SEYLAN BANK

Since its incorporation 35 years ago, Seylan Bank – better known by its motto ‘The bank with a heart’ – has been steadfast in empowering the nation by supporting individuals and corporates in attaining financial stability and growth. With a vision to be Sri Lanka’s leading financial services provider as recognised by all its stakeholders, the bank has been lauded for its unparalleled customer service and high standards of delivery, across its portfolio and islandwide network of 171 branches. Inspired to make a positive difference for all its stakeholders, the bank is also a stalwart of responsible corporate citizenry.

Q: How is the formula for ‘corporate respect’ changing in the face of current developments in the country?
A: For years, corporate respect has been measured within a few parameters such as the size of an organisation, revenue generation, corporate personalities and sustainability initiatives. Over the past few years however, these parameters have shifted drastically.

Corporates are now being measured for how they have served their customers and society during trying times. In this respect, genuine corporate responsibility, customer-centric solutions and altruistic initiatives have added more weight to how companies are perceived.

This becomes more crucial for banks – with the country’s financial environment having deteriorated significantly. Stakeholders look at establishments that are resilient, and which genuinely support and empower them to get through crises.

In this regard, respect cannot be built using one directional communications or media campaigns but through dialogues with all stakeholders, assuring the same that you will stand by them.

Q: How important are stakeholder perceptions – and why?
A: Stakeholder perceptions are crucial for any corporate. They become the barometer of corporate performance.

Focusing on stakeholder perspectives provides a good understanding as to how corporate respect is built. Most often, businesses tend to focus only on their key stakeholders, and this fails to provide a well-rounded impression of the corporate brand.

We need to understand the perceptions of each stakeholder category. It is only then that we can capture corporate respect in its totality.

QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Three recommendations to revive Sri Lanka’s economy
Uplift and promote exporters as the engine of growth to revive the economy – through funding, tax concessions and credit insurance schemes.
Significantly ramp up taxation revenues by expanding the tax net and linking institutions using a unique number such as national identity or business registration.
Use Sri Lanka’s geographic location and position it to be the transit hub between Asia and the rest of the world, and especially into India.

Three most admired global business leaders
Jack Ma
Nelson Mandela
Warren Buffett

Q: What are the main attributes of your bank’s image?
A: Seylan Bank has always been true to our motto: ‘The bank with a heart.’ Despite challenging times in the past, Seylan Bank has stood resilient and always focussed on being attentive to our stakeholders, providing relevant and timely solutions.

Our resilience is also what we project to all our stakeholders. We make it our priority to be an enabler or facilitator for them. For anyone who is focussed on realising dreams, and have taken the necessary steps toward them, Seylan Bank will support to unlock their potential. We look at numerous ways of doing this and often venture beyond usual banking facilities to go the extra mile.

Our consistent delivery standards has been the key to success while it has been our people who have made it happen – they are the core of our operation, and make a significant difference in how we do what we do.

It is this commitment to high delivery standards that has resulted in us being ranked No. 1 in customer service for three consecutive years by LMD, which drives us to continue our delivery consistently over the years.

Q: How can corporate respect help organisations come through times of crisis?
A: In the banking sector, trust and reliability are the pillars of success. Seylan Bank has been seen as an organisation that has successfully navigated many challenges with resilience and positivity.

Our core customer base and stakeholders have consistently placed their trust in us. This trust was built upon the respect for the brand, based on the relationship we had nurtured with them over the years.

Similarly, while the whole country is going through an economic and political crisis, the bank has been steadily introducing new products and services, and maintaining profitability.

We also continue to serve the community through various initiatives, which strengthens respect for us as a corporate. We strongly believe in building this respect further.

Seylan Bank is an embodiment of mutual respect for all its stakeholders from customers to the public. The bank has proven its mettle as a resilient financial institution, successfully manoeuvring the economic crisis to ensure its stakeholders are supported and empowered, to fulfil their needs and aspirations.

Telephone 2456700  |  Email info@seylan.lk  |  Website www.seylan.lk