Kingston, Jamaica – In a bid to further improve the experience of customers who must use the branches for specific transactions, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB) says it has launched another phase of its Branch Modernisation Programme, which started in June 2017.

In this current phase, NCB said it will convert six additional locations to digital branches starting October 1, 2021. These include its branches located at 1-7 Knutsford Boulevard in St Andrew, Portmore in St Catherine, Baywest in St James, Falmouth in Trelawny and Christiana in Manchester. The NCB branch located in Port Maria, St Mary, will also be converted to a digital branch in November, following the completion of a newly-constructed branch office.

“In the first phase of our Branch Modernisation Programme, we converted a number of our locations to the digital model, which means that some over-the-counter cash and cheque transactions were moved exclusively to digital banking channels such as the intelligent ABMs in our Bank on the Go facilities islandwide,” noted Sheree Martin, NCB’s Head of Retail Banking, in a press release. “We were able to significantly improve the way we deliver service to our customers who had to come in branch for other transactions that could not be done using the alternate channels – by reducing their wait time, and allowing our team in the branches to better fulfill their needs.”

Martin added, “With all that’s happening in our environment now such as increasingly stringent COVID-19 protocols and physical distancing needs, the changes also offer additional benefits in the form of increased safety for our branch staff members and customers alike.”

NCB said customers can still conduct a range of transactions at the digital branches, including JMD cash and cheque transactions which exceed the ABM/iABM limits; foreign currency transactions; RTGS/international wire transfers/ACH transfers and all other transfers which exceed the transaction limits that apply to iABMs, mobile app, and online banking; US visa fee payments – cash and via transfer from NCB deposit accounts; account-opening; credit card and loan applications; and any other account maintenance services like updating customer records and documentation.

NCB said it has also made special arrangements to continue serving special needs groups including senior citizens and persons with disabilities or impairments. Senior citizens (65 years and over) and customers with special needs will be accommodated for all transactions and receive priority service, the bank added.

Business banking customers are also encouraged to take advantage of convenient facilities including the dropbox at NCB locations islandwide, direct pickup through authorised couriers, remote cheque capture and NCB’s Business Online Banking platform. At the same time, NCB said it continues to invest in improving its fleet of ABMs and iABMs islandwide to ensure that customers have as much access as possible.

“We’re committed to giving our customers easy, safe and free ways of banking with NCB, anywhere and anytime that is convenient to them,” Martin concluded. “Yes, we understand that there will be some time required to adjust as we help our customers learn how to utilise new digital and alternative banking channels, especially when they’ve been used to doing things a certain way all their lives. So we’re doing everything we can to educate our customers, make our channels accessible and easy-to-use and taking them with us on this journey to modernise and transform the way we do banking in Jamaica.”