Jamaica’s two leading banking groups, National Commercial Bank (NCB) and Scotiabank, have transitioned their rivalry to the digital network with the formation of more digital branches across the island.

Last year Scotiabank announced a programme to transition some of its branches to fully digital operations. In fact, six branches of Scotiabank have gone fully digital, removing the day-to-day over-the-counter cash transactions and instead prioritising other banking functions, including financial advice and planning.

A key feature of the digital branches is Wi-Fi-enabled social zones where customers can use tablets provided by the bank or their own devices to utilise or get assistance with digital banking. Scotiabank has been successfully operating a cashless model in its branches located at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, and Ironshore in Montego Bay for several years.

NCB is seeking to close the gap on its banking rival by announcing the conversion of six additional locations to digital branches starting October 1, 2021. These include the 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.

This is being done in a bid to further improve the experience of customers who must use the branches for specific transactions and represents another phase of NCB’s Branch Modernisation Programme which started in June 2017. 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 NCB’s Branch Modernisation Programme, the bank converted a number of its branches 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 automated banking machines (ABMs) in its Bank on the Go facilities islandwide.

Sheree Martin, NCB’s head of retail banking said, “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 teams in the branches to better fulfil their needs.” She further stated, “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.”

Customers can still conduct a range of transactions at the digital branches, including Jamaican-dollar cash and cheque transactions which exceed the ABM/intelligent automated banking machines (iABM) limits, foreign currency transactions, real-time gross settlement (RTGS)/international wire transfers/automated clearing house (ACH) transfers, and all other transfers which exceed the transaction limits that apply to iABMs, mobile app, and online banking. Other available services include 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 such as updating customer records and documentation.

NCB 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.

Business banking customers are 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 continues to invest in improving its fleet of ABMs and iABMs islandwide to ensure that customers have as much access as possible.

Martin highlighted that NCB is committed to giving its customers easy, safe, and free ways of banking anywhere and anytime that is convenient to them. She conceded that there will be an adjustment period as the bank seeks to help 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,” NCB’s head of retail banking said.

— Durrant Pate