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The target group defined as “ErfolgsKunden” is the largest and most important customer segment in Bank Austria Creditanstalt’s retail banking business, with almost 1.5 million customers. Our approach is to standardise our range of products and adapt the intensity of customer service as required. This enables us to achieve the efficiency and the competitive prices which are in the interest of both the customer and the bank.
From a variety of different “ErfolgsKonto” account packages, customers can choose the product that meets their specific needs, matching price with performance. Additionally, we offer innovative investment products such as the capital-guaranteed R.I.CH. Fund, insurance products for personal pension planning, and housing loans for different needs.
A unique product, introduced in Austria in spring 2006, is our “Speedy ErfolgsKredit”, a consumer loan which can be made available to customers within 15 minutes. To provide advertising support for this product, Bank Austria Creditanstalt uses the well-known figure of Speedy Gonzales to position itself as an innovative, up-to-date and unbureaucratic bank.
A more detailed segmentation of the “ErfolgsKunden” customer group planned for 2007 will enable us to offer additional products to those customers who use only few of our products with the aim of increasing product use.
Being the number 1 bank in Austria, we are of course committed to offering our customers comprehensive services while also attracting new customers. We have launched a campaign under the slogan “Take two, pay none” which runs until the end of March 2007 and gives new customers the opportunity to use an account package free of charge for one year so that they can get to know the bank’s services. Our new “ErfolgsKapital” savings products are offered through branches and via the
e-shop.
SoftCollection is the name of a project which we introduced throughout Austria in summer 2006 with a view to optimising the reminder process for customers who have overdrawn their accounts. By contacting customers at an early stage, we have reduced default rates and the related provisioning charge while minimising friction and maintaining customer relationships without disruption. The additional reminder service by telephone through the call centre is free of charge for customers and makes a significant contribution to enhancing payment discipline.