ADB unveils Instant Visa Debit Card Service for customer convenience
The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) PLC has expanded its instant card issuance services by introducing Instant Visa Debit Card service as part of its E-Banking transformation agenda.
This brings the instant issuance of card services to three, namely Gh-link instant card service, the instant Visa Contactless Prepaid Card service, and the latest, the instant Visa Debit Contactless Card service.
The objective of the instant card issuance service is to enhance convenience and customer experience.
The initiative now allows customers and non-customers, or walk-in customers (Visa Prepaid Card, meant for customers and non-customers), to instantly grab their cards for their instant or future transactions, whether local or international.
The instant issuance of cards is currently being done at 29 selected branches across the country, mostly at the regional capitals, market centres and district capitals.
It is worth stating that all other branches across the country still issue all cards, albeit not instantly.
The plan is to roll out the instant issuance service across all ADB branches.
The branches currently issuing the instant cards include Ridge, Osu, Kaneshie, Dansoman, Ring Road Central (RRC), Gulf House, Tema Meridian, Kasoa and Madina.
Others are Accra New Town, Nungua, Abeka Lapaz, Spintex, Ho, Hohoe, Denu, Sogakope, Kumasi Nhyiaeso, Kumasi Prempeh II and Obuasi.
The rest are Sunyani, Techiman, Cape Coast, Agona Swedru, Takoradi Harbour, Tamale Main, Tamale Aboabo, Bolgatanga and Wa.
Transformational agenda
The Managing Director (MD) of ADB PLC, Alhassan Yakubu-Tali, at the launch in Accra, expressed his enthusiasm about the new service, stating that the initiative was a testament to the bank’s commitment to making banking more accessible and convenient for its valued customers.
He noted that the new service formed part of ADB’s transformational agenda towards improving its digital banking segment to enhance service delivery, convenience and customer experience.
That, Mr Yakubu-Tali said, marked a significant departure from the traditional card issuance process, which sometimes delayed a bit.
“To meet customer expectations and to improve the turnaround time on card issuance and delivery, the new service will allow customers to walk into any of the 29 branches to request and instantly receive not only Gh-Link card and Visa Prepaid Card but also Visa Debit Card for online transactions, among others,” he said.
Alhaji Yakubu-Tali indicated that customers were increasingly leveraging technology to facilitate their banking transactions and that it was incumbent on ADB to redirect its service delivery to not only enhance the overall customer experience but also to be at par with competition in the rapidly changing financial sector landscape.
“By embracing technology, we are not only enhancing the overall customer experience but also staying at par with competition in the rapidly changing financial industry," he stated.
The ADB MD assured customers that the company’s management was working assiduously to extend the instant card issuance service to all branches nationwide.
He added that while steps were being taken to extend the instant card issuance service to all branches, measures had been put in place to ensure that branches that were not currently issuing the cards instantly would provide swift delivery of the cards to their customers.
Robust and security measures
In addition to the convenience factor, the Head of IT, Emmanuel Ofori Boateng, disclosed that the instant card issuance system of the bank prioritised security and it had implemented robust measures to ensure that the process was secure and complied with industry and international standards.
He added that ADB had been certified and was compliant with the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 27001 and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to safeguard customers against potential risks associated with card issuance and usage.
In his remarks, the Head of E-Business, Alex Forson, stated that ADB was positioning itself among the top-tier banks within the electronic banking space.
He indicated that ADB was the first bank to introduce the Contactless Point of Sale (POS) devices and also, the bank was among the first banks to introduce the Visa Contactless Prepaid Card service (tap and pay) in Ghana.
“The bank will continue to expand its E-Banking service delivery to continue to serve the changing needs of our customers,” he said.
“Management is committed to creating expansive and robust e-platforms, continuing to offer improved service delivery, and providing optimal comfort and convenience to our customers,” he added.
Mr Forson indicated that the instant issuance of cards aligns with the bank's broader strategy to leverage technology and innovation to provide efficient and customer-centric solutions.
He reiterated the bank’s commitment to continually innovate to better serve its valued customers and other stakeholders.