About vdk bank

vdk  has been a Belgian bank focused on sustainable, ethical banking for nearly a century.
The bank started 1926 as a savings bank for workers in Ghent and has since then expanded its presence to all Flemish provinces. In 2023, vdk bank also acquired the customers of NewB, expanding its reach to the Walloon market. 

vdk bank primarily serves as an all-round bank focusing on families, (non-profit) organizations, cities, municipalities, and social institutions.

vdk bank  aims to have personal and physical interactions with their customers at every crucial moment in their lives. 

Challenges 

One of the significant challenges for vdk bank was maintaining direct availability and accessibility for their customers, especially during times of uncertainty, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike other banks, vdk bank chose to keep their branches open and not close them. They believed they were an essential service and wanted to remain available to their customers even during challenging times. 

Another challenge was enhancing vdk bank's brand awareness and image as a sustainable, ethical bank. While many banks now claim to offer sustainable products, vdk bank believes they are the most ethical full-service bank player, with a history dating back to 1926. 

The company's top management is actively involved in our mission to be close to the customer and accessible. For example, during the discussion of annual figures, the CEO routinely inquires about the project's status and the statistics regarding the number of appointments.

Introducing a new appointment tool is a strategic project for vdk bank, supported both top-down as part of our long-term vision and bottom-up, as people can see immediate improvements in their performance.  

This tool was intended to be the primary means for customers to schedule appointments with our advisors, both internally and externally. The system allows us to measure and report appointments to the board of directors. 

Solution

vdk bank decided to implement Pexip Engage as part of their strategic vision to improve the availability of their advisors and optimize their customer service. Pexip Engage enabled them to digitize and streamline their appointment scheduling process. 

Integrating Pexip Engage into the vdk bank website and mobile app made it easy for customers to book appointments directly with the right advisor for specific topics. It allowed customers to be seen within 2-3 days, providing a significant competitive advantage over major banks that continued to close branches and move toward digital-only services. 

Results 

The results of using Pexip Engage were impressive. The number of appointments increased by approximately 90% compared to the previous year's period. A week after the launch, more than a thousand appointments had already been made via the tool, both by advisors and customers. This appointment increase was driven by improved customer experience and ease of use. 

Although detailed efficiency improvement figures were not available, employees felt that they had reached more new customers, especially for credit appointments. The conversion rate exceeded 10%, demonstrating that Pexip Engage drove sales. 

Rollout of Pexip Engage 

The rollout of Pexip Engage was well-planned and went smoothly. Involving the business experience working group and organizing Outlook sessions ensured consistency in working methods.

Most employees booked appointments for themselves based on the CRM system. The integration of Pexip Engage on the website and mobile app simplified the booking process and improved the customer experience. 

There was some initial skepticism among employees, but with the support of the core team and frequent communication with Pexip Engage, most employees quickly became proficient with the new tool. 

Future of Digitalization at vdk bank 

vdk bank sees the future of digitalization as an opportunity to work even more efficiently and enhance the customer experience. They plan to expand the integration with their CRM system further to ensure seamless data synchronization. They will also use the link to the Pexip Engage plug-in in campaigns and on the website to increase conversion rates. 

vdk bank will continue to use video conferences, especially for initial exploratory discussions. Still, personal face-to-face contact will remain the focus. They strongly believe in the value of personal interactions, and video will complement their services. 

Conclusions

vdk bank has taken a significant step in improving the availability of its advisors and optimizing customer service with Pexip Engage. 

The result was a substantial increase in the number of appointments and an improved conversion rate. 

This case study illustrates how Pexip Engage plays a crucial role in the digitalisation process of a bank when personal contact and ethical banking are highly valued.