OREANDA-NEWS. January 13, 2011. In the beginning of 2010 it was declared that retail business development was the strategically priority line of “Unibank”. In this regard the Bank focused on promotion of card projects including salary ones. The results are obvious: during one year “Unibank” became the absolute leader by the quantity of emitted international cards among the banks – members of Armenian Card Payment System (ArCa). As of today the number of cards emitted by the Bank amounts to 63.000 of which 51.000 are Visa international cards.   

Card business is first of all technologically interesting card programs with options convenient and comprehensible for customers. In order to rouse customer’s interest a card should be simple in use, have permitted overdraft option and grant relevant discounts and privileges. Owing to such policy “Unibank” succeeded in increasing the number of emitted cards by 66% in one year.      

“All our card products such as “Non-Interest”, “Privileged 50”, “U-100” or “U-Buy” are oriented to customers’ inquiries and owing to the competitive advantages have wide popularity at the market. 2010 was crucial in the card business development of the Bank. Investments in this sphere made over a million dollars. Owing to this 2011 will be more active in launching new products”, noted the retail business director Mesrop Hakobyan.      

Till the end of February “Unibank” will launch own processing center which is already functioning in the test regimen. This will enable the Bank to start emission of Visa chip cards of different categories including Visa Infinite with concierge service option. Alongwith launching own processing center customers will be offered a special loyalty program according to which cardholders will have a possibility to save up bonuses in shopping and gain benefits from companies – partners of the program. Thereby customers have a chance to reduce their costs in paying for goods and services at the expense of gained bonuses. Furthermore, “Unibank” will give cardholders a possibility of decreasing credit interest rate based upon their payments history.

“Our main goal is to prove customers that keeping money in the Bank is profitable for themselves. Cardholders should consider a plastic card not as cash withdrawal instrument but an opportunity of having a row of privileges which they cannot receive in any othe case since our developed products are unique in their own way’, - says Mesrop Hakobyan. For example, within the new processing center it is scheduled to emit multi-currency cards proposing juncture of several accounts in various currencies to one card that is convenient for customers to make use of any currency whenever necessary.

Mesrop Hakobyan also informed that “Unibank” had procured 120 mobile POS-terminals with GPRS function which would be installed mainly in the regions of the country. Thereby the problem of poor connection and equipment of trade points in remoted regions will be resolved. As of today the Bank has 658 POS-terminals and 74 ATMs.