One of the questions asked frequently after the news broke is what exactly this means for the bank’s customer service as well as for its existing employees. Carmon Jaffke, representing the bank’s staff delegation, explained that the bank would reorganise some of its existing services to relieve employees working in remaining branches.
Around 20 employees in Leudelange will be in charge of offering services traditionally carried out in branches over telephone and online. These include setting up standing orders, changing the limit on a card, and carrying out a transfer. Jaffke highlighted that this new ‘Servicedirect Centre’ would help relieve duties from branch employees.
Notably, the centre will take over all phone calls, emails, and emails sent via SNet, which will allow employees in branches to have more time to organise their own workloads and assist customers. The staff delegation representative also pointed out this had been a staff request and that many are relieved to have the time to help customers.
As for those affected by the closures, the staff delegation will push for employees to be transferred to branches in the same region as their current locations.
Of the 54 remaining agencies, these are in the process of being modernised. One aspect is that customers will no longer be able to withdraw cash over the counter, but only from cashpoints. The head of the BCEE’s branch network, Gaston Molling, explained that this decision was partly made by a dwindling tendency to use cash, but other factors had also contributed to the decision.
As Molling put it, the programme modernising branches is designed to transform a bank branch from the traditional environment with employees separated from customers by armoured glass to a more open environment between employees and customers. He added that any customers that have difficulties using cash machines will be able to receive assistance from employees. As for customers who have difficulty getting to branches or withdrawing cash due to disabilities, employees would also do house visits.
The bank introduced a mobile agency almost three years ago, in the form of a bus that visits five municipalities for one and half hours each a week. Molling admitted the venture was not especially lucrative, but that the purpose was not to turn a profit. Instead, the mobile agency is designed to provide better accessibility to customers. He stressed that the bank has compensation measures and solutions to help customers with their daily banking.
Currently, the BCEE is examining which other municipalities the bus could visit. Molling added that the bank would examine which areas could benefit from such a service, especially due to the impending closures. While he could not definitively confirm future locations, he said the bank would work closely with affected municipalities and evaluate a number of factors, such as the distance to the nearest branch, the types of customers, potential demand, and more.
BCEE closures: Director General says branch closures not due to cost saving
BCEE announces closures: 11 Spuerkeess branches to close end of March 2020
