Natwest teams up with Qudini aiming to improve customer service ratings

NatWest has announced that it has become the first bank to trial new technology enabling customers to fit their banking needs around their schedules.

The service has already been trialled in 51 branches across the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. The bank has partnered with Qudini, a London-based technology software company, to improve customer experience via this software.

The trial has already led to increases in the number of appointments being made across community banking, telephony and in-branch banking services.

Qudini’s appointment booking software - rolled out in January 2018 - has led to a 70 per cent increase in the number of appointments for the NatWest Community Banker service.

Commenting on the software, Annamaria Jatta, NatWest’s innovation lead, said: “Across our branch network, we have been working with Qudini to strengthen the customer experience to allow customers to bank at a time and location which suits their schedules.

“We have seen a significant increase in the number of customers being served in-branch alongside an increase in the number of appointments being made across our telephony and community banking services.”

Qudini enables NatWest community bankers to book appointments with their customers, who can then amend or cancel their appointment at any time using their mobile phone.

The bank also uses the software to support its telephony service, to provide NatWest customers with more flexibility and options to access the support they require when seeking advice for products such as loans and mortgages.

This has led to more customers being served at a location and time which suits them best, be that utilising technology at home, or in branch and this has led to a 28 per cent reduction in the number of missed appointments.

Since the introduction of Qudini software in branches, NatWest has been able to provide customers with live and accurate queuing times and advisor availability through a concierge service, enabling customers to bank at their convenience.

Jatta highlighted: “Since the introduction of Qudini, the in-branch customer journey has completely transformed. At peak times, customers are able to leave the branch, continue their day and return when they are next in line to be served.”

Imogen Wethered, CEO and co-founder of Qudini, added: “We’d always expected that financial services could be slow. But NatWest have been so fast, clear in their plans and very innovative to work with.”

The trial is the latest of many in which NatWest has introduced this year.