Customer Service Charter

Domestic Banking Operations

May, 2016
Addis Ababa

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Dashen Bank

Contents

1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................3
2. Objectives of the charter.................................................................................................................3
3. Corporate statements......................................................................................................................3
4. Key Principles...................................................................................................................................4
4.1 Honesty - Being truthful, open and fair to our customers at all times.............................................4
4.2 Accountability..................................................................................................................................4
4.3 Privacy and Confidentiality..............................................................................................................4
4.4 Responsiveness................................................................................................................................5
4.5 Professionalism................................................................................................................................5
4.6 Respect ...........................................................................................................................................6
4.7 Open Communication......................................................................................................................6
4.8 Transparency...................................................................................................................................6
5. Customer Service Standards............................................................................................................6
6. Branch operations standard............................................................................................................7
7. Communication...............................................................................................................................7
7.1 Appearance and Dressing Code.......................................................................................................8
8. Complaint handling..........................................................................................................................9

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1. Introduction

Quality customer service is the key element required for a successful business. In this customer
driven market, where competition is becoming stiffer day by day and critical deadlines are rife,
one cannot think of business growth without exceptional customer service. A number of
organizations underestimate the importance of customer satisfaction, while laying the
foundation of their business. They focus on the quality of services, organizational infrastructure
but often overlook the fact that it is consumers who can make or break a business.

Therefore, the customer service charter has been designed basically to provide a set of
corporate and personal standards, which the bank and all of its employees must adhere to
safeguard our professionalism and the interests of our stakeholders.

2. Objectives of the charter

The main objective of the customer service charter is to provide a framework for defining
service delivery standards, the rights of customers, and how complaints from customers will be
handled.

In addition to the above mentioned objective, the customer service charter can be summarized
as follows:

 Provides an overview statement of the bank’s business that describes its activities.
 Highlight the customer’s rights as they pertain to our business.
 Details what the bank will do to ensure that will meet the customer service goals and
observe customer’s rights.

3. Corporate statements

The hallmark of the customer service charter is a promise to provide consistently professional
and high quality service, based on the vision, mission and values of the bank.

Vision:

In as much as Mount Dashen excels all other mountains in Ethiopia, Dashen Bank continues to
prove unparalleled in banking services.

Mission:

Provide efficient and customer focused domestic and international banking services by
overcoming the continuous challenges for excellence through the application of appropriate
technology.

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Values:

 Develop banking habit in the community

 Assist continuous growth of customers
 Sustainable growth and stability
 High integrity and accountability
 Esteemed customer satisfaction
 Nonstop openness for community access
 Brightened and trained employees
 Attend customers constructive outlook
 Normative confidentiality
 Knee to build professionalism and service quality

4. Key Principles

We will continuously work towards improving the Standards of Service at Dashen Bank. Our Bank’s
relationship with customers will be guided by the following key principles:

4.1 Honesty - Being truthful, open and fair to our customers at all times

 Inform our customers of what we are going to do and how long it will take to complete
the task.
 Provide complete and correct information, and in the event that we can’t, explain the
reasons why.
 Act in a professional and ethical manner.
 Admit when a mistake has been made.

4.2 Accountability

 All our products and services comply with relevant laws and regulations of the country
as well as the bank’s internal policy and procedure.
 We will explain and help customers to understand the financial benefits of our products
and services that they are interested in, how they work and the risks involved.

4.3 Privacy and Confidentiality

 We will treat all the customers’ personal information as private and confidential, and
ensure that it shall be secure. Personal information will not be revealed unless
otherwise authorized by the customers or required by the law to do so.

