It is not question for us to charge the cheques

The era of cheap to win real estate credit a new customer is gone in banks Probably not. But conquest tools continue to evolve in a sector where competition continues to fight full. With its new image and a communication campaign that works, LCL (Credit Lyonnais) offers time two new services that may make waves in other networks.

The first, launched today, is to credit any new customer who opens an account in LCL and there institutions its income to an amount equivalent to 5 of its electricity in a year () Bill, provided that it is performed by sampling or TIP. The other online since last week, allows any user, even if it is not a customer in LCL, accept a credit to the consumer on the Internet site of the Bank, subject to the production of supporting documentation, to an attractive TEG.

Satisfaction and loyalty

"The banks are participating for many years a major battle over the credits." But tomorrow the difference is at stake, satisfaction and loyalty of the client field, analysis Mohammed Agoumi, Deputy General Manager of LCL. But it is easier to assess the quality of service measures and concrete commitments and in a win/win approach. "Hence the choice of the discount on electricity bill: it is not a product sold by the Bank, its payment is almost universal, and its encryption is immediate.

On average, LCL is expected to pay between 40 and 50 euros for each new client and is rather young and tenants. Moreover, this gift enables the Bank to focus on customers using automated rather than cheques treatments. "It is not question for us to charge the cheques." "But if we can influence the behaviour of consumers in electronic payments and incentives, it is clear that we will do," said Mohammed Agoumi.

In the future, banks should multiply the initiatives of this kind even shed some if they do not work. If the openings of agencies, youth and housing credit remain essential tools of conquest, "this triptych is called to evolve, believes the head of LCL.". First, the equipment and the use of the Internet increase very quickly now in France, which presents in the multi-channel strategy. Then, young people practise more and more the multibancarisation making their cost of acquisition over the very high life. "Finally, if the credit remains an uptake very important customer, it is clear that the problem of the margins is very present."

22,000 new customers

In the first quarter of 2006, LCL won new 22,000 clients in net against stagnation a year earlier. The Bank does not want to deliver objective concerning the discount on the electricity bill. "We will not seek immediate profitability." "We want above all keeping these new customers," says Mohammed Agoumi. Supply of credit consumption on the site, it has attracted 400 queries per day from the beginning of the advertising campaign. Specialized institutions do so already (as Sofinco subsidiary credit conso Crédit Agricole and LCL), but to date no traditional network offered this service to the ungraded. "I am surprised that it had not done before," enjoys Mohammed Agoumi. The country of banks, take the imagination the power