FNB launches SA’s first interactive financial information hub
In line with its brand promise, First National Bank (FNB) today launched an interactive website, How Can We Help You (http://www.howcanwehelpyou.co.za/) to help consumers navigate their financial world in a language that they can understand.
According to Michael Jordaan, FNB CEO, “While there is a lot of information about managing your finances, there is nothing that breaks through the clutter. For the first time in South Africa, FNB is shifting the approach by providing an innovative financial initiative to help consumers by providing practical information they can really understand and implement.”
“FNB aims to help ‘empower’ South Africans to make their own informed decisions relating to their personal finances via the web,” says Gisele Wertheim-Aymes, FNB’s Head of Media.
“We understand that managing ones finances is not an easy task and can be even more daunting when individuals are in debt. The website provides financial information and tips to help people simplify the complexity of their personal finances. The website is unique in that it is aimed at the ‘man on the street’ and therefore the information provided is easy to understand, simple and logical,” she adds.
“The key concept behind How Can We Help You is ‘Financial Ubuntu’. We aim to attract an active online community that shares personal finance trials, tribulations and learnings. Information from credible sources is aggregated on a single platform and shared.”
In addition to providing content and information, the website provides an interactive real-time web-forum where people can post comments and receive feedback from the forum immediately.
“While this forum is unchartered territory for a bank in South Africa, we have taken this bold step as we believe it is in the best interest of our clients and the South African community at large,” says Wertheim-Aymes.
FNB has chosen the web as its main means of communication because it facilitates a conversation with communities through relevant content. It’s all about exchanging information not delivering a marketing message.
“With the activation of the Seacom cable later this year we are confident that increasing numbers of South Africans will use the world wide web to source information, communicate and develop interactions, which augurs well for our site,” adds Wertheim-Aymes.
To ensure that the site provides useful and relevant information, it is moderated by an editorial policy to ensure visitors are getting appropriate information. FNB has set up with the website using its internal web team, but the content is managed by an independent content editor who has a strong consumer editorial background.
“Key to our initiative is FNB’s relationship with financial services guru Suze Orman. FNB has worked closely with Suze Orman since 2001 and her world-class, independent and pragmatic financial advice from the head and the heart, dovetails with FNB’s helpfulness promise,” says Wertheim-Aymes.
In 2008, Orman was voted one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. Orman has recently published “Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan”, where she addresses issues like how to pay your bills if you are retrenched, are your savings safe, should you keep your home if it’s worth less than what you owe.
“Right now, Suze’s financial wisdom and ability to cut through to the heart of the matter has never been more relevant. Her insights into how to manage stressful situations such as being retrenched are a daily reality due to the global financial crisis and we are hoping that her approach coupled with ours will help our customers navigate their financial world more easily and with growing confidence,” Wertheim-Aymes concludes.