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4.4 Responsiveness

The bank is committed to give fast and efficient customer service so that we own our esteemed
customers satisfaction. The service delivery time to each operational process is stated here
under:

Process Name Service Delivery Time

(In minutes)
Account Opening Process
1. Saving Accounts 15
2. Current Accounts 15
3. Time Deposits 15
Payment or Withdrawal Process
1. Cash Withdrawal from Account 3
2. Account to Account Transfer 3
3. Incoming Special Clearance 3
4. Local FT Liquidation 3
5. Accepting Incoming OBC 3
6. CPO Preparation 5
7. CPO Liquidation 5
8. Foreign Currency Exchange Service 7
9. International Money Transfer Payments 5
Collection or Deposit Process
1. Cash Deposit to Account 3
2. Own Bank Cheque Deposit 3
3. Other Bank Cheque Deposit 3
4. Local Fund Transfer Services 3
Back Office Activities
1. New Card Issuance 5
2. Card Re Issue 5
3. Additional Account Linking 5
4. Pin Code Re Issue 5
5. Cash Loading to ATM 15
6. Mobile Banking Service Activation 10
7. Internet Banking Service Activation 10

4.5 Professionalism

 Create a culture that is customer focused and that places a high value on delivering
excellent customer service.
 Treat all enquiries seriously and use them as opportunities to improve.

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4.6 Respect

 Treat customers as we wish to be treated.

 Be willing to understand our customer’s enquiry and give the customer our full
attention.
 Give the customer our highest priority.
 Listen to our customers and try to see the situation from their point of view.
 Try to find the solution ourselves, or by ensuring that we are referring the customer to
the correct supervisor.

4.7 Open Communication

 Provide all information pertinent at the first possible opportunity.

 Ensure that all information given is complete and correct, and in the event that we
can’t, explain the reasons why.
 Avoid the use of technical terms and jargon as much as is possible in our
communications.
 Deliver our messages in a format appropriate to the circumstances.

4.8 Transparency

We will provide customers with clear, relevant and timely information to allow them an
informed decision about our products and services. Where applicable, a set of Terms and
Conditions relating to each banking product or service will be made readily available to with all
the fees, charges, penalties and relevant interest rates, liabilities and obligations in the use of
the banking product or service highlighted.

5. Customer Service Standards

 Acknowledge all customers promptly, with professional courtesy and respect, and
behave in a courteous, friendly manner at all times;
 Listen to customers;
 Take responsibility;
 Tell customers what action we are taking, and wherever it is possible, we will give them
an estimate of the time it will take us to attend to an issue;
 Act in a professional manner at all times;
 Keep customers informed;
 Make endeavor to be consistent and accurate at all times;
 Take complaints as a positive opportunity for improvement. If the complaint cannot be
resolved immediately we will assist customers through the formal complaints
procedure; and
 Admit when an error has occurred;

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6. Branch operations standard

To provide unparalleled customer service and/or enhance the service quality, the following
aspects will be adhered with regard to general management of branches:

i. Providing infrastructure facilities to branches with respect to providing adequate

workspace, proper furniture, drinking water facilities, sufficient lighting, clean toilets,
gum for pasting cut/mutilated currency notes etc.
ii. Providing dedicated window service to all corporate customers of the bank.
iii. Displaying indicator boards at all the counters in English and Amharic Business
posters at semi-urban and rural branches of banks should also be in the concerned
regional languages
iv. Providing customers with brochures/flyers consisting of all details of service and
facilities available at the bank in English and Amharic
v. Have identification badge displaying photo and name thereon.
vi. Make periodic job rotations to allow staffs to have versatile exposure.
vii. Train staffs in line with customer service orientation and train in technical areas of
banking.
viii. Rewarding best performing branches from customer service point of view by annual
awards/running shield
ix. Undertake periodical customer service audit and customer surveys

7. Communication

The bank is committed to keep our customers informed and attend customers’ constructive
outlook by listening to our customers’ feedback and comments. Besides, staffs who are
involved in the domestic banking operation process are expected to use the following
hospitality phrases to attend customers.

A. Customer Arrival

“Welcome to Dashen Bank what can I help you”/ “ጤና ይስጥልኝ እንኳን ደህና መጡ ምን እንርዳዎ?”

