WINDHOEK – Bank Windhoek encourages its clients to exercise their right to complain if they are unhappy with the services of the bank. Bank Windhoek’s Executive Officer: Marketing and Corporate Communication Services, Marlize Horn said “Feedback from our clients informs us of where we are lacking in terms of service delivery and how we can improve to provide the best possible service to our clients. We therefore invite our clients to provide us with feedback on our services and, if unsatisfactory, we promise to deal with the concern in an efficient and effective manner.”
Clients of financial institutions are empowered through the Code of Banking Practice of the Bankers Association of Namibia (BAN) and the Guidelines for Lodging Customer Complaints of the Bank of Namibia (BON) to lay a complaint if they do not receive the level of service that they deserve or expect from their respective banks.
The Code of Banking Practice is a voluntary code which sets standards of good banking practice for financial institutions to follow, when dealing with customers. BON’s Guidelines for Lodging Complaints, guides clients of commercial banks when wanting to lodge their complaints to the Bank of Namibia.
The Guidelines further establish complaint handling procedures in the Bank of Namibia to ensure a consistent approach in complaints resolution.
Furthermore, Bank Windhoek staff members are guided by a Service Charter, which is the bank’s own voluntary commitment towards service delivery.
The Charter sets out the basic rights of Bank Windhoek clients and the principles governing the provision of services to clients, both internal and external.
The proposed appointment of an independent Financial Service Ombudsman (FSO) will also empower clients to exercise their consumer rights.
The FSO will handle complaints of customers of financial service providers, including banks, medical aid funds, pension funds, insurance companies and other providers registered with the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) and the Bank of Namibia.
The rights of Bank Windhoek’s clients in terms of service delivery as outlined in the Bank’s Service Charter include the right to be treated according to the Bank’s Service and Brand Values and the Bank’s Service Charter, the right to lodge a complaint about the bank’s service delivery and non-compliance to the bank’s Service and Brand Values and the Service Charter, the right to privacy and confidentiality of their information, the right to full access to information regarding his/her personal business as well as other information, given that such information does not infringe upon the rights of other clients, the right to be aware of their rights to complain and a right to an easy complaints process, the right to be informed of a material charging or pricing error and when and how the bank will correct the error and the right to clear and easily understandable Terms and Conditions applicable to banking services and products.
“Bank Windhoek’s Service Promise is to turn every client interaction into an amazing Bank Windhoek service experience. Clients can lodge their complaints using the appropriate channels as outlined in the Bank Windhoek Service Charter, which is available in all Bank Windhoek branches and agencies and also on the Bank Windhoek website”, concluded Marlize.