Caixa Geral de Depósitos plays a fundamental role in our economy and society. The importance of the brand has been recognized by consumers, who voted it the most powerful brand in the banking category in 2022.
The solidity that Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) has shown in recent years has been rewarded. The Caixa brand has value, credibility and transparency, which led to it being named a Powerful Brand, an initiative of Saturday, in partnership with Marktest. In an interview, Raquel Vila Verde, Director of Communication and Brand at CGD, talks about this award, its relevance and the universe of this banking institution.
Portuguese consumers have decided to award the Caixa Geral de Depósitos brand in the banking category. What does this recognition mean for Portuguese brands? Being a strong brand means being a brand recognized by consumers, customers and non-customers, and this is the greatest distinction a company can aspire to. Sustainability, purpose and innovation, indicators considered in this study, are of enormous importance for any brand.
The trust placed in Caixa, in the form of this recognition, is of course an added value for us, especially when analyzed in the context of a globally competitive and demanding market, in which the Portuguese have strengthened their trust in the only bank with 100% Portuguese capital.
We are a solid brand, backed by 146 years of history, in which we have always been at the side of the Portuguese people, supporting families and businesses, contributing to the development of the Portuguese economy and generating value for society, with confidence and solidity.
In your opinion, what are the most important parameters when evaluating a brand? Trust, ethics, governance, solidity and transparency are attributes in which it is fundamental to invest in order to guarantee the sustainability of a brand, in this case a bank. The issue of reputation is strategic for Caixa and, historically, Caixa has been the bank with the highest reputation in the sector in which it operates in Portugal. For the third year in a row, we have renewed our leadership as the most attractive brand for new customers, confirming our recognition and preference among “non-customers”, and we are the brand with the best emotional reputation in the financial sector in Portugal, according to the Repscore 2022 study.
Notwithstanding recent studies that confirm Caixa’s leadership as the bank with the highest relevance, trust, admiration, preference and recommendation of the Portuguese, by reference to its peers, we never stop listening to our customers, understanding their needs and expectations, and ensuring that the feedback we receive about what they want and how they want it is responded to. This involvement with the brand and the management of expectations is fundamental in the evaluation that a customer makes of our brand.
Today Caixa has the most ambitious training plan in banking
Raquel Vila Verde, Communication and Brand Director at CGD
What makes Caixa Geral de Depósitos a strong brand? Can you give some examples?
We are the bank that the Portuguese people trust, and in particularly uncertain times, such as those we have experienced in recent years, we have supported Portuguese families and businesses quickly and proactively, with effective solutions, a sense of urgency and effective action plans, and we continue to do so. We are committed to close relationships, even in the context of remote service, investing in technology and innovation and in the best customer service, recognized internationally. We are investing in technology and digitalization, and helping companies transition to a green energy economy.
In the area of human resources, our organizational culture is based on the continuous appreciation of employees, promoting merit, initiative and training, investing in career development and attracting and managing talent. Caixa currently has the most ambitious training plan in the banking sector, with customized programs for all functions, enabling us to provide employees with skills that, combined with innovation and technology, allow us to be the leading bank in Portugal. We are also large, market leader, profitable and solid, both nationally and in Europe.
What new features do you expect to introduce in the business/products in 2023 to remain a relevant brand for Portuguese consumers?
At Caixa, we are committed to a customer-centric strategy, with the aim of generating value for consumers, accompanying the evolution of their needs and investing in technological solutions that allow us to provide the best service, both face-to-face and online, with agility, quality, speed and security. This award encourages us to continue offering a service of unquestionable quality, with a better journey for the customer and with simplicity in mind.
For 2023, the focus is on innovating the offer, developing digital solutions and developing new products and services that accompany and exceed customer expectations in a dynamic and proactive way. At the same time, we will continue to focus on the convergence of physical and digital channels, offering our more than 2.2 million digital customers a consistent and fluid banking experience, ensuring inclusion and maintaining our leadership as the digital bank of the Portuguese.
