OREANDA-NEWS. May 30, 2011. SEB Bank introduces a novelty in the Lithuanian market, i.e., the financial service plans for private individuals. From this day, the bank’s clients having selected one of four offered service plans will have an opportunity to execute an unlimited number of transfers via the Internet to any account of all business companies and private individuals within SEB Bank for a fixed monthly fee, reported the press-centre of SEB Bank.

Any client who subscribes for the service plan will be issued a debit or credit card free of charge, and any annual service fee for payment card will not be applied. Clients will also get free of charge password generator for e-banking services unlimited access to use bank SMS service and a possibility to withdraw monthly up to LTL 3.5 thousand at any ATM without any payment.

Currently, SEB Bank introduces four service plans: “Sumanu“, “Sumanu Plius“, “Laisvalaikis“ and “Studentas“. Taking into consideration the service plan selected by the client, such client will be issued a debit card, credit card, “SEB Laisvalaikis MasterCard“ or “SEB ISIC MasterCard“. If the client already has payment card, he could include it into the package and any annual service fee for payment card will not be applied. Fixed monthly fee per service plan ranges from LTL 5 to LTL 15.

“We submitted our proposal after a detailed analysis of our customer needs and expectations approved by the survey of public opinion, which are based on public opinion surveys. It shows, that clients are missing such financial decisions, which would enable them to conveniently handle their daily payments, and ensure more opportunities and greater freedom. This new decision of the bank is primarily meant for the use by such individuals who already today execute a significant number of payments via the Internet, however they limit their transactions via e-banking system as till today they had to separately pay for it”, said Virginijus Doveika, Director of the Retail Banking Division, Vice President of SEB Bank.

In April, a research based on the SEB Bank’s request showed that Lithuanians mostly pay their bills for utilities, telecommunication, insurance services, and also make loan instalments via the Internet. While electronic payment methods or daily mutual settlements (e.g. when one person pays for joint purchases of larger group) are selected by Lithuanians rather seldom.

V.Doveika noted that a long-term tradition to use online internet banking services for mutual settlements for minor goods, joint entertainment and daily payments via e-banking system is still not observed in Lithuania. However public opinion survey showed that the majority of respondents, i.e., 44 per cent would consider a possibility of larger volume of payments via the Internet if financial terms are more favourable. The respondents mentioned the main advantage of such payment method, i.e., elimination of queues (43 per cent of respondents), transaction speed (35 per cent) and opportunity to pay the required amount any time in the selected location (32 per cent).

“Of course, the majority of service providers today already ensure a possibility for their clients to execute payments via the Internet, but flexible and attractive opportunities to use such potential should stimulate more proactive use of e-banking survives and increase in the volume of various electronic payments”, said Director of the Retail Banking Division.

V. Doveika noted that the new solution of the bank is flexible. “Clients may order the requested service plan for at least a month. If such service plan meets the client’s needs, the service availability will be automatically extended, and if the client’s expectations are not met, such client may refuse of the service or select another service plan“, said Director of the Retail Banking Division of SEB Bank.

From this day, our clients may order the selected service plan by logging into the bank’s system via the Internet or by visiting the nearest customer service branch.

Research oo the settlement methods being selected by citizens for daily and other payments at SEB Bank’s order/request was performed 15–21 April by the Social Information Centre (SIC). 471 citizens aged between 18-74 years from various regions of Lithuania participated in the research and information was obtained through direct interview. Statistical error of the survey results does not exceed 4.5 per cent.