“BOC Smart Passbook” App elevates Bank of Ceylon to win “Best Use of Mobile-Financial Sector Institutional Awards” at SLT Zero One Awards.

Bank of Ceylon’s Smart phone app “BOC Smart Passbook” has earned greater recognition as “Best Use of Mobile- Financial Sector institutional Award” at the SLT’s Zero One Award Ceremony held recently at the Galadari Hotel Colombo. SLT Zero One is a national initiative organized by Sri Lanka Telecom to foster digital engagement and innovation through information communication technology. The “Smart Passbook” was elected to be the winner of the award followed by impressive 4.6 rating based on the Execution, Innovation and outcome of the application. The Bank’s Head of Information Technology Mr. Luxman Perera, Assistant Director (IT) Mr. MDA Karunaratne, several officers of the Bank’s IT division and Product Development and Business Process Re-Engineering Project were also present at the Award ceremony.

This user friendly mobile app is a simplified version of BOC’s mobile banking app using which one could get his/hers required account details. “BOC Smart Passbook” App was ranked at the top with the highest overall rating at evaluation conducted by SLT. This very user friendly mobile app allows the user to inquire their registered account balances immediately to keep a track on account operations on real time. Since the launch of the application in November 2017, the adaptation of this digital option went beyond the expected reach at the initial stage itself. This app can be downloaded easily on Google Play Store and App store and it is totally free and enables self-registration.

The Bank was able to enhance customer confidence to conduct transactions on digital platforms through the effective verification facility of “BOC Smart Passbook” app and improved the ease of using digital technology in day-to-day life through being simple to operate. The Bank too experienced improved customer engagements via digital technology as its call-centre traffic was considerably reduced and even the branch network is experiencing a reduction in number of inquiries received by a branch. The Bank has identified that a majority of Smart Passbook users are Professionals and Executives who value time and rely on secured digital banking options.

BOC ‘Smart Passbook’ was introduced as a digitalized enabled value addition which provides access to transactions and balance history on real time basis through smart mobile devices. It is an electronic version of traditional passbook / Current Account Statement.  Other Special features on app include optional log-in PIN, FAQ service and availability of registration on up to three mobile devices.  Accountholders are able to view on app account balance and transactions of Savings / Current accounts including foreign currency accounts, Possibility of real time on-line view of recent transactions, current monthly statement and last month’s statement.  Last viewed transactions are displayed on offline mode too.

Leading the Sri Lankan Banking industry with over 79 years experience, the Bank of Ceylon has become the most stable and the trusted bank in the country that serves Sri Lankans from all walks of life helping them to build their lives and making themselves financially stable whilst uplifting the country’s economy. The Bank earned global recognition as one of the top 1000 banks in the world, as listed by “The Banker Magazine” (UK) and the “The Asian Banker” magazine named the bank of Ceylon as the Strongest Bank in the country for the year 2018.  “BOC” was awarded the “Peoples Service Brand of the Year” at the SLIM – Nielsen’s Peoples Awards 2018, which reflects the brand strength among general public. The Bank claimed its award as the only Sri Lankan brand recognized as one of Asia’s Best Brands in 2013 by the Chief Marketing Officer’s Asia Council (CMO Asia Council) based in Mumbai, India. Brand Finance Lanka in partnership with Media Services (Pvt) Ltd has ranked Bank of Ceylon as the country’s No. 1 brand and No.1 Bank for the last ten consecutive years in their “Brand Annual” publication and it was also conferred the Master Brand status for the year 2017- 2018 by the CMO Council Asia. InterBrand too conferred “BOC” the title as the No.1 Brand in the country at their very first convention held in Sri Lanka. The Bank has passed exceptional milestones in recent years such as becoming the first to gain Rs. 2 Trillion assets, over Rs. One Trillion Deposits and over Rs. One Trillion loans and advances that strengthens the Bank’s balance-sheet with a triplet of “Trillion” components. Focusing on the Banks achievement, Fitch Rating Lanka ranked the Bank of Ceylon at AA+(lka) which is the highest rating awarded to a local commercial bank and ICRA (lk) awarded AAA (SL) rating which is the highest credit quality rating issued by ICRA Lanka.BOC won the merit award for the Annual Report 2015 under state owned enterprises category at the Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards – 2016 conducted by the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka. The Bank of Ceylon currently maintains a network of 629 local branches and an international branch network compromised of three overseas branches in Chennai, Male and Seychelles and a subsidiary in London.