ČSOB
digitally, Branislav turns an environmental necessity into a frictionless, value-add routine for the modern customer.
Strategic partnerships and ecosystem collaboration For ČSOB, building a broad digital ecosystem depends on a willingness to collaborate rather than the focus on building a self-reliant bank. For Branislav, bringing in third-party services such as parking apps or transport tickets introduces a unique operational challenge: when a partner’ s system goes down, the customer blames the bank.
“ We are adding additional complexity, which we realised once the customers started to use our services more,” he explains.“ Now, we are also responsible from the customer’ s point of view for the quality of third-party connectivity and services.” As the bank assumes responsibility for the user experience, Branislav places a weight on the tight synchronisation with external providers. Therefore, if a partner has an issue, ČSOB acts as a transparent shield for the user, communicating shifts proactively.“ We have to be very good at the synchronisation of steps,” Branislav highlights.“ When an outage occurs, we have to be aware ahead of time. We have to give that information to our customer, because they expect that we are responsible.”
Looking ahead, Branislav sees the true power of these strategic partnerships in their ability to cross-reference data over various industries to solve real problems. By connecting financial data with automotive or housing networks, the bank can step in as a true advisor.“‘ Be Relevant’ is our key. I always want to be relevant for the customer,” Branislav emphasises.
By concentrating on its customers, ČSOB has transitioned to be more than just a bank, but rather an active, everyday partner for its users. By automating small financial habits, including rounding up purchases to build a necessary three-to-six-month emergency safety net, ČSOB is proving that a modern financial institution can successfully merge high-tech capability with genuine human care. For Branislav, the ultimate benchmark of operational excellence isn’ t just a flawless backend, but the creation of an ecosystem that naturally delivers a positive, secure and stress-free impact on society. csob. cz 15