Regulator orders Israeli banks to improve services

Yair Avidan Photo: Bank of israel Spokesperson
Yair Avidan Photo: Bank of israel Spokesperson

Israel's Supervisor of Banks Yair Avidan has criticized the banks for long waits at call centers, difficulties in fixing face-to-face meetings in branches and the lack of availability in mortgage recycling.

Israel's Supervisor of Banks Yair Avidan has warned the top executives of Israel's banks about the level of services provided at telephone call centers as well as the lack of availability for recycling mortgages at lower interest rates.

Avidan wrote, "As part of the technological developments and due to the Covid crisis, banking corporations have made extensive use of systems for fixing meetings. This technological use creates difficulties for customers, whether it's technical difficulties in setting the appointment or the insufficient availability of bankers, so that services are not always provided within a reasonable amount of time."

"In addition, due to the extensive activities in the residential real estate sector, there has been a rise in demand for banking services for housing loans, Following this rise, the Supervisor of Banks has received complaints about the long waits at call centers and lack of availability of services from a banker specializing in mortgages, for recycling housing loans."

There have generally been many complaints about long waits at call centers and no human response within a reasonable amount of time. It has also been difficult for customers to set appointments for a meeting with a representative at the bank's mortgage branches.

Avidan wrote, "Due to this, we find it right to stress that banking corporations must make an effort to provide appropriate solutions for customers to receive services in a range of channels - telephone call centers, digital/online means, and the branches themselves, and generally to identify professional and operational bottlenecks and streamline procedures with customers, in order to provide responses to their needs.

"As part of this, customers should be allowed to choose not to use the system for setting appointments and receive a response at the branch, and in addition various ways should be examined to expand the available hours for face-to-face meetings and services in which a meeting is required with a banker in the branch."

Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 17, 2021

Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2021

Yair Avidan Photo: Bank of israel Spokesperson
Yair Avidan Photo: Bank of israel Spokesperson
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