Bank CenterCredit is recognized as the best bank in Kazakhstan for work with small and medium-sized businesses according to the results of research by the international rating publication GLOBAL BANKING & FINANCE REVIEW. To answer how the financial institution managed to earn this award and establish itself as the best in the market for SMEs, we interviewed the Chairman of the Bank`s Management Board, Galim Khussainov.

Galim Abilzhanovich, the title of the best bank for SMEs speaks of a serious tilt of the Bank towards entrepreneurship, is BCC a bank for business?

Not really. Bank CenterCredit is a universal financial institution, and a significant part of its portfolio is devoted to retail. But we have traditionally strong and reliable relations with business. If a businessman comes to our service, we always have something to offer him. Starting from the opening of an account, we carefully guide the entrepreneur throughout his time at the BCC. The accumulated experience and rich product line allow us to make his business and cooperation with the Bank comfortable and profitable as we are always ready to support you with practically zero service cost, inexpensive loans and high deposit rates. Also, I would not divide our bank like a pie, as many banking divisions are investing in the success of our SME clients, which cannot be listed in the interview.

What do clients look for when choosing a particular financial institution?

Every year people are becoming more financially literate. You can get information about the bank by opening just a few websites. It is enough to have the Internet and some free time. All key indicators are available in open sources. It is also easy to compare service and product line fees. Well, no one has disregarded the opinion of colleagues and friends who already have experience of cooperation with one or another financial institution, often their opinion is key, because these people have already experienced the quality of services of our bank. There is also advertising and marketing, and potential customers should see high-quality and conscientious bank advertising, where certain services and products are presented interestingly. Another important factor is the amount of time that the bank has been on the market, the ratings of independent agencies and the compliance with the Regulator’s standards. Our Bank is already 32 years old, we have successfully survived several global financial crises, and we continue to work successfully despite the slowdown in business activity associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. This is thanks to a balanced approach, a somewhat conservative policy in terms of risks, as well as with the appropriate indicators, including the NPL.

Based on your words, it becomes clear why Bank CenterCredit was recognized as the best bank for SMEs in 2020. What else, besides the above, was offered to business clients last year?

First of all, we continued to work in the same way that has worked previously, while trying to improve and speed up the existing processes as much as possible. Plus, under strict quarantine conditions, we considered all incoming applications from financially impacted applicants and provided deferrals for payments to everyone whose business was affected by the pandemic. During this time, Bank CenterCredit also continued to actively lend to SMEs, which helped a lot of organizations to survive. Despite the decline in business activity, we continued to develop new services and products with an pivot to online service. Thanks to the effective Internet banking and the multifunctional mobile application StarBusiness, customers performed transactions without visiting the Bank’s branches. In terms of new products, it has been a record-breaking year. If I may, I will tell you about them in the order they are listed:

Let’s start with the “Number”:

Online opening of a current account for business clients – now there is no need to visit a Bank branch to open an account.

Online opening of deposits is also a very useful service, both in isolation and in everyday life.

Online issuance of guarantees within the limits through the Internet banking system is an indispensable tool for entrepreneurs participating in tenders.

Online opening of a blank limit for issuing tender guarantees through the Internet banking system is also a very useful and relevant product, when it is possible to make payments even without funds on the account.

“Growing Business” loan for legal entities and individual entrepreneurs is a very convenient and profitable loan product for small business.

The program of portfolio subsidies and guarantees – for lending to small entities, including micro-entrepreneurship within the framework of the State Program for Support and Development of Business “Business Road Map – 2025”.

We are also long-term partners with foreign financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Within the framework of cooperation with the EBRD, in 2020 tranches were carried out under the SME support program, as well as another large-scale project – “Women in Business”. This one-of-a-kind program was created specifically to support women entrepreneurs.

An agreement on unfunded risk participation was signed between BCC and the EBRD, and not so long ago the financing of the first project in this direction was carried out.

Given the difficult situation in the economy sector, does the Kazakh government somehow help domestic business?

Of course, the state provides all-round support to entrepreneurs, and we, for our part, fully support the anti-crisis measures of the country’s government, putting the needs of the SME sector at the forefront. From the very beginning, Bank CenterCredit actively participates in almost all government programs implemented by DAMU Entrepreneurship Development Fund JSC, regularly receiving awards from this organization. Indeed, in cooperation with this fund, a huge number of projects in various sectors of the economy have been financed. At the moment we can offer business people loans at a minimum rate of 6% per annum. The loan is issued for investment purposes – up to 20 million tenge, and for replenishment of working capital – up to 5 million tenge. A highly demanded product.

What plans does the Bank set for itself for 2021?

We will move in accordance with the strategy approved by the Board, which, as we see, is bearing its fruit. We very much hope that the epidemic will decline and economic activity will increase significantly. Businesses will start operating at full capacity, people will start traveling, and we need to be prepared to offer them the most convenient services and products for every situation. We are planning an even more serious pivot towards online services, because digital products are truly products of the future.

Nonetheless, we will not forget about those clients who are more accustomed to classical banking services in the offices of the BCC. Now we have branches in absolutely all regions of the country, but the targeted opening of new and modernization of existing branches will continue. It is important for us to be closer to people. Our task is not only to follow trends, but also to create them.