First National Bank this week won the award for being the bank best at dealing with customer complaints, the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS) said on Friday.
The result was based on a telephone survey of 400 customers of each of the four top retail banks, conducted by Markinor, an independent market research company.
The banks were Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank and First National Bank.
Customers believed Nedbank had done the most to promote the code of banking practice marketing commitment, earning the institution a category award.
Nedbank won the ombudsman’s marketing commitment award, which recognises the bank that excelled at promoting the office of the OBS during 2005, as determined by the Markinor survey.
”It is presented to a bank employee involved in the ombudsman liaison process who has provided excellent service judged by their interactions with the OBS,” spokesperson Monique Pillay said in a statement.
”One of the necessary criteria… to be considered for this award is evidence of having initiated measures to improve their bank’s level of service.”
Gary Colling of Wesbank received the independent director’s award.
”The independent, non-banker directors of the OBS board select the bank employee actively interfacing with customers whom they consider has excelled at handling complaints,” Pillay said.
”Nominations for this award are received from the banks themselves.” – Sapa