SANTANDER UK
“ There is no option but to be the best at that in the marketplace . The reality is we were lagging behind some of the competition previously , but now we ’ re not just catching up , we ’ re trying to leapfrog them . And I ’ m pretty confident that given what we ’ ve got on the table , we ’ ll do that in the coming months and years .”
Digital banking : Part of the omnichannel experience Of course , while Santander is scaling its digital banking capabilities as it looks to outperform neobank rivals , it ’ s vital to Narang and the wider group that these digital endeavours are balanced against continuing to offer in-person banking options for those who need them .
“ Our stated vision is that we ’ re going to be a digital bank with branches , and a human touch ,” Narang emphasises . “ That means continuing to operate branches , and we ’ re not shying away from that .”
He adds : “ We ’ re very happy with where we are with the number of branches we have . This brick-and-mortar setup is our way of continuing to serve certain sections of society that still need in-person services . We are also investing in refurbishing some of our branches and opened two new Work Cafes last year .
“ We ’ re going to keep growing in-person banking for the customers that need it . We ’ re working with the government to set up cash hubs , ensuring there remains access to cash for consumers at the high street level .
“ The needs of these customers remain at the front of our minds , and our strategy is crystal clear – going both hard and fast with our digital adoption strategy while remembering that other customers of certain demographics need physical help , advice and a personal experience . We ’ re committed to continuing that presence on the high street .”
Santander : Leveraging emerging technologies Indeed , while the needs of some demographics rely on in-person banking services , the requirements of other Santander customers sit at the cusp of innovation .
That is why Santander UK has recently set up an internal AI working group , to see how AI ( particularly Gen AI ) can be further applied across the organisation , including in risk compliance , data privacy , data protection and more . santander . co . uk 17