CBE Extends Business Hour

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) has extended office hours effective April 1, 2013, Tefera Seyfu, corporate communication manager at the bank told EBR. According to the new extended business hour schedule, customers can get service from 8am to 7 pm from Monday through Saturday. The bank normally closes at 5 pm.

“This is one way of getting closer to our vision of becoming a World Class Commercial Bank by 2025,” Tefera said.

The new schedule starts in selected branches of the four districts of the bank in Addis Ababa: east, west, south and north. Branches like Bole, Megenagna, Bole Medanihalem, Lideta, Nifas Silk, Sengatera, Gofa Mebrathail, Sebara Babur, Aba Koran, Addis Ketema, Habte Giorgies, Kolfe, Mehal Gebeya, Paulos, Tekle Haymanot, and Bomb Tera will be pilot branches for the new extended business hour operation, according to the manager.

“Clerical staff in these branches will work in three shifts for a continuous 9 hours a day and six days a week,” Tefara said.

Working late night was pioneered by Abay Bank, which offers six days service in a week from 8 am through 9 pm since 2011, a year after its establishment. Anbessa International Bank also provides such service in its branch in Addis Ababa.

CBE has been working aggressively to expand the accessibility of its services throughout the nation. In March, 2013 it introduced internet and mobile banking, which allow customers access information about their accounts, transfer or facilitate finances from their mobile phones. The bank had also planned to open 150 branches for the 2012/13 fiscal year and has already opened the 103rd, Tikil Dingay Branch in North Gondar, Amhara national regional state on March 29, 2013. To date the number of branches of the bank has reached 653. It’s staff has also grown well over 12,000.