Focusing on the customer
Serving the interests of customers is the guiding principle behind
Rabobank's services. In 2008, Rabobank's Customer Care programme
was launched in an effort to improve services further, thus helping to
serve the interests of clients. In the context of this programme, four key
deliverables were formulated in 2010. These deliverables are good
products, appropriate advice, good service, and a balanced advisory
model. This has led to a number of tangible improvements, including a
simpler product range, clearer customer information, better support
from client advisors, and adjusted fees for some products.
Deliverables Rabobank
Good products
Good products
Appropriate advice
Good service
Balanced
advisory model
Rabobank makes
efforts to educate
clients about
financial products
and services.
Rabobank provides
clients with clear
information
on products
and services
Rabobank ensures
that advice is properly
suited to the
knowledge,
experience, financial
position, objective
and risk appetite of
each client
Rabobank is a reliable
long-term financial
partner for clients,
and provides
customer care that
is appropriate given
the nature of the
client, the service
provided and the
product
Rabobank provides
services that meet
the needs of clients
Rabobank only
develops and sells
products and services
that are able to meet
the needs of clients,
for whom our
products and services
are intended.
Rabobank has a
balanced advisory
model, which does
not contain any
incentives that lead
to unnecessary
sales.
Rabobank strives to only develop and sell products and services that meet the requirements
and needs of clients. New products are reviewed by an internal committee, which assesses
aspects such as the interests of clients, duty of care, risk relating to the advisory function, and
reputation risk. At the moment, the system of standards of this committee is being reviewed
and tightened up in order to place even greater emphasis on the interests of clients. For more
information, see the chapter Banking Code, under the heading 'Product approval'.
In addition to this, existing products are reassessed and re-evaluated based on the response
of clients, with the aim of making the product range as simple and transparent as possible. For
example, it was decided that the bonus structure of the two existing internet savings accounts
should be discontinued and that a transparent internet savings account should be introduced.
Rabobank wants to provide clients with clear information on our products and services.
A number of projects were recently launched with the aim of simplifying product information,
such as the information provided in proposals, in general letters and on our website. In 2010,
our website was once again voted the best financial website of the year by consumers.
14
Annual Report 2010 Rabobank Group