund transfer, foreign exchange rate inquiry and bill payment of NTC landline and GSM post paid, among others.
It also provides SMS alert service through its mobile and e-banking facility. NIC Asia Bank, however, hasn’t yet issued credit cards. However, we will be introducing credit cards within the next six to eight months.Similarly, our bank is planning to launch mobile wallet and branchless banking services soon.
Diversified products from debit cards to travel cards
Bishwa Singh
Chief of Cards and E-Banking Department
Global IME Bank
Global IME Bank is one of the leading commercial banks in Nepal offering mobile banking, e-banking and card service facilities. We maintain 70 ATM outlets across the country. In terms of card issuance, our bank offers diversified products ranging from debit cards to credit cards and from international cards to travel cards.
Our bank has issued a total of around 200,000 debit cards. Among them, 150,000 are Visa cards, while the rest are SCT cards. We have issued around 2,500 credit cards, a decent figure when compared with the overall issuance of credit cards in the country. Moreover, the bank has Easy Buy, Easy Pay scheme for credit card users where they can buy products costing Rs 25,000 to Rs 200,000 irrespective of their cash limit. Global IME Bank offers services like utility payment, SMS alert, credit card payment info, transfer of funds and e-ticketing, among others.
Dual password authentication for greater security
Mandeep Bhattarai
In-charge, Cards Services Department
Sunrise Bank
So far, we have issued 70,000 Visa debit cards. We will also be issuing credit cards soon. We currently have 60 ATM outlets with more to be added soon. We have been providing mobile banking and e-banking services through which utility payment and funds transfer-related services can be performed.We charge Rs 250 as annual fee for mobile banking service that includes alert and funds transfer while enquiry service is provided free of cost. Lack of awareness about the benefits and security may be the major behind the low figure. As mobile phones are widely used in rural areas too, there is a huge scope for the growth of mobile banking.
To make e-banking more secure, dual password authentication is implemented for all funds transfer-related services where a one time password is sent to user’s mobile number.
We provide the entire range of card services
Umesh Singh Bhandari
Assistant General Manager, Operations
Machhapuchchhre Bank
Under electronic banking, we provide four types of services—sms, mobile, internet and card services. Our merchant banking card facility is in the pipeline. As far as internet banking is concerned, it provides the entire bank statement and information of credit. Under card service, we have debit card service under Visa and SCT networks. We have a total of 300,000 depositors and 60 percent of our customers regularly use debit cards. Our ATM card users number 175,000 and there are 65 ATM counters. There are a total of 70,000 mobile banking service users.
All the customers use the service, and each customer uses the service at least once a month. We charge Rs 250 annually for mobile service. Under internet banking, we have 30,000 customers. A majority of internet service users are corporate houses while individuals have shifted to mobile banking.
We are expanding mobile banking in rural areas
Ashish Sharma
Head of Payment Solution
Siddhartha Bank
We have 55 ATM counters and offer card services of Visa, MasterCard and Union Pay for international payments and SCT and NPN services for domestic transactions. We have an ATM counter at Namche Bazaar, the second highest location in Nepal where the service is available. We have debit, credit and Visa pre-paid card services. Debit and Visa pre-paid cards are available in two categories - one for use in Nepal and India and the other for use in third countries. Credit cards, however, are available for use in Nepal and India only.
International pre-paid cards are used for online shopping and shopping in foreign countries as the Western countries have stopped issuing travellers’ cheques. We also offer medical pre-paid cards which have been very popular among Nepalis who go for medical treatment in India as they cannot withdraw much money through debit cards there. Through the medical pre-paid cards, customers can withdraw up to Rs 1 million a day. We have distributed a total of 70,000 debit cards, 2,000 credit cards and 3,000 pre-paid cards.
Similarly, we provide Hello Paisa mobile banking service. Under this service, money can be deposited and paid through the mobile wallet. Inter-bank funds transfer and recharge facility are also available under this service. There are a total of 7,000 customers of mobile banking, most of them are in the Kathmandu valley. Under mobile banking, transactions worth up to Rs 50,000 can be done at a time and up to five times daily.
We are also expanding mobile banking in rural areas. We are distributing social security allowances to 26,000 school going children in Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur through Hello Paisa after winning the contract from the government.
We have made sizable investment in technology
Kishore Maharjan
Chief Executive Officer
Civil Bank
Civil Bank is one of the youngest commercial banks of the country. But we have made a sizable investment in technology. The software that we have been using is considered one of the best in the world. It has helped make banking at Civil through web much safer and reliable. This software comprises of double-layer authentication system.
Also, we are among a few banks offering debit cards under both SCT and NPN gateways, making our cards redeemable in 1,400 ATM counters across the country. Civil currently has 24 ATM outlets and 14 more will be opened within the next one month.
Within just nine months of the launch of the debit card service, we have succeeded in attracting 20,000 debit cardholders. Very soon, we plan to launch credit card service as well and our recently-introduced international card has been very well received in the market.
With many interesting products in our kitty, we now plan to launch mobile financial service named ‘Mobile Mai Nagad’ in January 2014. It is a mobile wallet, which will enable customers to transact money through cell phones. It will also help promote branchless banking service. Since our inception, we have been focusing on technology to ease the people’s excess to banking and we will continue this to cater to the demand of the people from all parts of the country.
