FNB was voted first in the category “Coolest bank” in the 2017 Sunday Times Generation Next Survey for the sixth year in a row.
“We are delighted that we have been voted as the coolest bank yet again by our youth. We believe that our helpful, personal and emotional connection with our customers has helped define FNB as a brand with ideals of being cool, one that cares and one that is seriously authentic,” says Faye Mfikwe, FNB chief marketing officer.
Each year young people from the ages of eight to 22 years have the opportunity of choosing some of South Africa’s coolest brands. The 2017 survey sited that youthful customers expect responses and, when brands take the opportunity to interact with them, they’re more likely to be rewarded with loyalty – but responses must be sincere and reliable.
The youth are influenced by the internet from a young age, and are comfortable with technology and interacting on social media sites. They look for more than just a hand held bank card. They desire instant gratification, involvement in communities, easy access to products and services and look to technology for answers.
Mfikwe adds: “At FNB, help is at the heart of everything we do. We continuously strive to keep abreast of trends and our customer needs and wants, irrespective of age. Empowering our customers to help themselves by making banking quick, easy and seamlessly integrated with their ‘always on’ lifestyle is important to us.
“It’s cool to be known and seen as a cool bank. But in this rapidly changing world which is largely influenced by new technology, trends, blockchain, digitisation etc., we have to ensure that our ‘cool’ continuously evolves and adapts to the needs of our customers.”