HNB calls it a year by reaching 350 ATMs

HNB has kept to its commitment to aggressively expand the bank’s electronic delivery channels with the commissioning of its 350th ATM.

The 350th ATM was ceremonially opened at the Ragama General Hospital Premises. The bank currently maintains 291 on-site (at customer centre premises) and 59 off-site ATMs spread across the island.

This number also includes two drive-thru ATMs located at the bank’s head office, HNB Towers, and at its Priority Banking Centre at Greenpath.

The 350th ATM was officially declared open by P. Sridharan, Assistant General Manager – Personal Financial Services, HNB, on 29 December 2010. During 2010, 40 new ATMs were commissioned in total, out of which 27 locations are outstation and 14 are off-site locations at key public places. This consolidates HNBs position of having the widest spread of ATMs in the country.

The HNB ATM network not only caters to the bank’s own debit and credit card holders, but for all VISA, MasterCard, credit and debit cardholders of Sri Lankans and tourists.

The entire HNB ATM network has been upgraded providing the stable backbone required for this aggressive expansion, including an advanced ATM monitoring system coupled with a 24x7 customer help desk and improved service levels by reducing response time. The upgrade to ATM services included the dispensing of Rs. 2,000 denomination notes at selected ATMs and increase of withdrawal limit to Rs. 100,000 at all ATMs.

The bank has also introduced several value additions to the ATMs ranging from the facility to change your ATM PIN (Personal Identification Number), to cheque book request, display of un-cleared effects, mini statement of the last 10 transactions and the transfer of funds to any HNB account.

In addition to settlement of HNB Credit Cards, the bank recently introduced utility bill payments, facilitating settlement of bills to Sri Lanka Telecom, Lanka Bell, Ceylon Electricity Board and Lanka Electricity Company. The value additions and expansion of the ATM network this year coincides with the bank introducing its VISA International Debit card, which replaces the proprietary ATM card.