A passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity of opportunity, Executive GM Ana Marinkovic leads a team of 1,600+ small business experts. They lend over $1.2bn a month to Australian small businesses. National Australia Bank (NAB) plays a major role in propelling entrepreneurship across the country. Delivering better outcomes for small business owners sits at the very heart of NAB’s strategy. “Our scale and connectivity help us to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our business and the communities we operate in,” says Ana.
A big vision for small business
The small business sector employ more than half of Australian workers. Therefore, it’s crucial to support these customers in the right way. That starts with the cornerstone of every good corporate strategy – understanding customers, colleagues and the market. “Listening to our customers to better understand their business and how we can improve the customer experience should be the cornerstone to any transformation,” says Ana.
This discipline has led NAB to take bold steps to reshape its operating model and better support business owners, including:
- Significant investment in new products and services designed specifically for small business
- A digital transformation, including new, innovative mobile and digital lending and merchant solutions
- An unprecedented banker upskilling program supporting 1,600+ small business banking experts
- Advocating for the issues that matter to small business owners. Access to green finance, education programs on cybersecurity and supporting gender equity goals
Digital – but human where it matters
A key insight driving NAB’s strategy is that small businesses want a great digital experience. Moreover, they also want human advice in key moments. Both matter.
For Ana, it means the focus has been on building a best-in-class digital experience for banking anywhere, anytime. In addition, this is augmented by access to a network of business banking experts available for more complex needs. “Fast and flexible lending solutions allowing a customer to pivot or capitalise on an opportunity quickly in an ever-changing, fast-paced economic environment are crucial,” she says.
What differentiates NAB from other banks is that it has both a centralised and decentralised workforce. These are ready to meet a wide range of customer needs. “Our bankers are located across some 500 locations in both regional and metropolitan parts of Australia,” says Ana. “They have a strong knowledge of the local economies and are seen as trusted advisers, alongside accountants and financial planners.”
Bankers are complemented by a world class contact centre capability for all servicing queries. Furthermore, a 98% first point of contact resolution and a digital banking platform that integrates into all accounting software packages enables more efficient business administration in real time. With payments products such as Easy Tap and sustainability platform Greener for Business, the bank continues to deliver and invest into complementary services to help customers be more profitable and sustainable.
