Awards recognise the best mobile banking apps for SME businesses
Innovative business app store supports banks in developing brand-new apps to improve their financial services to professionals and small businesses, and compete with each other for the best applications worldwide.
Milan, 24 March 2017
Efma and SAP named the winners of their first-ever joint SME AppsBank Awards, which took place at the framework of the Efma SME Summit in Milan, Italy on 23-24 March 2017.
In total, 42 institutions from 25 countries submitted 43 mobile apps via the SME AppsBank portal between 17 March 2016 and mid-January 2017.
At the end of January 2017, a panel of 25 senior bankers, members of the professional press and entrepreneurs were given a month to test, rate and vote for the best business apps according to their features, design, customer experience and disruptive potential.
SME AppsBank Awards categories included Peer Recognition and Market & Media Recognition. The committee comprising representatives from Efma and SAP also independently selected the best app among the top three in both categories for the Efma & SAP Special Award.
“This disruptive initiative will not only help banks to develop online and access first-class SME banking apps, but it will also enable global recognition through the awards ceremony,” said Vincent Bastid, CEO of Efma.
Award winners include:
Peer Recognition Award
Top in this category was Turkey-based bank Türk Ekonomi Bankası with its CEPTETEB app, which completely replaces the in-branch customer experience by enabling users to make transactions via mobile banking, internet banking, call centre and ATMs.
Also in the spotlight was Turkey’s Garanti Bank, which earned second place for its Garanti Cep mobile app that permits SME and corporate customers to perform daily banking transactions.
Tochka by Russia-based bank Tochka came in third with its app for entrepreneurs who want to make payments to partners and employees, check accounts, pay taxes, view business analytics and request background checks for potential business partners.
Market & Media Recognition Award
ING Belgium earned first place for ING Smart Banking, which allows customers to check their account, make payments, view their investment portfolio, manage their expenses and much more via their smartphones and tablets.
Second in this category was TBC Bank, Georgia, with its Android and iOS-based app TBC Bank that enables customers to log-in to their company or personal accounts with a click of a button.
Third place went to Santander Business Banking, developed by Santander Bank, US. Business customers can use the app to deposit up to US$15,000 per day without visiting a branch or ATM, transfer funds between their business and personal accounts, and more.
Efma & SAP Special Award
Garanti Cep was named overall winner, and Garanti Bank will now be given help to develop its next mobile app by Efma partner Cognizant. Türk Ekonomi Bankası’s CEPTETEB app and TBC Bank’s app came second and third in this category, respectively.
Visit the SME AppsBank portal <www.efma.com/SMEappsbank> to learn how the apps can help SME businesses.
A global non-profit organisation, established in 1971 by banks and insurance companies, Efma facilitates networking between decision-makers. It provides quality insights to help banks and insurance companies make the right decisions to foster innovation and drive their transformation. Over 3,300 brands in 130 countries are Efma members.
Headquarters in Paris. Offices in London, Brussels, Barcelona, Stockholm, Bratislava, Dubai, Mumbai and Singapore.
Learn more at www.efma.com