• GRI:
  • 102-2 Activities, brands, products and/or services.
    Activities, brands, products and/or services.
  • 103-1 Explanation of the material topics and their boundaries
    Explanation of the material topics and their boundaries
  • 103-2 Management approach to topics identified as material
    Management approach to topics identified as material
  • 103-3 Evaluation of the management approach to topics identified as material
    Evaluation of the management approach to topics identified as material
  • Custom indicator Custom indicator (Information about key products, including new products launched during the reporting period
    Custom indicator (Information about key products, including new products launched during the reporting period
  • Custom indicator indicator (Products and initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
    indicator (Products and initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
  • ESG: S – Society Our approach to Social Responsibility
    Our approach to Social Responsibility
  • PRB1 Alignment We will align our business strategy to be consistent with and contribute to individuals’ needs and society’s goals, as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement and relevant national and regional frameworks. We will focus our efforts where we have the most significant impact.
    We will align our business strategy to be consistent with and contribute to individuals’ needs and society’s goals, as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement and relevant national and regional frameworks. We will focus our efforts where we have the most significant impact.
  • PRB3 Clients and Customers We will work responsibly with our clients and our customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable economic activities that create shared prosperity for current and future generations.
    We will work responsibly with our clients and our customers to encourage sustainable practices and enable economic activities that create shared prosperity for current and future generations.

The Retail Banking Division provides services to:

Retail customers

In order to better meet customer needs and expectations, we have divided the group into Standard, Premium, Select and Private Banking segments.

Small and medium-sized enterprises

(with annual turnover up to PLN 8m)

We serve small and medium-sized enterprises from all over Poland representing all sectors except those excluded according to our compliance policy.

In 2020, we have given special care and attention to most vulnerable customers during  the Covid-19 pandemic, i.e. the elderly and those whose financial situation has deteriorated as a result of the lockdown.

Contact channels

For our individual customers we are available through:

  • branch network,
  • partner outlets,
  • network of agents,
  • Multichannel Communication Centre – phone, chat and video,
  • remote channels (Santander internet, Santander mobile banking via web browser and Santander mobile application),
  • dedicated advisors who maintain regular contact with Private Banking and Select and Premium customers.

We maintain relationships with corporate clients through:

  • company advisors present in branches and partner outlets,
  • Multichannel Communication Centre,
  • electronic channels: internet banking, i.e. Mini Firma, Moja Firma plus i-Biznes and Santander mobile.
Key products and services
Retail customers Small and medium-sized enterprises
  • Personal accounts and associated products (debit cards, mobile payments).
  • Cash loans, credit cards and overdraft facilities.
  • Deposit and investment products: deposits, savings accounts, structured products, investment funds, brokerage products.
  • Bancassurance – unit-linked and unlinked insurance products.
  • Accounts (such as the Business Account Worth Recommending), foreign currency accounts and trust accounts.
  • Loans – a wide range of loans to finance current activities, investments, as well as an offer for the AGRO sector (including loans granted on preferential terms in cooperation with the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture) or the EIB Business Express loan – for the development of the company at an attractive interest rate, thanks to European Investment Bank co-financing.
  • Bank guarantees.
  • Leasing – including such products as operating lease, finance lease and loans, all offered in PLN or indexed to foreign currencies.
    Santander Leasing’s offer is described in detail here
  • Cards – debit and currency.
  • Payment terminals – we offer a wide range of Elavon terminals – stationary, mobile, portable, also as part of the Cashless Poland programme.
  • Trade finance products. These are specialised products for companies that trade with foreign counterparties, including electronic confirmation of payment orders, documentary and financial collection, third-party and own letters of credit, forfaiting and bank guarantees.
  • Additional services for companies provided by external partners: eAccounting, eInvoicing, eComplaints, eBonds and eContracts. These digital services are described in more detail here 

A detailed description of products intended for retail customers can be found here

Retail customer service goals

In 2020, we focused on the following activities:

  • Delivering the best experience for customers (we improved processes for retail customers and provided support during the coronavirus pandemic) and employees (we improved the advisor environment and developed communication tools).
  • Simplifying and digitising products and processes. We focused on providing customers with end-to-end digital solutions. We have refined processes and products to make them both customer-friendly and intuitive.
  • Greater use of remote channels in sales and customer service – we have implemented a transformation programme for online and mobile banking.
  • Further optimisation of the distribution network.
  • Increasing the security of customers’ cooperation with the bank.

