Profile of Commercial Bank of Dubai
The Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBI) started in 1969 following an Emiri Decree issued by Shiekh Rashid Bin Al Maktoum, who founded modern Dubai. In its first years, the bank started operating as a joint venture of Commercial Bank of Kuwait, Chase Manhattan Bank, and Commerzbank. The bank started operating as a National Public Shareholding company in 1982. Over the years, the Commercial Bank of Dubai has become a modern institution of banking. The strong financial base of the bank and the stable management has played an essential role in enhancing the success of the organization. The bank offers diverse commercial and retail services and products in the banking industry. With branches all over the United Arab Emirates, the bank offers its customers with a banking experience just like any other world class bank (Davidson, 2009).
The future aspirations of the bank include incorporating a wider range of financial services than the ones offered at the present time. The aim of this is the desire of the bank to meet the customers’ expectations. The bank also aims at ensuring that customers get access to new services being offered, affordable interest rates and they have access to the use of new technology in the banking sector. The bank provides a wide range of retail banking services to its customers (Davidson, 2009).
Services Offered by the Bank
CBD offers a range of services to its customers. One of the services that the bank offers is Corporate Banking, which serves to provide financing solutions to Government entities as well as Large Corporations. The other service offered by the bank includes retail banking. In retail banking, the bank offers a wide of range of services that meet the needs of the customers. Retail banking services include deposits, accounts, saving plans, as well as loans among other services. The bank offers current accounts, which allow account holders to operate their accounts at minimum balances that are low. With a current account, one can withdraw cash worldwide from ATMs; there are also facilities that relate to standing instructions, and there is money transfer (Davidson, 2009).
Commercial banking at Commercial Bank of Dubai serves to provide financing solutions to commercial businesses that are Medium-Sized. Commercial banking at CBD includes the combination of financial solutions and relationship banking. Relationship managers act as a link between the business and commercial institutions that want commercial services. The bank has Commercial Centers all over the UAE, which are well equipped to cater for the financial needs of the customers being served by the organization. The commercial banking of CBD has contributed to the growth of numerous businesses, which seek the services of the bank (Davidson, 2009).
The bank offers several financing options and services. These include working capital finance, bill discounting, overdraft facilities, contract financing, term loans, as well as asset-based lending. Moreover, the Commercial Bank of Dubai offers a range of services that can be regarded as critical in meeting the emerging needs in today’s world of business (Davidson, 2009).
Commercial Bank of Dubai Online Banking
The Commercial Bank of Dubai offers online business banking; this service ensures that the bank’s customers have access to secure account information. The modern online business banking services offered by the bank ensures that customers stay connected. Through online business banking, it can be easier to have convenient and enhanced control of the transactions and accounts of the business (Davidson, 2009).
The Department of Financial Institutions in CBD
The purpose of this department includes the maintenance of international banking relations carried out by the bank. Through this department, the bank has been able to handle a diverse range of trade and business transactions on behalf of their customers. Correspondent banks that partner with the Commercial Bank of Dubai help to link the bank’s customers with its correspondent and retail clients. The bank has succeeded in becoming one of the most preferred global banks, which provide expertise and quality services in the United Arab Emirates (Davidson, 2009).
Trade Services
Commercial Bank of Dubai can be regarded as one of the greatest providers of Trade Finance Services in the United Arab Emirates. Over the years, the bank has offered solutions that help in meeting the needs of their clients. The bank prides itself of a dedicated team comprising of experts and professionals who are ready to offer trade services, which are needed by the customers. The branches of the bank are located at strategic positions; this helps in understanding the local environment as well as issues to do with developments in technology. Foreign correspondents ensure that the bank serves its customers who may be operating from other parts of the world, other than the United Arab Emirates (Davidson, 2009).
Treasury Services
Over the years, the Commercial Bank of Dubai has reinvented its offerings of treasury sales. The organization commits itself to the provision of services and products to customers with the main aim of meeting their investment needs. The treasury department comprises of treasury specialists who have expertise in both international and local markets. The department has experts who give advice on the treasury products offered by the company (Davidson, 2009).
Quality gap analysis of Commercial Bank of Dubai
The measurement of the quality of services in the banking industry details consistent satisfaction as well as anticipation of the expectations and needs of the customers. The provision of excellent services by a bank is what determines the evaluation of the services, which the organization provides. In addition, the perception of the products and services of the bank from the customer largely determines service quality. Thus, service quality and gap analysis of the Commercial Bank of Dubai hinges on the perceptions of the customers about the services provided by the bank. Moreover, gap analysis of the bank dwells on the perception of the bank’s management on the extent to which the bank’s services meet the needs of the customers (Hernon & Whitman, 2001).
