- New brand redefines customer-centric approach
BSE quoted mega-bank, Absa Bank Botswana said its new brand reflects the bank’s dedication to place its customers at the center of all its operations.
The bank unveiled a fresh brand, “Your Story Matters,” symbolising a transition towards a more customer-centric approach in its operations, as outlined in the new brand promise.
The bank is moving away from the “Africanacity” brand promise, which it described as having played a crucial role in Absa’s evolution, particularly during its establishment as a standalone Pan-African bank five years ago and the introduction of the Absa brand in Botswana four years ago. Instead, the bank will prioritise the new brand promise as it embarks on the next phase of its journey.
Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane, Managing Director of Absa Bank Botswana said Absa seeks to redefine the traditional perception of banks as self-serving entities. Instead, the bank aims to provide solutions and services that address the real-life situations customers encounter in their daily experiences.
“Last year we updated our internal corporate purpose to “Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together … one story at a time” and it was important for us that our brand reflects this internal shift and that we show up as the type of organisation we want to be,” Pheko-Moshagane said.
She added that internally, the bank has also taken the time to reflect on its values and adopted a new set of values and behaviour aligning with the new purpose.
Pheko-Moshagane said that the brand’s evolution enables the bank to attain global relevance across all markets. She underscored that this alignment with Absa’s business strategy reflects a concerted effort to be more decisively guided by the needs of its customers.
She said Absa is more focused on understanding the unique stories of the people it serves, working alongside them by displaying empathy in how it delivers on its business promise and providing a seamless customer experience.
“Our new brand positioning, “Your story matters” encapsulates the essence of who we are as a bank. It reflects our deep-rooted commitment to understanding and empowering the unique aspirations and dreams of each person we serve. Our dedication goes beyond banking services; it is about creating meaningful connections, embracing diversity, and fostering inclusivity,” Pheko-Moshagane said.
She said the brand positioning should not be viewed as a marketing gimmick. Instead, she said, the rebranding is part of the bank’s business strategy to have a future-fit brand that reflects its core values.
“This was mapped as a key building block, in our plan to achieve our ambitions of being a leading Pan-African bank that is part of the fabric of the communities in which we operate,” Pheko-Moshaagane said.
Absa Bank Botswana’s Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Dennis Mmabure, said that the bank acknowledges the uniqueness of each individual it serves, recognising their distinct needs and desires.
“We understand that customer touch points in banking have changed, but that we are still working with people and hence we must adapt to the changing needs and preferences of our customers so that we can provide personalised and relevant banking experiences,” he explained.
By putting customers first and recognising the importance of their unique stories, Mmabure said Absa is redefining what it means to be a customer-centric bank.
