The People's Bank further extended its People's Mobile Banking and People's Internet Banking services to present yet another unique customer service by teaming up with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to offer its valued customers the facility of paying their electricity bill from the comfort of their homes. The initiative clearly reflects the commitment of the Bank to promote value added services to its clientele through cutting-edge technology and processes.
Towards this end, the People's Bank joined hands with the three leading mobile telecommunication service providers in the country: Dialog, Etisalat and Mobitel, through which it has enabled the customers to pay their electricity bills from home by simply dialing #488#, thus relieving them from the hassle of having to visit a bank branch, a supermarket or the Electricity Board to pay their electricity bill.
What is unique in the new facility is its efficient fund transfer, where all bills settled to the CEB through either People's Mobile Banking or People's Internet Banking is updated instantly while the customer also receives an alert relating to each transaction by way of an SMS to his or her mobile phone. What's more, the service is offered 'absolutely free' to all People's Bank customers. The Bank will not levy any registration fee, service fee or an extra charge for those who wish to enroll in the new facility.
Customers are also able to seek details relating to their electricity bill upon registering with CEB by typing out REG, SPACE, Account Number of the electricity bill and sending a text message to 1987 while they are able to obtain details of the amount paid or the remaining balance in their electricity bill by typing out 'B' and sending a text message to 1987.
Expressing his views on the new facility, the CEO/GM of the Bank, N. Vasantha Kumar said that the Bank over the past 53 years has evolved as a true Peoples' Bank that is sensitive to the needs of Sri Lankans. Towards this end, the Bank made substantial investments on physical, technological and human resources so the Bank can fulfil the aspirations of our customers. People's Mobile Banking and People's Internet Banking are two such unique customer services that are aimed at affording our customers the benefit of modern technology. From now on, together with the Ceylon Electricity Board, the People's Bank will afford our customers the luxury of paying their electricity bill from the comfort of their home, and I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Ceylon Electricity Board for partnering us in this initiative, " he added.
W.J.L.S. Fernando, General Manager of the Ceylon Electricity Board, (CEB) said the People's Bank has functioned as the 'banker' of the Ceylon Electricity Board from the very inception.
"All electricity bill payments and money order payments made on behalf of the CEB at the People's Bank's island-wide branch network are collected and transferred to the CEB account free of charge by the Bank.
"At present, out of nearly 20 institutions that have been authorized to collect payments on behalf of the CEB, the People's Bank accounts for nearly 40% of customer collections; a significant portion indeed," he added.