We have been adopting globally tested technologies
Diwakar Poudel
Head of Corporate Affairs
Standard Chartered Bank Nepal
We have a total of 23 ATM counters with an uptime percentage of 98 percent. They are centrally monitored by a dedicated team to check for any wrongdoing. Our ATM counters accept Visa and MasterCard. There has been an increase in the number of people who use ATM cards which has reduced footfall at bank offices. There are 40,000 plus debit card users regularly in our bank although all the depositors have received such cards. We are the market leader in issuing Visa credit cards with a client number of 13,000. We also offer platinum debit cards which are used by high-end customers, and they enjoy special discounts even in India on various services and purchases. As far as e-banking is concerned, there are 25,0000 e-banking service users which is 25 percent of the total depositors. In 2013, we added 700,000 new e-banking users.
We have not introduced mobile banking. It is in our priority list, and it will be provided in the way our group has done worldwide. We endeavour to be certain that any software we purchase for mobile banking is absolutely safe. In order to ensure the security of our system, we have been adopting globally tested technologies. Being an international bank, we have the advantage of being able to look at things from a global perspective. In order to tackle the threat of phishing in internet banking, we have a short-cut website http://www. sc.com/np, and going though which means incidences of phishing can be reduced substantially as the website to cannot be replicated.
One time use passwords and specific procedures to get the PIN code for debit cards also keep our ATM cards secure. We don’t give debit cards and PIN codes. The customer will receive the code after going to the counter and making a call to the bank.
Upgrading system to make it compatible with new services
Shristi Shrestha
Head, Alternate Delivery Channels
Prabhu Bikas Bank
We started ATM service back in 2006. This service has proved to be an effective channel for customers to avail quick and easy banking services round the clock. We, as of now, have 66,040 ATM cardholders and they can avail the services through 22 ATM outlets installed in different parts of the country. Some of the locations where our ATM machines are include Jomsom, Badegaum of Godawari, Sankhu, Damak, Kalaiya, Itahari and Tandi.
To maintain security, CCTV cameras have been installed in ATM counters for surveillance. We are with the SCT network which helps take banking service from more outlets.
For making the banking service accessible through additional channels more easily, we are preparing to start m-banking, besides continuing other channels such as e-banking, SMS banking and POS services. We are working to upgrade our core banking system to this effect.
The charm of the m-banking service is increasing and the trend of holding debit and credit cards is also on the rise. Be it transaction through a card or mobile platform, each channel has its own feature and importance for business transaction. We have always tried to provide world class banking facilities to our customers.
ATM more popular among customers today
Ganesh Kumar Shrestha
CEO
Century Commercial Bank
Century Commercial Bank, which was launched two years ago, has received an overwhelming response when it comes to the ATM service. Of the total 42,000 depositors with the bank, an estimated 50 percent use this service through 20 ATM outlets installed in different parts of the country under the vast NPN and SCT networks. Soon, the bank will start ATM service in Hetuada. The trend of using ATM service is very popular in urban areas.
Besides ATM , the number of customers using e-banking and m-banking services is also growing gradually along with the development in the ICT sector and technology adaptation. Despite huge potentials of e-banking and m-banking, ATM is still popular among the customers as it is comparatively safe and easy to use.
Our bank has received huge demands for installation of ATM outlets in new areas like Ason, but the bank has not able to do so mainly for security concerns. Normally, it costs Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per month for the operation of an ATM outlet and expenses include security persons, electricity and power back-ups.
In Nepal, e-banking and m-banking are being used mainly for tracking transactions and paying utility bills. As availing banking services from mobile devices could be risky, we have been regularly doing security audits. Customers too must maintain tough password and change them frequently as hackers always try to find loopholes.
We are issuing cards with ‘chip technology’ soon
Bikram Shrestha
Head, Card Department
Bank of Kathmandu
We launched ATM service started in 2008 in a bid to offer banking services in an easy way. We have 160,000 customers using cards, including visa debit cards, visa credit cards and international cards. The number of ATM outlets will continue to increase further as we will be installing one ATM for each new branch. So far, we have installed 58 ATM outlets in various parts of the country. The number of customers using ATM service has been increasing every year along with the growth in the number of customers coming into the banking network.
In order to enhance security and upgrade technology, we are preparing to issue new cards based on "chip technology" called Europay Mastercard and Visa (EMV) for credit and debit card transactions within a few months. It has advanced security system and can be used for multiple purposes, including cash withdrawal and making deposits. When talking about new technologies, it is an interesting fact that more people are using m-banking along with the rise in number of people using mobile phones. However, even as these types of banking channels are more beneficial for the people living in remote areas for branchless banking services, the trend is seen rising in city areas for the lack of infrastructure
We are making efforts to make the services available in remote areas too through different delivery channels and agents. There is a need for reliable internet service, and customers too should be aware about how to benefit from services like e-banking and m-banking.
Everest’s mobile ATM service is picking up
Bijaya Gautam Chief
IT Department
Everest Bank
ATM , mobile banking, internet banking and branchless banking are among the services we are providing under the electronic banking services.
We have distributed more than 300,000 debit cards and the growth rate of debit card issuance is 60,000 a year. We have 25,000 customers under the mobile banking service, through which services like balance inquires and fund transfers are offered, but these services are currently available within the bank only.
There are 24,000 e-banking service users and services like fund transfers, bank statement generation and bank account checking are available. The growth rate of e-banking service users is low due to the emergence of mobile banking. We recently introduced mobile ATM service through which opening accounts and depositing cash are possible through mobile devices. This service is picking up, and there are 1,550 users. We are pioneer in branchless banking and have so far taken this service to four locations -- Bhaktapur, Nepalgunj, Birtamod and Baglung.
There are 6,000 customers under this service. As far as security measures for electronic transactions are concerned, we have made it mandatory for customers to change the password before starting the ATM service. We have also issued alert notice on our website to e-banking users to save themselves from phising. For electronic transactions to increase the customers need to be aware about the services.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
