OREANDA-NEWS. On 08 June 2009 was announced, that BTA Bank is aimed at setting up better conditions for complex service of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) representatives in south capital in the near future. Thus, for instance, on May 29 the service location “Almaly” was opened in an official ceremony in the business and administrative center of Almaty at the following address: 10A, Abay Avenue, corner of Furmanov Str.

The opening of the service location is stipulated by the necessity of maximum coverage of potential customers in the downtown as well as to present services to the customers in more convenient conditions. The new premise of the “Almaly” service location will allow to increase clientele flow by twice and will make up to 2000 companies and 5000 private customers per month correspondingly.

Moreover, the same day BTA Bank has held the “Open House” day in “Almagul” and “Otau” service locations. Earlier these service locations have been offering services only to private customers but now to SME representatives too. Therefore, as of today, thirteen /13 out of thirty eight /38 of BTA service locations in Almaty are universal by presenting banking services to private customers as well as to judicial entities.

A total of KZT 26.55 billion or 120,68% of allocated funds by “Samruk-Kazyna” within the government anticrisis measures to stabilize the state’s economy to support SME had been drawn down by BTA Bank. In particular, a total of KZT 2.77 billion (24 projects) has been drawn down by BTA’s Almaty branch including 8 refinanced projects at KZT 0,28 billion and given out in fact 16 projects at total KZT 1.38 billion.

Meanwhile, striving for supporting SME development, BTA Bank has become the only bank in the Republic which customers – juridical entities may bring their partners and establish the account for them free of charge. As well as to get connected for free of charge to “BTA–Online” and “Bank–Client” remote banking data providing system and to work within the net without leaving the office. Today, 55% out of active customers are using this service.

As of today, BTA Bank serves over 52 thousand SME customers, where about 13 thousand of them are being served by Almaty branch. The infrastructure of Almaty branch consists of 38 service locations, one 24 hours a day self-service Zone, 167 ATMs, 65 self-service terminals Cash&Pay, two automatic exchange offices.

The development strategy of Almaty branch is aimed at the self-service zone development and creation of the convenient conditions for customers 24 hours a day without any turns and in a short span of time. The first self-service Zone in Almaty has been already opened where customers may have an access to such systems as Cash & Pay terminals, electronic exchange office, multicurrency ATMs and advisory support offered by the Contact Center.

From June 2 2009, JSC BTA Bank within the government program of JSC “Samruk-Kazyna” on refinancing the mortgage credits for private customers the Almaty branch has given 478 credits at total KZT 4.17 billion.

BTA Group is one of the leading banking networks in the CIS.

The network of BTA’s partner banks extends to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. BTA’s representative offices operate in Russia, Ukraine, China and UAE.

The bank has one of the largest branch networks in Kazakhstan (22 branches with 274 service locations) along with an extensive chain of ATMs (835) and self-service terminals (160). BTA serves about 1.2 million retail and 132,000 corporate customers.