Key initiatives for retail customers in 2020

Inclusive banking

  • We have extended the working hours of Kantor Santander: it operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Digitisation

  • We have made it possible to open a personal account with a photo.
  • Santander open – we have provided the possibility to add accounts from other banks, including an overview of accounts held with other banks and the ability to initiate transfers from these accounts via online and mobile banking.
  • We have modified the application processes for granting and increasing personal account overdraft and credit card limit in electronic banking.
  • We have made it possible to authorise certain operations at the branch by means of a code sent to the customer by SMS, which has increased the speed and security of transactions and eliminated paper confirmations.
  • We have provided customers with a chatbot on the santander.pl website.
  • We have made many improvements to the mobile and online banking applications, such as adding currency transfers in the app and revamping the navigation. In online banking, we added new product pages and a pricing guide.
  • We have introduced the option of changing one’s own password in online banking and in the mobile app.

Support during the pandemic

While supporting our customers, we have paid special attention to seniors and customers in financial distress due to the pandemic.

  • We have offered concessions and changes to increase customer safety and comfort.
  • We have launched extensive direct communication to customers.
  • We have introduced a package of temporary credit solutions for retail customers.

You can read more about our support activities here

Special solutions for senior customers are described in detail here

  • GRI:
  • Custom indicator Products and initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
    Products and initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Key initiatives launched in 2020 for SMEs

Digitisation

  • We have implemented a fully remote process of payment terminal purchase and installation. The customer signs the contract remotely and the terminal is delivered by courier mail. Elavon’s employees provide training in the operation of the terminal over the phone.
  • We have introduced the sale of Partner in Business and Partner in Business Plus insurance by telephone and e-mail.
  • We have made it possible for customers to conclude contracts remotely and to carry out processes previously available only at the branch.
  • We offered selected customers buy-by-click Smart Loans via the internet. The offer allowed customers to use an overdraft facility from PLN 5,000 to PLN 100,000, but not more than the amount available without a promissory note security. We will continue to develop this offer in 2021.
  • We have introduced new eServices for sole traders: eInvoicing, eCollection, eContracts, provided by external partners. These three remote solutions facilitated doing business during the pandemic lockdowns.
  • More details concerning these solutions can be found here

Support during the pandemic

We have offered various forms of support, both required by law and initiated by us for businesses affected by COVID-19. We have prepared for the customers a broad package of aid solutions focusing on easing the financial distress and making banking easier thanks to technology-based solutions.

The description of the range of credit facilities and liquidity solutions offered is available here

Measures implemented with external partners

  • We have made it possible for our customers to apply for the PFR 1.0 and PFR 2.0 Anti-Crisis Shield grants via e-banking.
  • Working together with an external partner, we launched awareness-raising campaigns concerning the Anti-Crisis Shield government aid programme.
  • We have launched deposit bonds.
  • More information about the abovementioned initiatives can be found here 

 

Plans for 2021:

Thinking about the offer for retail customers, we are planning to:

  • continue to simplify and digitise products and processes;
  • continue to increase the use of remote channels in sales and customer service;
  • deliver the online and mobile banking transformation agenda;
  • ensure a high level of security in our customers’ relations with the bank with the same commitment as before.

 

For the SME segment, we are planning to focus on:

  • simplifying credit processes for both advisors and clients;
  • developing remote processes and e-banking for companies;
  • introducing further non-financial services for the bank’s customers;
  • building a profitable loan portfolio;
  • implementing further relief solutions for customers affected by the pandemic;
  • implementing and processing applications for subsidies from the PFR Anti-Crisis Shield;
  • launching the SmartLoans process on the mobile app (for sole traders).