ZB Bank Zimbabwe yesterday held an event where it unveiled its new company branding and direction to shareholders, customers and the press. Before I go any further, I would like to commend ZB for the most “to the point” presentation I have ever witnessed. The CEO Shepherd Fungura was the only one from the bank to deliver a speech which was accompanied by the presentation. I say this because there are some institutions that have an Oscars long speech list that takes a lot away from what everyone has assembled for.
That aside, ZB’s new branding is much the same as the old one, if I am being fair. However, there were some nuances that Shepherd Fungura went into that made me understand it a little better. The first thing to note is the semicircle below ZB, which is supposed to represent the smile that the bank is looking to bring to its customers.
ZB Bank has already started work on turning its HQ in Avondale and other branches into client experience centres.
What the term “Client Experience Centres” really means, I am not too sure. However, if I was to hazard a guess from what was said at the launch event is that they are looking to accommodate more clients comfortably in their branches. At the rebranding event, ZB also share pictures of the work that is ongoing at branches across Zimbabwe.
Swipe Left for ZB Rusape
“Retail banking has been the flagship of the group’s operations and this is where the transformation has begun, with a major investment in the conversion of branches to ONE DIGITAL ZB Service Centres. While digitisation is here to stay, the Group’s leadership believes physical outlets are still essential and necessary in Zimbabwe market where internet access is not yet universal and connectivity is often erratic. The repurposed branches will be an opportunity to connect with customers face to face, while mobile technology still enables remote access to services.”
A. Masiiwa, ZB Company Secretary
While all of this work was going on, ZB CEO Shepherd Fungura said that normal branch services would be unimpeded. All this was said to be paired with an internal training regiment that would get ZB Bank staff up to speed with the ever-evolving field of customer services and enhance the customer experience.
“Putting people at the heart of what we do doesn’t only mean customers. It also means the people who make up our internal teams. If we want to make customers happy, we have to make sure that we have happy people working in the group. You can’t pass on happiness that you don’t have,”
S. Fungura, ZB CEO
The proof is in the service
All of this is great, but the true test is in holding true to this new direction. A new logo only becomes a proper symbol when the story that ZB is telling now is what they actually embody going forward. We did a whole podcast with Sherman Baloyi the Creative director from local brand strategy firm OnaDsgn, which went into the depths of what you as a customer should be on the lookout for when you see these rebranding exercises locally. You can check that episode out with the player below or by clicking the link here.
I’d really like to hear from any ZB customers in the comments about your experiences before and after this new rebrand.
You should also check out
Watch the entire ZB Bank rebranding event with the player below, or you can go straight to YouTube with the link here
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