Baku, Finance Time.  Unibank continues expanding its branch network and has for the first time opened a specialised SME branch. This branch, located at 9, A Manafov Street, will be providing high-quality banking services to the customers doing small and medium-size businesses.

The head of the Corporate Banking Department of Unibank Igor Okayev commented on the opening of the new branch by saying, ‘Unibank has always been and remains a universal bank that serves both the mass customers as well as the business customers. Historically, Unibank has been a leader and innovator in the corporate business sector. We are serving the major companies representing the oil and non-oil sectors as well as the small and medium businesses that operate in Baku and in the provinces of the country. The development strategy approved by our shareholders envisages the continued harmonious advancement of Unibank in line with the universal banking concept as well as it does the business sector of our services attaining a new service qualitatively before long. An action plan was put together to implement this strategy. The following tasks will be carried out: first, creation of a network of specialised business branches serving the SME customers; second, the re-branding of the business service sector in order to differentiate it from the retail business of the bank and position it as an independent force within the Bank. I should like to say also that ‘Supporting your Business All the Time’ will be the new slogan of the Bank in this particular area. Besides, taking a more active part in the international programmes to raise financial resources is another topmost task for us; the purpose here is to reduce the costs and improve the credit conditions for the small and medium customers. A serious kind of attention will be paid to the technological development in the course of which we plan to improve and streamline the internet banking systems that afford our customers the remote management of their accounts; we’ll also streamline the CRM in order to let the customers make better choices of our products while also speeding the customer queries’ handling up. Last but not least, we have to expand our presence in the provinces. There is a need for the full range of banking products and services provided in this segment up country in view of the dynamic progress of the provinces and the local businesses that are getting stronger. We are certain that the fulfilment of our action plan will let the Bank add to its leadership in the corporate and SME banking market.’

Okayev added that the opening of the new branch called GaraGarayev to specialise in the SME services is an important step towards achieving the goals set before the Bank.

‘It has the new concept of a business branch carried into life within; it has the new visual arrangement that accentuates each customer’s individuality. Unibank plans to expand the network of such specialised ranches in the nearest future. The GaraGarayev Branch is situated in one of the liveliest districts of the city with the active business background and we hope that it will succeed in fulfilling its principal mission of supporting the local businesses.’