Alternative banking channels; A case study of selected banks in Uganda

Abstract

The study evaluated the Alternative banking Channels with specific reference to Barclays Bank, Ecobank and DFCU Banks in Uganda. The study specifically examined the Alternative Banking Channels and their role at Barclays, Ecobank and DFCU Bank, examined the Marketing and Awareness practice in the banking of financial services, assessed their uptake in relation to the branch banking channel, examine challenges faced therein and recommend ways to enhance the role played by Alternative channels in the banking of financial services. The study used cross sectional survey design with quantitative approaches. The study population involved top management, middle management and officers. Data was analyzed to obtain means and standards deviations, frequencies and percentages. In the study it was revealed that the banks have different Alternative Banking Channels including ATMS, Agency Banking, Point of Sale Machines, Internet Banking and Mobile Banking. Whereas the existent channels were found to be vital & appropriate to the respective banks, it was noted that the marketing aspect was lacking in the area of promotion. The Place, Product and price aspects were found to be okay with the Promotion aspect lacking in the use of various promotion channels like Short Message Service, Print media, TV and radio advertisement and online channels. The banks were found to rely on promotion through bank officials. Whereas the study established that Alternative Channels were popular and could surpass the use of the branch channel in the future, the branch channel was found to be more popular at the time of the study. This perhaps due to the fact that the channels selectively provide certain products while not offering others like credit products. ATM Machines and mobile banking were found to be key channels to the banks perhaps due to the 24-hour availability. The banks were found to face various challenges in the use of Alternative Banking Channels like unreliable platforms, security risk, and technology illiteracy, product mix limitations and cost. It is recommended that banks need to adapt to partnerships with finitech companies & telecoms as well as invest in system security, consumer technology education, product innovation and agency distribution