We don’t get a second chance to make first impression. The first interaction with customer is all
we have to make them feel at home in our Bank. This is why we should never forget to give all
our guests a warm welcome no matter how tired we are. The important thing is to exude
warmth and for our customers to feel that they are in a place where they belong.

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B. While Processing Customer Request

Use phrases of courtesy like:

 “Please”
 “Thank you”
 “Excuse me/Pardon me”
 “I apologize I didn’t hear/understand what you said”
 “Will you” rather than “You will”
 “Yes” rather than yeah
 “Sir” “Ma’am”
 “I will check and be right back”
 “Will you hold for a moment wile I check on that?”
 “Thanks for waiting”

C. After Delivering the Service

Use the following phrases as the closing of the conversation with customers:”

 “We are looking forward to having you again”

 “We look forward to serve you again”
 “እናመሰግናለን! መልካም ቀን /ምሽት”/ “Thank you! Have a good Day/Evening”

The above stated phrases are defined more than just words. They articulate our passion to
serve customers. They establish employees’ willingness to give them the best experience we
can. They are powerful expressions that can make a difference in the success of our business.

7.1 Appearance and Dressing Code

An appropriate dressing style is essential for employees at all times be it in and outside of the
bank thus:

i. Cleanness is a matter of personal concern that affects the organization as a whole. All
staffs should at the same time, pay attention to this necessary ethics. However,
neatness should not be constructed to mean expensive dressing. Neatness is to keep
oneself as fresh as possible (constantly brushing teeth, taking care of arm pits and
foot, getting shoes polished, shirts and stock washed etc...)
ii. All male employees are required to be clean, shave and to wear neckties during
working hours. Preparations have to be finalized before reporting for duties.
iii. Female employees are not allowed to wear hot pants and clothes above the knee and
other inappropriate dressings that will affect the image of the bank in the eyes of its
customers and the general public.

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iv. All security guards should wear their uniform while on duty. They could wear
overcoats and raincoats depending on the weather condition.
v. All employees are not allowed to wear jeans, hats, T-shirts, sportswear, overcoat,
sweaters, scarves, snickers, sandals and canvas shoes during office hours.
vi. Hair must be clean, groomed and should be presentable to the banking standard.
Those who cover their heads on religious ground are exception.
vii. All cleaners shall wear uniforms in the working hours.

All customer service managers and branch managers are expected to monitor the way their
officers are dressed to ensure that all staffs are complying with the dress code of the bank.

8. Complaint handling

The customers have the right to resolve their complaints with transparency and effectively.
Accordingly, the bank avails both branch and call center based problem solving and complain
handling as per the service time standard. When the staff is handling difficult situations, it is
important to keep calm, not let your emotions get the better of you and learn to listen. In many
ways a complaint is an opportunity - the chance to show you can put things right. The bank
believes that a customer whose complaint is successfully resolved will have a strong sense of
loyalty.

The Bank's policy on complaint handling follows the under noted principles:

a. Our customers will be treated fairly at all times.

b. Complaints raised by our customers will be dealt with courtesy and in time.
c. Our customers will be fully informed of avenues to escalate their complaints/ grievances
within the bank and their rights to alternative remedy, if they are not fully satisfied with
the response of the bank to their complaints.
d. Our Bank will treat all complaints efficiently and fairly as they can damage the Bank's
reputation and business if handled otherwise.
e. Our employees will work in good faith and without prejudice to the interests of the
customer.

Branch Managers are responsible for the resolution of the complaints/grievances in respect of
the customer service by the Branch. He/she shall be in charge of ensuring closure of all
complaints received at Branches. It is his/her foremost duty to see that the complaint should be
resolved completely to the customer's satisfaction and if the customer is not satisfied, then he
shall be provided with alternate avenues to escalate the issue if the same is not resolved within
the stipulated period. If the Branch Manager feels that is not possible at his/her level to solve
the problem he/she may refer the case to the respective district office.

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