Service improvement
Reality outpacing perception
Complaints
Other
Customer value 21
The decreasing customer satisfaction is a trend that is affecting the
entire sector. This is due partly to the fact that banks are increasingly
closing offices in small towns and partly to the shift in services from
physical offices to less personal channels such as the Internet.
Rabobank Group continually aims to improve customer satisfaction.
The Rabobank is engaged in continuous dialogue with clients in
order to adjust its services to market changes and the changing
preferences of (groups of) clients. For example, some elderly or
handicapped people have difficulty using cash dispensing machines
and Internet banking.That is why Rabobank offers extra services
such as home delivery of cash or assistance in the use of virtual
channels. In December 2002, the Bank made an agreement with
SeniorWeb for a national training programme in computer usage
and Internet banking for 60,000 elderly people with a Rabobank
account. Rabobank is the main sponsor of SeniorWeb,an organisa
tion that employs elderly people to introduce contemporaries to
the possibilities offered by computers and the Internet. Rabobank
has initiated numerous other activities to take its services to a higher
level, such as the expansion of payment facilities and services and
better usage of its network. However, the customer satisfaction
benefits of these activities will not become apparent until the
second half of 2003.
Despite its many-sided activities, the Rabobank Group is still insuffi
ciently recognised as an Allfinanz Group with numerous specialised
services. In this respect, market perception is not keeping pace with
the facts. In the near future, specific campaigns will inform business
clients about Rabobank Group's profile and customer value propo
sitions.
Realising customer value also means being willing to learn from
clients who are not satisfied. Complaints contain valuable informa
tion that the organisation can use to improve its service. If a client is
not satisfied with the solution offered by the local Rabobank the
matter can be put to the central Complaints Service of Rabobank
Nederland.
Complaints Service in 2002, whereas previously this was done by
Interpay.The number of complaints about security services showed
a significant decline.
Nature of complaint
2002
2001
Funds transfers
55%
48%
Policy, negligence, discourtesy
27%
27%
Securities
4%
7%
Mortgages
3%
5%
Loans
3%
4%
Cancelling accounts/calling security
3%
3%
Savings
2%
2%
Insurance
2%
2%
Other
1%
2%
2002
Funds transfers
Policy, negligence, discourtesy
Securities
Mortgages
Loans
Cancelling accounts/calling security
Savings
Insurance
2001
In the year under review 2,659 (2,053) clients turned to the
Complaints Service. This strong increase was due in part to the poli
cy of encouraging clients not to keep their complaints to them
selves but to air them. In addition, clients are becoming more and
more outspoken. Another reason for the increase is the significantly
higher number of complaints received about funds transfers, parti
cularly disputed transactions involving ATMs and POS terminals.This
particularly strong increase was due to the fact that cases of mani
pulated cash dispensing machines were dealt with by the