In difficult times, those who stand by your side are the ones you can truly count on. When all non-essential-service providers, schools, churches and entertainment hubs are closed and village squares have become out of bounds, many found themselves trapped inside, trying to make the most out of the situation.

However, one essential service which had to keep on going in times of this pandemic is that of Banking, with all its diversity of services ranging from a simple cash-handling transaction, to the more complex investments, loans and business facilities. While acknowledging the fact that life went from one extreme to the other, banks had to keep up with the everyday needs of their clients, from businesses in need of cash flows, to customers seeking moratoria on their loans, to less tech-savvy persons who still find refuge in the human face-to-face communication with staff at branch level.

To safeguard both customers and staff at the frontline, Bank of Valletta introduced several measures so that customers would not need to visit branches, while still getting the full array of services it offers. The bank felt the need to start off with educating the public about the convenience and simplicity of making use of ATMs, which although introduced by Bank of Valletta way back in 1993, they offer the most convenient means of effecting transactions 24 hours daily. By means of BOV Internet Banking and Mobile Banking, most services offered at branches are now at everyone's fingertips. So when it comes to effecting a bill payment, transferring funds to third parties, moving money between accounts, checking balances,  modifying a standing order or even applying for a replacement of a card PIN, one literally has no need whatsoever to visit a branch, especially in times when doing so has become a health hazard.

Bank of Valletta has been urging the public to limit as much as possible the use of physical cash so as to limit the risk of contagion. While in other countries across Europe, most societies have adapted to cashless, Malta is still lagging behind. Now more than ever, it is high time that as a society we move on with this trend. With the introduction of contactless card payments, merchants do not even need to take the customers' bank card from their hand. Bank of Valletta lately increased the contactless limit on transactions up to €50 eliminating the need to insert the PIN and touch the numeric pad. BOV was also the first local bank to introduce a digital wallet. Instead of carrying a wallet with a number of credit or debit cards, the BOV Pay app affords cardholders to upload their cards on their phones and contactless payments are effected simply by tapping their mobile phone or their smart watch to the EPOS terminal.

Mobile-to-mobile payments are becoming increasingly popular in times like these. Retailers and business owners are urging customers to pay for their orders, shopping and deliveries with the BOV mobile-to-mobile payment service, hence limiting the risk of contagion and theft. Bank of Valletta, as part of its efforts to combat the COVID-19 spread, has increased the daily limit on mobile-to-mobile payments from €500 to €1,000.

Bank of Valletta has also introduced changes in the way it services customers. Complex transactions which usually require a customer to visit a branch, like applying for a new home loan or a personal loan, setting up a new investment, applying for mobile and internet banking or a new credit or debit card can now be easily done by phone on 2275 3500 or via email on [email protected]

Kris Gilson forms part of the PR & Marketing team at Bank of Valletta