BANKING

HNB benefits for SME sector

Partners rise of an entrepreneurial nation:

Hatton National Bank is positioning itself as the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Partner of SMEs islandwide in an attempt to foster sustainable development in Sri Lanka.

Hatton National Bank Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Alles and Managing Director R Theagarajah at the press conference. Picture by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa

Offering a full range of financial solutions together with all the benefits and advantages that only HNB can offer, this endeavour provides individuals engaged in different types of businesses with the opportunity to realize their full potential and achieve their goals of business expansion and personal growth.

In line with the President’s vision of making Sri Lanka the next ‘Miracle of Asia’, this endeavour revolutionizes SME banking by providing small and medium-scale entrepreneurs with a stable economic platform on which they can start or expand their businesses.

Launched with the intention of raising small and medium-scale enterprises to a national level by building a stronger and more structured SME community, HNB has specially tailored the benefits offered by this program for the country’s budding industrialists.

Widely acknowledged as a positive and very significant contributor to the overall economy and development of the country, SMEs have made their impact felt by creating employment opportunities, increasing exports and by generating a higher national revenue each year.

Classified as any enterprise with a published sales turnover of less than Rs 140 million, SMEs have long since made their impact felt on the national consciousness and today play a pivotal role in the economic growth and development of the nation.

As the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Partner of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs, HNB will initially start this venture by offering support to new, existing and start up ventures in the agro industries, animal husbandry, horticulture, food processing, fisheries, construction, wood based products, retail and other small service business categories.

Some of the many benefits offered under this scheme are stand by facilities to augment working capital needs, a grace period on loans, discounted interest rates, concessionary legal documentation fees and assistance to complete documentation, discounted fees and commissions, free life and accidental death cover, discount on valuation fees, free Internet banking, credit cards free of joining fee and VISA debit cards free of issuing charges.

HNB Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Alles said “HNB is delighted to launch this SME program which is yet another initiative in line with the Bank’s strategy to create opportunities for all segments in the country.

We invite all small and medium entrepreneurs to visit their nearest HNB customer centre and take advantage of this new product offering.”

“In keeping with the Government’s vision of developing the SME segment and making it the growth engine of Sri Lanka, HNB plans to continue upgrading this product and broadening the sectors it covers to offer even greater benefits to small and medium-scale entrepreneurs the future,” Alles said.

HNB has been serving the SME segment from its early days and has a track record in Development Banking and Micro Lending spanning over 20 years.

ComBank reaches milestone

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC has achieved yet another milestone with the addition of the 400th Automated Teller Machine to its extensive, islandwide 24-hour cash dispensing system which includes on site as well as off site ATMs, and is the single largest in the country.

ComBank’s 400th ATM

More than 125,000 transactions totalling over Rs 450 million are carried out daily through the Bank’s ATM network. This is the highest value dispensed by a single ATM network in Sri Lanka. The network has maintained a record up-time of over 99 per cent, for all its users.

The Bank’s 400th ATM located at the Ruwanwella branch, provides access to the accounts of more than three million Commercial Bank account holders and to all users of ATM cards issued by other banks on the Visa, MasterCard and Amex networks.

Commercial Bank cardholders can also pay their electricity, water, telephone and credit card bills through any of these ATMs. “The 400 ATM milestone is significant as it represents the Bank’s commitment to expansion and ensuring customer convenience and satisfaction while providing 24-hour, 365-day access,” Commercial Bank Operations Deputy General Manager Sanath Bandaranayake said. All Commercial Bank account holders have the option of having their own daily ATM withdrawal limit up to Rs 100,000 depending on individual needs.

Apart from the convenience of easy cash withdrawal, balance verification and funds transfer, the Bank’s ATM cards also serve as shopping debit cards enabling cardholders to pay for goods and services electronically while enjoying attractive discounts at over 60 leading merchants through the ‘Comdeals’ program. The Visa branded shopping debit card launched recently by the Bank is the only chip enabled personalized debit card issued in the country.

HNB opens Valachchenai customer centre

Hatton National Bank opened the 204th Customer Centre at Valachchenai recently.

This is the 16th HNB Customer Centre in the Eastern Province. The chief guest was Network Management Deputy General Manager Crysanthi Thambiah.

Thambiah said the HNB established the first customer centre in the Eastern Province 36 years ago in Trincomalee and has served the Eastern Region of the country over the years in both good times and bad times during war and tsunami disasters.

She reiterated that HNB’s commitment to the Eastern province has been ongoing by providing state of the art banking facilities while engaging in a number of CSR activity in providing safe drinking water in areas like Kokuvil, Vakarai and giving access to knowledge to schoolchildren by establishing school libraries in Kathiraveli and Palchchenai.

The HNB Valachchenai customer centre offers a complete range of facilities from savings and current accounts, import and export loans, Singithi (minor savings accounts), Shanthi home loans, financing under the Gami Pubuduwa scheme, credit cards, NRFC and RFC accounts, leasing facilities and Pawning Facilities etc. HNB drives on the cutting-edge of technology with an islandwide ATM network, online banking and tele-banking facilities.

NDB Bank ties up with Etisalat

NDB Bank Chief Operating Officer Indrajit Wickramasinghe and Etisalat Deputy Chief Executive Officer M. Riyaaz Rasheed

The NDB Bank has tied up with Etisalat Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. to offer greater convenience to Etisalat Post-Paid and Pre-Paid customers for bill settlement. With the new partnership, Etisalat customers will have the opportunity to have their bill payments credited instantly to their Etisalat accounts when they pay via any NDB Bank counter.

“We are very pleased to mobilize our network to enable Etisalat subscribers pay their bills at our islandwide branch network”, said NDB Bank Chief Executive Officer Russell de Mel. He also mentioned that Etisalat is the latest addition to NDB Bank’s list of mobile partners, giving the Bank’s customers further convenience and Etisalat customers the opportunity to experience world-class banking services with NDB Bank.

“We are indeed pleased to partner one of the country’s renowned banks. We at Etisalat strongly believe in customer convenience and this tie up no doubt will help bring our services closer to our customers” said Etisalat Chief Executive Officer Dumindra Ratnayaka. As one of the most powerful players in Sri Lanka’s telephonic arena, Etisalat Lanka continues to offer a variety of VAS, sales offerings, affinity packages and other service, putting them on top of the ladder concerning innovation, quality and customer service. Having passed an impressive three million subscribers with a massive expansion drive, in a record time since its launch, Etisalat Lanka remains dedicated to increasing this number and taking the company into great heights.

NDB Bank remains dedicated to bringing its customers one step closer to accomplishing their life long ambitions and uplifting their standards of living through the range of services that is accessible through its growing branch network.

The National Savings Bank commenced work at the Head Office and at all the branches for 2011 on January 3, 2011 morning with a ceremony to welcome the New Year. NSB Chairman Pradeep Kariyawasam and GM and CEO H M Hennayake Bandara requested staff to commit themselves for an efficient service while engaging in customer service with a compassionate mind to win the challenges ahead. NSB Chairman Pradeep Kariyawasam and GM and CEO H M Hennayake Bandara and senior management members and staff members were present.