Recently, there has been an increasing interest in Internet banking in Azerbaijan. This service makes the life of customers easier, the job of the banks as well. I have mentioned the making life easier not for nothing. A bit later I will speak about that. Internet Banking, as it is seen from the name, is making banking operations through internet. Through this service each customer can manage its bank account, cards, deposits and loans. Additionally, it is possible to realize money transfers online. However, the needs of customers are evolving. There is a platform in Azerbaijan that adjusts these services all together. This is myAccess service which AccessBank offers to its customer. Above I have promised to mention about making the life easier. This is about the system myAccess, which has a motto `makes the life easier`…

Our interviewee is Head of Banking Services Department - Sabina Gurbanova.

- Mrs Sabina, what was the purpose of creation and the advantage of the internet banking in AccessBank?

Our main goal of creation of the internet banking system was to create a qualitative product. We want our clients by spending little time to use convenient service with affordable terms. Thus, by using international experience we created a customer directed service - myAccess.

myAccess system is advantageous because it is convenient to use, easy to find and understand even by the clients who are not user-friendly with the online banking. The usage of the system is explained to each new client by the specialist of the Bank in our branches while opening myAccess service that customer is able to use our service by himself/herself without coming to bank. Video-guides are posted on the official website of Accessbank for customer convenience. Through this service the client easily receives information about his/ her bank accounts and the products of the Bank. Moreover, the client can realize money transfers not only within the bank but also within the country. In case the client does not have any fund at the account, he/she can immediately transfer the fund from another his/her bank account by himself/herself and easily use it. In case the client loses his/her card, it can be immediately blocked and activated by the client in the system.

• Which client segments are mostly interested in myAccess?

While creating myAccess system we have considered to make the product reachable for physical persons, individual entrepreneurs, as well as for legal persons. The clients who use our internet banking service see the benefits and advantages of the system. Some functions of the system have been directed for the usage of only physical persons, and some – for legal entities. We have created such a system using which the client feels comfortable like at home, without any need to make additional operations on other web pages.  Being always in the interaction with our customers we work on the expansion of functionality of the service.

• Which new functions are expected to be included to myAccess?

Currently we are working on launching functional additions to the system in order to be useful for all our customers. During upcoming months, the implementation of utility payments, as well as other services that are important to customers will be possible through myAccess.

• What do you think about the perspective of Internet Banking in Azerbaijan?

For the usage of any service, first of all there should be a need on it. I would like to mention that along with the increasing of the importance of internet banking, online services in the country, as people start to feel the advantages of it, the need for this type of service also increases. However the number of users of the online services in Baku and Absheron is highly growing, we’re pleasantly surprised that we can observe the increase of the interest in new technologies and openness to innovations in the regions of the country also. In my opinion, with the usage of internet banking and online technologies and with the revealing of its advantages the number of internet banking users will rapidly grow.

• What steps does AccessBank take in order to develop internet banking?

The most important issue we work on is awareness. While opening myAccess, the system is explained to the customer, and such services as money transfers within the country, or money transfer from one account to another and other services are shown one by one to the client.  In addition to this, by organizing seminars on product awareness for various client segments, we show them the opportunities of making banking operations in convenient way, with affordable terms, without losing their time.

• About the functions of Exchanges (currency exchange desks) ...

We can see the great need from customer for the exchange process. We made the system open to our clients during recent months, when there had been a big demand on exchange transactions.By using myAccess they were always able to make transactions within the set limits. Right now, the majority of operations on myAccessis carried out for exchange transactions.

• About the security...

The security is very important for any bank which offers online banking service. myAccess provides a high level of security, thus based on studies conducted by the companies as High-Tech Bridge and Qualys, as well as included to "Big Four", one of the largest in the world audit-consulting company PwC,  myAccess is confirmed as one of the most secure Internet banking system countrywide.

In your opinion, when will the leve of online banking in Azerbaijan be able to reach the level in Europe?Our banks have already begun to focus on online banking. With this progress, I believe, we will reach a higher level on online technology in the near future. In comparison with Turkey, the internet usage is in Azerbaijan is higher, and is equal to Italy. There is at least one computer or smartphone user in the most of families in the regions of our republic. Therefore, I think, in a little period of time, the online banking in Azerbaijan will develop more rapidly. The life style of people is changing rapidly in all over the world, various business are developing online. Therefore, in order to be on trend and follow contemporary life I invite everyone to join myAccess internet banking service.