Savings and retail banks' response to Covid-19
Timely measures taken by WSBI-ESBG members help mitigate pandemic effects.
WSBI and ESBG members exchange ideas and knowledge on Covid-19 efforts within the membership network and beyond. WSBI-ESBG regularly updates this overview with real-world examples from its membership. If you want to contribute, send an email to info@wsbi-esbg.org
 Caring about community & people
- Utilize online and offline channels to promote knowledge related to Covid-19 prevention and control;
- Educations campaigns to support clients’ psychological health;
- Special and targeted campaigns for specific segments (like the elderly);
- Well inform customers about banks’ working hours
- Advise clients from frauds (e.g.fake e-shops offering face masks);
- Donation to hospitals for Covid-19 treatment.
|  Supporting clients
- New emergency loans, e.g. assist business clients in need of new funds to overcome the coronavirus impacts, pre-approve credit lines;
- Loan repayment solutions, e.g. postpone instalments, extend loan maturity/payment deferral, no penalty in late payment;
- Service fee waiving, e.g. fee waiving in loan service and remittances.
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 Enhancing digital channels
- Promotion of digital channels;
- Encourage clients to use contactless modality such as cards;
- Digitize financial products such as loan application, trade finance and wealth management;
- Serve clients virtually (e.g. video conference call);
- Financial education to foster the use of digital channels, e.g. step by step coaching to customers.
|  Staff protection & business continuity
- Automatic sanitizer dispensers in place;
- Social distancing: ropes or signs on the floor to establish 1.5m distances;
- Hourly cleaning and disinfecting of teller counters, service officer tables, lifts buttons, etc.;
- Sanitary measures
- Work from home
- Teleworking whenever possible
- Reduction of opening hours
- Flexible work policies
- Restriction on business travels
- Virtual training with employees to raise their awareness on Covid-19 and prevention measures.
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