Bank To Roll Out Migrant Worker Team Across NI

12th Jan 2007

Ulster Bank has appointed the first member of a team of employees dedicated to servicing Northern Ireland's growing migrant worker population. The bank, which recently introduced current account brochures and application forms in Polish, Chinese, Lithuanian and Portuguese, intends to place a dedicated customer service representative with relevant language skills at branches across Northern Ireland in the coming months.

Ulster Bank's Managing Director of Retail Banking NI, Richard Donnan, says that the initiative is intended to help make the banking experience of migrant worker customers more straightforward.

"Our research showed that for many migrant workers the experience of opening a new bank account in Northern Ireland was difficult and complex, due to a number of factors; in particular the language barrier," he says.

"Responding to customer needs we began to roll out an initiative to provide migrant workers with a banking service in their own language for the first time in Northern Ireland in December, with the introduction of translated printed material.

"We are now taking the initiative to the next level by aiming to provide migrant workers with a dedicated customer service representative at their local branch, beginning with Dungannon where we have a large migrant worker customer-base.

"Our growing migrant worker population is playing an ever-more important role in Northern Ireland's economy and society and we are committed to ensuring that they can benefit from our transaction fee-free personal current account banking in the same way as other customers," he adds.

Ulster Bank has produced translated guides on topics including: welcome brochures, current accounts, fees and interest, foreign transfers and general terms and conditions, to ensure the provision of a comprehensive range of background materials for these customers.