Guaranty Trust Bank, one of the country’s most outstanding banks in the financial industry has rolled out jumbo prizes to its outstanding customers.
The event, held on Thursday 17 January at the bank’s office on Jimpex road, was meant to reciprocate the loyalty the bank has enjoyed from its esteemed customers. The day witnessed the winning of three grand prizes by three most outstanding customers: Global Energy Ltd, Afolabi Muhammed Olanrewaju, and Olugbola Ayodele.
Global Energy Ltd won the third price, which entails a VISA Card with D20,000 credit balance; Afolabi Muhammed Olanrewaju emerged the second lucky winner, going home with a package of ‘Nights for two persons’ at the reputable Coco Ocean hotel, with an addition of D10, 000; and the luckiest among the three was Mrs Olugbola Ayodele, who goes home wearing a veil of smiles in her face with a whooping package of a ‘ticket to London plus a supplementary amount of £1000 in her pocket.
Speaking at the occasion, Femi Omotosa, the Managing Director of the bank shared with customers some of the achievements the bank has registered and some of the plans afoot during the year 2012.
“GTBank is the only Visa Merchant acquired in The Gambia. We are the only bank that issues out Visa Card and POS to the banking populace. This initiative stands by the fact that we need to encourage our customers to make Visa Card their preferred cards for payment outside The Gambia,” he says.
The steps to be climbed in order to qualify for the grand promotion include spending more than D100, 000 during the period of the promotion using your card.
Visa Card is creating more value for bank’s merchant partners. By focusing on Merchants’ most pressing business needs, the GTBank Visa Card continues to help develop innovative solutions that help merchants drive business growth, capture new opportunities and increase efficiencies.
Around the world, there is a secular shift away from cash and cheques to electronic payments. The convenience, reliability and security offered by Visa Card is a key contributor to this shift in the way people pay – and in the benefits that merchants enjoy in accepting Visa.
With the countdown to countering money laundering down to easy shopping processes, GTBank Visa Card can be used over 19 millions merchants outlet from the food and beverage, retail goods service sectors around the world. The fact that it is the only Dalasi denominated card, makes it unique and reliable.
“This is aimed at helping our customers realise reasons why they should bank with us. I believe you rather work with us; you rather bank with us,” MD Femi Omotoso.
With a population of less than 2 million amidst 13 competitors, GTBank believes “there is a room for differentiation.”
 “We pride ourselves in customer service, which is what is making us stand out today. Our reach also is very unique; as at today we have about 15 business outlets, where you can access our various services,” he adds.
The move will help increase the visibility and viability of GTBank, which has wiped so many tears from the faces of people in the country’s financial sector.
For the past two decades, merchants have been critical players in the continued migration from paper money to digital currency – as more and more merchants accept and use Visa Card as a tool to run their businesses. Visa products extend the benefits of digital currency by delivering startup funding to purchasing services to financial incentives to payroll to new revenue streams.
For Bolaji Ayodele, Executive Director of GTBank The Gambia, the initiative is a laudable one, saying this year the bank has so many cakes in the offing.
“The essence of this [VISA Card] promo is to give back to our customers who have used this Card. We have a lot of testaments about this Card. We have a lot of customers who have come back and told us how useful this Card has being, whilst they travel abroad. That was why last year we said ‘How do we give back to our loyal customers?’ That’s how we came about this Visa Promo,” he says.
He continues: “I believe this year we are going to do a better grander promotion for this year. And so that is why we said let us start up with this promo for the year.
“We thought about it that during the month of July to September normally every year a lot of people travel outside The Gambia for holidays. And we said… ‘Ok if that is the case; let us ensure that many people use our Card when they travel [for ease of doing business and financial transactions].”
Mr Ayodele also says he preferred to keep information of some of their upcoming promotions close to his chest, but says the Visa Card “has come to stay in The Gambia.”
Due to the excessive demand of ATMs from customers, the bank reveals plans to bring in more ATMs into the country to serve its customers, especially those in the provincial areas of this country.
Basse being a major city and Farrafenni a burgeoning metropolitan are the two cities that stand to take the lion share of the GTBank’s impending ATMs.
Papa Leigh of Africell, who conducted the draw, expressed his gratitude for the innovations that have continued to spur growth in the banking industry, especially at GTBank Gambia.
Mrs Isatou Jawara, an Executive Director of the bank gives the closing remarks. Mrs Jawara who before her promotion, works in various units of the bank since joining it in 2003, said GTBank is here to serve customers and also to add value to its esteemed customers.