OREANDA-NEWS. September 21, 2010. As of today the corporate clients of Swedbank Estonia can use the new Internet Bank, which combines the Corporate Client and Private Client Internet Bank to create a new easy to use environment. The bank considered the feedback and requests of its clients when creating the new environment, reported the press-centre of Swedbank.

Director of Swedbank’s Retail Banking Division Aet Altroff said that the new environment offers the most to corporate clients who are also private clients of the bank. “People who use the Corporate Client Internet Bank will see something completely new - the appearance and menu structure of the environment have changed," added Altroff. “Clients only have to log in once to use the Internet Bank in the new environment and they can move from the Private Client Internet Bank to the Corporate Client Internet Bank during the same session if they wish to do so. It means that a corporate client can take care of their own as well as their company’s money matters, review new offers and services, and sign different contracts in the same environment. Also, each user can define their shortcut menu throughout Internet bank so most of the commonly used features are constantly at hand, "said Altroff. "Updated Internet banking platform is also fully ready for the introduction of the Euro."

A completely new function introduced to the Corporate Client Internet Bank is the possibility to select a security picture, which gives extra protection and assurance that the Internet Bank is used on the address determined by the bank.

According to Altroff banks have to consistently update and improve their services, as the financial needs of their clients are constantly changing. “When we launched our new Private Client Internet Bank two years ago, which for the first time in the world combined the functions of the bank's website and Internet Bank, we saw a quick rise in the number of contracts signed and services used though its channels,” said Altroff. “Today, our clients prefer to conclude more than 98% of their transactions through electronic channels, which means that our clients have received the changes very well and expect to see new developments in so-called convenience services. Since the majority of the bank’s corporate clients are also our private clients, we thought merging the two Internet Banks into a single environment was a logical step for us to take."

“The content of the Internet Bank will not change much for private clients, apart from the design of the menu, which will be clearer and more user-friendly,” explained Altroff. “Many innovative solutions can also be used in the Internet Bank in addition to the familiar everyday transactions. For example, clients are actively using the option of planning their income and expenses in the Internet to obtain a comprehensive overview of what they spend their money on. Private clients also find good advice on how to prepare their family's budget, overcome payment difficulties, get used to prices in euros and many more useful tips in the Internet Bank.”

The Private Client Internet Bank has won several awards in two years. International Global Finance Magazine recently named Swedbank's Private Client Internet Bank the best in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Although the recent changes primarily concern the bank’s corporate clients, it does not mean that development of the Private Client Internet Bank has been put on hold. “Our clients can expect to see many helpful updates that will be made in the Internet Bank within a year or so, such as interactive consultation solutions, which will make financial decisions even easier for them," said Altroff, lifting the lid on some of the changes ahead.

The new Internet Bank will be launched step by step to make it easier for our clients to get used to the changes. Both the old and the new version can be used as of today. The new Internet Bank will become the primary environment in October, but the old one can still be used as well. The old transaction and information environment will be closed down at the start of December and clients will only be able to use the new Internet Bank.

“I advise our clients to start using the new environment for their transactions as soon as possible to make sure they are comfortable with it when the old Internet Bank is closed," added Altroff.

The new Internet Bank will be available at a separate address until October. There is a link to the version in the present Internet Bank: www.swedbank.ee/beta.