THE Trust Bank (TTB) was adjudged the Best Bank of the year at this year’s National Banking Awards held in Accra last weekend.

The bank also won the Best Bank in Corporate Banking award and emerged first runner-up in three categories; Long Term Loan Financing, Short Term Loan Financing and Product Innovation.

Furthermore, TTB was second runner-up in Competitive Pricing.

What in the bank’s opinion accounted for its strong sharing with the public?

Kasser Tee, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, said the bank conducted quarterly public research to access its performance in all the fields of banking. He said the bank was always prompt in quality service delivery.

He mentioned attendance and response to enquiries, overall satisfaction of service offered by the bank and its response to banking needs, competitive ratings, friendliness and staff appearance as some of the areas of research.

Asked what the award meant for TTB, he remarked "it will motivate the staff to work harder with the hope of achieving more awards".

On the future plans of the bank, Mr Tee said preparations were far advanced for the opening of six additional branches by September to offer services to customers.

Mr Tee, summarised the conclusions of the bank’s achievement with a declaration: "The overall satisfaction of service offered by TTB to customers is excellent. The bank is efficient and proactive in terms of banking needs and deliver on its promise. The performance of the bank is simply outstanding".

With 15 branches in Accra and Kumasi and a staff strength of nearly 300, the bank, established about 12 years ago, is now the toast of clients in the banking industry.

Statistics indicate that it had emerged the leading bank in corporate banking for some years and provided universal banking services to its valued customers.

The bank has undergone major strategic transformations to become one of the most competitive financial institutions in the country.

Its chosen markets include Corporate Banking, Institutional Banking, Commercial and Customer Banking and Retail/ Funds Transfer Services.

The bank has persistently embarked on vigorous strategies of delivering excellent services at attractive incomes levels, developing a lean operations mindset, building strong and performing system infrastructures and enhancing performance and risk management system to achieve its goal.

Performance growth of the bank was 34.3 per cent moving from 19.6 per cent in 2006 to 25.6 per cent in 2007.

Total assets of the bank increased from 12.31 to 219.6 per cent during the same period.

Investments made on returns last year was 25 per cent.

On corporate social responsibility, the bank disbursed over GH¢40,000 to various charitable organisations, ventures and projects in the country in 2004; GH¢47,000, 2005; GH¢70,000, 2006 and GH¢29.4 in 2007.

Mr Tee told the Spectator that the Best Bank of the Year award did not depend on the number of awards received by a bank but performance in that category.