ComBank says simplified access to online and digital banking to continue

• Customers advised to minimise exposure even after COVID-19 related restrictions are eased

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced it is extending its self-registration facility for online banking and for opening ‘Flash’ digital accounts till further notice to enable customers to continue to practice safety precautions even after travel restrictions are relaxed by the Government.

Supporting its customers to stay safe indoors, the bank has also teamed up with apps such as Uber and PickMe to provide discounts and waivers on delivery fees for essential goods delivered to their doorsteps. The bank also provides constant support through its social and digital media channels and integrated communications centres to facilitate financial the wellbeing of customers during this difficult time.

In March this year Commercial Bank made it easier for customers to access its online banking portal and to open ‘Flash’ digital accounts by permitting self-registration for these facilities, removing the need to visit a branch to get started.

Consequently, customers who wish to use online banking can now simply visit the bank’s website, click on ‘Online Banking,’ click on ‘Self Registration,’ enter their National Identity Card or account number and other requested information, enter the code the bank sends to their registered mobile phone number and then check their email or SMS for a confirmation message from the bank. Bank staff will thereafter contact the customer via telephone for a verbal verification of details and activate the facility.

The bank’s unique digital banking application ‘Flash’ can also now be opened 100% digitally, the bank said. The Flash app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The customer then enters the requested personal details, enters the eight-digit code sent to his or her phone, uploads the required identification documents and checks and confirms via a message sent on email to proceed. The account can be opened in minutes provided all information and documents are submitted correctly.

Sri Lanka’s first fully-fledged digital bank account, Commercial Bank’s Flash digital bank account, offers never-before-seen personal financial management tools that encourage, empower and embolden users to better engage with their finances, make wise choices about spending and saving and, in so doing, enrich their own financial wellness.

In addition to basic online banking facilities such as balance checks, fund transfers and bill payments via the accountholder’s mobile phone, the app focuses specifically on promoting the financial wellbeing of its users, with features to help users engage with their money and manage funds in an accurate and responsible way.

A Group Payments Management Tool allows for multiple payments to be sent and received simultaneously for the first time in Sri Lanka, while an Investment Management Tool allows for creation of fixed deposits and to apply for insurance cover. Additionally, Flash is now enabled with QR based payments, enabling users to pay for their purchases by simply scanning the QR code displayed by the merchant. 

The first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World and the only Sri Lankan bank to be so listed for nine years consecutively, Commercial Bank is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The bank, which won more than 50 international and local awards in 2019, operates a network of 268 branches and 865 ATMs in Sri Lanka.

Commercial Bank’s overseas operations encompass Bangladesh, where the bank operates 19 outlets; Myanmar, where it has a Representative Office in Yangon and a microfinance company in Nay Pyi Taw; and the Maldives, where the bank has a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake.