Another tough category and another win for Turkey. Ziraat wins the award for best use of data analytics at RBI’s annual global awards sponsored by Fiserv. Ziraat’s successful use of data analytics have slashed waiting times for customers across its branch network reports Douglas Blakey
While close on 90% of all Ziraat customer transactions are performed via digital channels, the branch remains a key channel for Turkey’s Ziraat Bankasi.
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And with a network of 1,819 outlets (up from 1,514 as recently as five years ago) it is easy to see why.
Growing customer numbers and increased market share meant that Ziraat branches were busy, despite the growing popularity of digital channels.
Average customer branch waiting time measured an eye-watering 35 minutes in 2012; by 2016 this waiting time was down to an average of four minutes but Ziraat had ambitions to reduce this time still further.
The reality was that that was an average. While the waiting period was between zero and one minute during off-peak hours, the average waiting time was around 30 minutes during peak hours: not acceptable to customers or the bank.
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By GlobalDataData analysis was used by Ziraat for operational segmentation of its branches. Cue number-crunching with a focus on number of clients by the value segment; number of client by salary/payment types; number of transactions; transaction periods and local rival banks’ offerings.
Final segments were obtained through a further segmentation of five sub-segments. All Ziraat branches were separated into six different operational segments for each of which waiting period standards were formulated.
Waiting period standards were integrated with the performance measurement systems of the branch and the counter personnel. Dashboards showing client intensity at all country-wide branches and the rate of clients kept waiting more than the standard time period ensured instant monitoring of these standards by tracking compliance of branches with waiting times and allowed intervention whenever necessary.
The project for optimisation of the waiting period was commissioned in September 2016. A 21% decrease was observed in standard waiting time within 3 months.
After integration of the client waiting periods with the Branch Performance, a 67% improvement was achieved in waiting periods of prioritised clients exceeding the standard time period within just one month. While the ratio of clients waiting more than the standard time period was 8.5% in December 2016, this figure was slashed to 2.8% by January 2017.
Other Ziraat retail banking highlights
Ziraat’s multi-channel strategy investment is showing positive results with branch transactions accounting for 14% of all transactions, down from 21% in 2012; mobile now accounts for 11% of all transactions.
Ziraat’s online customer numbers reached 10.5 million at the end of the first quarter of this year, up from only 3.8 million as recently as five years ago.
Ziraat remains especially strong in the cards sector with a 21% market share of debit cards in Turkey; in credit cards its market share grew to 6.9% in Q117 up from 5.5% three years ago.
