Commercial Bank goes festive in June for country-wide ‘Savings Fiesta’

Branches and service points of the Commercial Bank country-wide went festive on an unprecedented scale recently when Sri Lanka’s largest private bank launched a month-long ‘Savings Fiesta.’

In a first, all 232 branches and service points were kept open on a Saturday, and customers were greeted by festive decor as the Savings Fiesta got underway.

At 10 locations; Ward Place, Bambalapitiya, Ratmalana, Kotahena, Kottawa, Piliyandala, Negombo, Kalutara, Avissawella and Kegalle, senior corporate management including the Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer were present in person to launch this promotion.

“While our principal objective is to promote savings, the Savings Fiesta initiative will also help our branch staff to renew customer relations and get closer to the communities they serve,” Commercial Bank Chief Operating Officer Jegan Durairatnam said. “It also provides an opportunity for the bank to create greater awareness of the many products and services it offers.”

Commercial Bank Deputy General Manager Personal Banking S. Renganathan said: “Savings play an important role in any economy, in addition to providing funds for future needs and contingencies. In addition to encouraging saving with one of the Top 1,000 banks of the world, the bank will launch a new current account for executives and entrepreneurs, enhancing its already extensive portfolio of products and services.”

He said the bank also expected to attract new customer segments as a result of this initiative. Events similar to those conducted on the day of the launch of the Savings Fiesta, are to be repeated at selected Commercial Bank branches on the two following Saturdays in June; they are; Galle, Matara and Ratnapura on 8 June, Jaffna and Kilinochchi on 15 June and Kandy and Kegalle on 22 June.

In addition to these events, all Commercial Bank branches across the country will have special events at which their staff will reach out to customers to encourage the habit of saving.

Commercial Bank has also announced that all new accounts opened in June 2013 will have the option of receiving an ATM cum debit card free of charge as well as gifts throughout the month.

The Savings Fiesta is the biggest country-wide promotion launched by the bank in recent times. The bank’s branches have organised their own activities in support of the promotion, including visits to key institutions in their areas, throughout June. Many prominent personalities who are customers of the bank are expected to visit the branches during the promotion period to interact with fellow customers.

The only Sri Lankan bank to be represented in the Top 1,000 banks of the World for two consecutive years, the Commercial Bank operates a network of 232 branches and service points in Sri Lanka and the country’s single largest ATM network of 564 terminals.

The bank has been adjudged the Best Bank in Sri Lanka by Global Finance magazine for a record 15 successive years and has also won multiple awards as the country’s best bank from The Banker, FinanceAsia, Euromoney and Trade Finance magazines. The Bank’s Assets portfolio crossed Rs. 500 billion and profit after tax exceeded Rs. 10 billion in 2012.