2017 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

For all customers who wanted a human interaction with the bank and with a teller in particular, for their transactional needs beyond its mobile and online banking… We took the teller, the different functions performed by a branch and put it all in a machine And created the region’s first ITMs (Interactive Teller Machines); a personalized, convenient face-to-face assisted service allowing people to conduct most banking transactions with video bankers; saving time and offering customers extended operating hours. With the Interactive Teller Machines – a new media channel to bank with Emirates NBD - we redefined convenience banking.

Creative Execution

Based on video-driven interactive technology which allows customers to conduct transactions and banking services through a centrally based team of tellers, in a highly engaging real time video/audio interaction. We then placed these ITMs in leading malls in Dubai making them easily accessible compared to Emirates NBD’s branches For the first time in the region, people banking at a terminal were able to interact with a teller via video and receive responsive, intuitive feedback and perform transactions comparable to an entire in-branch experience, without having to visit their branch or wait in their branch. We communicated the ITMs across digital channels through content that created interest and curiosity about the ITMs. Since, the ITMs were unique, they got picked up by local media as well as by international media.

Results

Emirates NBD was rated 81% higher than competition when it comes to innovation. And 86% higher than competition when it comes to digitalization. Time spent by people doing regular banking transactions reduced by more than 50% at the ITMs vs. branches. Total number of transactions using the ITMs increased 169%, with total volumes of transactions increasing by 140%. And very importantly the launch of the ITMs has resulted in 26% reduction in the overall teller transactions in branches, enabling branches to concentrate on sales and value added transactions for the bank’s business.

The idea was created to facilitate lives of Emirates NBD customers by making their everyday banking needs centered around them; creating a new channel that combined the need people had for ATMs with the functions people performed at branches. It produced a measurable response and improved customer satisfaction scores as well as the brand's innovation equity. And led to improved efficiencies from tellers at branches.

The mindsets we were talking to were digitally-open yet not very tech-savvy. Even though they did use mobile and online banking for certain transactions, human interaction was key for them for certain complex or more sensitive transactions; they wanted to speak with a teller. We, humans, are built to talk. When we’re happy, we need to talk. When we’re down, we need to talk. Sometimes, we talk to plants. Sometimes, to ourselves. Sometimes, we can only try to talk. We also talk when we’re not supposed to. And some of us even talk with our mouths full. In short, we like to talk! And that’s probably why people also prefer to talk to their bank; hence, need to visit the branches and have that much-needed human interaction with tellers. So, we thought: Why don’t we create a new medium for people to talk to a bank as well?