OREANDA-NEWS. July 19, 2012. Today's changes in consumer demand for financial services and advances in IT security have made it possible for customers to bank through self-service channel. As reported lately, ICBC Beijing Branch continues investing in the infrastructure necessary for delivery of banking products and services more conveniently and effectively through "24-hour self-service banking". At the end of May, ICBC has installed nearly 5,000 self-service devices, including 3,400+ ATMs and 1,500 self-service devices for transfer or bill payment, reported the press-centre of ICBC.

2012 is the first year of ICBC Beijing Branch to bring its self-service banking services forward by leaps and bounds under a strategy of "Internal expansion + external expansion", with an aim to improve the hard power (self-service banking channels) and soft power (self-service banking services).

The Branch shifts its personal banking services to "self-service" instead of "counter-based". In off-premise self-service banking, ICBC Beijing Branch will start the "1+2+N" model in new urban areas like Changping and Tongzhou. Self-service banking "flagship stores" are set up in busy districts to serve the urban customers. Self-service devices are installed in "six areas" - companies, communities, schools, hospitals, MTR stations, supermarkets, adding convenience and accessibility to customers in different areas. Besides off-premise self-service banking, the Branch requires all new, upgraded, expanded or relocated outlets to reserve at least 15% total area for self-service banking and install at least 10 self-service devices.

Worthy of note is that, ICBC Beijing Branch consolidates services and functions and moves to self-service terminals, especially those closely related to people's daily life and can be completed quickly. To customers, they can "do simple banking" at self-service devices instead of queuing up at the outlets. At ICBC self-service devices, besides usual transactions like cash advance or deposit, customers can now transfer/remit money, pay bills, make medical appointment, buy/redeem wealth management products or funds, or sign up third-party depositary. Just in bill payment, self-service terminals of the Branch allow customers to pay utility bills (water, electricity, gas), top up ETC card, pay BGCTV bills or traffic fines. On top of these, ICBC also organizes promotion activities and assigns staff at the outlets to offer assistance to self-service customers whenever necessary in order to attract more customers to use self-service banking.

At an ICBC outlet, one can see Auntie Sun makes an appointment through ICBC self-service device for medical treatment at Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Auntie Lee sends money at ICBC ATM to his son studying away from home, simple and fast; Uncle Wang does not need to queue up at the outlet, instead he simply pays water bill or electricity bill at the self-service device; Mr. Zhang uses one minute to pay traffic fines at ATM.

At the end of May, over 80% banking transactions are conducted through self-service devices, said an executive with ICBC Beijing Branch. This means over 80% customers prefer self-service channel for simple transactions like cash advance/deposit in small amount, transfer/remittance.

Banks show their competitive advantage by having spacious, bright environment, well laid-out self-service area, modern self-service devices, and excellent and highly efficient banking services. Self-service channels bring new horizon for ICBC while enabling the delivery of financial services round the clock for customers. By shifting to a new service model and expansion in self-service channels, ICBC Beijing Branch is taking one solid step further to be "A Bank around You".