Challenges and Prospects on Using ICT in Banks Service Delivery During COVID-19: The Case of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
A.A.U
Abstract
There have been many developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which
have completely revolutionized the way institutions conduct business. This is clearly being seen
during this COVID-19 time in banks. In the banking sector, developments in ICT have been more
driven by the need to improve operational efficiency and customer service among other vital
operational reasons. Information and Communication Technology has enabled customers to access
their accounts at any location at any time, know the transactions that affect the customer accounts
through the transaction notification service subscribed by the customer. This study attempts to
understand and evaluate the current usage, the challenges and prospects of the ICT service
deliveries (ATM, MB, IB, PoS and CBE Birr) in Commercial Bank of Ethiopia during COVID-19.
Branch Managers, Customer Service Officers (CSO) and ICT staffs of some branches of
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia were the primary source of data for working on this paper and to
adopt Qualitative research approach through the review of existing literature and interviews held
with different staffs. According to findings the challenges include: customer’s culture on cash based
transaction, not literate enough to understand the usage of the services, network and infrastructural
inferiority are an obstacle to use the ICT service delivery systems during COVID-19. On the other
hand, the prospects include: COVID-19 pandemic has driven consumers to rely more heavily on
digital channels and ICT service delivery systems are the best means to reduce the transmission of
the virus, key developments taken by Ethio Telecom are making us near to ICT services and
reducing visit of bank branches and directives in relation to the introduction of the new currency
are making customers more ICT service delivery users. There are also some recommendations
stated.
Description
Keywords
Transaction, Culture, Covid-19 pandemic, Digital Channel