The Commercial Bank of Dubai has modern looking equipment, which helps the firm in providing its services to customers. One of the modern looking equipment in Commercial Bank of Dubai includes Electronic Security Token, a device that is helpful in generating digits that help in securing the customers’ information. Through this device, customers and clients of the bank can be assured of secure login, and they can also be able to authenticate the financial transactions they carry out with the bank. The other modern looking equipment that the bank has is Multi-level Authorisation, which ensures that the system can be accessed by a number of users. Customers perceive the equipment at the bank as relevant to the services offered by the bank. Customers are also in agreement that the equipment helps them access their account details. To the management, the modern equipment in the bank is what enables the staff members at the bank to serve customers well (Zeithaml, 2009).
The gap analysis of the bank also indicates that the physical facilities of the bank can be regarded as appealing. As a result, the bank successfully appeals to the public with regard to its physical appearance and the facilities used to serve customers. Apart from the physical facilities, the employees as well as the reception desk of the bank can be regarded as appealing. The pamphlets of the bank are also visually appealing, a phenomenon that makes them enjoyable to read since they appeal to the eyes of the customer (Zeithaml, 2009).
The Commercial Bank of Dubai can also be regarded as a reliable bank since it fulfills its promises to customers on time. This is because the bank strives to be excellent in satisfying its customers. The bank also wishes to fulfill its promises to the customers because the firm strives for outstanding quality, and makes sure that new products reach their customers when the bank introduces them. The reliability of the bank has made it easier for the bank to meet the needs of the diverse customers served. Customers of Commercial Bank of Dubai also agree that the bank is dedicated towards coming up with immediate solutions to any problems that a customer may be having. The reliability of the bank, when it comes to such issues, is meant to ensure that there is mitigation of financial risks, which may be suffered by their customers (Zeithaml, 2009).
In terms of performing the service in a right manner for the first time that customers confront the bank, customers are of the opinion that, although there may be weaknesses in the bank, the first time the service is performed can be regarded as a success. Customers are also in strong agreement that the bank provides its services at the right time. This ensures that there are no delays in serving the customers’ needs. The management of the bank is in agreement that the bank tries as much as it can to minimize errors in its records. This is essential as it assures customers of error free transactions with the bank (Zeithaml, 2009).
Customers are in disagreement that the bank’s employees tell the exact time of performing services. To customers, employees only promise that a service will be performed within the specified time frame, but may not tell the exact time. This is amidst the fact that the bank’s employees provide prompt services and are ready to help customers when the need arises. The bank and its employees give preference to their customers. As a result, the employees can concentrate on the needs of customers and are not too busy to respond to the customer’s needs. This can be explained by the fact that the bank has a department dealing with the queries of the customers (Hernon & Whitman, 2001).
According to customers, the behavior of the bank’s employees makes them have confidence in the bank. This can be supported by the quick response that employees of the bank give to customers, as well as the competence of the employees in dealing with customers’ issues. As a result of the bank’s reputation, customers agree that they feel safe while conducting transactions with the bank. This is supported by the fact that the bank adheres to secrecy and confidentiality while transacting business with customers. However, customers contend that employees at the Commercial Bank of Dubai may not necessarily be courteous, especially because there are times customers may disturb the employees while seeking services.
Customers agree that Commercial Bank of Dubai has employees who are knowledgeable enough to answer the customers’ questions. Most of the bank’s customers assert that they have always been helped by competent employees of the bank who seem to be knowledgeable on banking issues (Hernon & Whitman, 2001).
Customers strongly agree that the Commercial Bank of Dubai gives them individual attention whenever they air their grievances. This is essential as it ensures that the issues of the customers are dealt with at an individual level. The operating hours of the bank can also be regarded as convenient enough to serve the needs of the customers. Individual attention may not be given to customers at all times. Nonetheless, the employees have the interests of the customers at heart, and they have an understanding of the needs of the customers (Hernon & Whitman, 2001).
Conclusion
The servqual instrument measures the quality of the services provided by an organization by using factors such as reliability, assurance, among others. Gap analysis provides an organization with the relevant information that can be used for the purposes of improving the performance of the organization. A gap analysis of the Commercial Bank of Dubai indicates that the Bank can be regarded as successful in most of the areas tested using the servqual questionnaire. The services and products offered by the bank meet the needs of the wider banking market, as well as the specific needs of the bank’s customers. As such, the bank can be regarded as successful with regard to the assessment done by the customers. The employees of the bank play a central role in ensuring the overall success of the organization.
References
Davidson, C. M. (2009). Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success. Columbia: Columbia University Press.
Hernon, P. & Whitman, H. J. (2001). Delivering Satisfaction and Service Quality. New York: ALA Editions.
Zeithaml, V. (2009). Delivering Quality Service. New York: Simon & Schuster.