Award is money in the bank

Westpac head of Commercial Banking in Dandenong, Andrew James, with commercial banking relationship manager Wimal Mallawarachchy, senior relationship manager Neil Moles, and relationship manager Neil Trotter at the award-winning Westpac Dandenong Business Centre. 19465A DANDENONG business bank is part of a network which has scooped top prize for its customer service.
Westpac was named Money Magazine’s Business Bank of the Year last week.
Andrew James, Westpac’s head of business banking for Dandenong, said last year Westpac focused on improving its customer service beyond that of competing banks.
“We wanted to improve our delivery for customers and become a trusted business partner,” he said.
“Our business customers said they wanted three things from their bank – to be understood, products and services relevant to their business, and to have their problems fixed quickly and efficiently. We’ve focused on developing a greater local presence, better cash flow expertise and advice, and we’ve made it easier for our customers to do business with us.”
Mr James said Westpac Dandenong had gone to extremes to create a point of difference.
“We’ve really differentiated ourselves by expanding the number of frontline staff by one third, and spending $30 million over 2007 and 2008 expanding our local business banking centres,” he said.
“That’s now bringing some great results with our customers and we’ve been recognised as the leading business bank.
“We’ve still got a long way to go – but we are on the right track.”
Westpac launched a website called Business IQ, making it possible for small business customers, particularly in regional areas, to tap into the bank’s business knowledge base and source practical business information, advice and tools.
“But aside from those business products, we have a number of assistance packages that I am particularly proud of, such as our drought relief packages,” Mr James said.
“We have developed these packages to look after the needs of our customers when they are in trouble and struggling – that’s what really differentiates us from other business banks.”
Westpac also won Money Magazine’s Most Socially Responsible Bank of the Year award.