2023 is the 25th anniversary of the opening of CITIC Bank's overseas financial business, starting from 1998 as the exclusive agent of US visa business, China CITIC Bank has continuously cultivated overseas financial services, taking the lead in building an all-customer group, omni-channel, full-process overseas financial service system, making the service slogan of "going abroad to find CITIC" deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Bravely pioneer: riding the east wind of reform, take the lead in launching national financial business
Since the reform and opening up, China's financial industry has continuously deepened reform and innovation, forged ahead, and played a key role in promoting economic growth and adjusting the economic structure.
At a time when the mainland foreign exchange market has undergone tremendous changes and the degree of openness and marketization has been continuously improved, as one of the pioneers of domestic foreign exchange business, China CITIC Bank, relying on its advantages in foreign exchange business and the cooperative relationship with embassies and consulates for many years, has broken through the traditional concept based on the actual needs of the people, sung the slogan of "going abroad to find CITIC" for overseas financial services, and became the first bank in the industry to launch overseas financial services.
Intensive cultivation: Focus on three major customer segments to create a product matrix
Since 1998, China CITIC Bank has been the exclusive agent of US visa business, China CITIC Bank has continuously expanded the boundaries of overseas financial services, anchored the three major needs of overseas people for study, tourism and consumption, and successively launched systematic products and services for different customer groups.
Global visa products for the full number of customers cover a wide range, providing visa services for Europe, Asia, Australia, America and other global popular countries, and reaching official cooperation with embassies of many countries, including US visa delivery and charging, Singapore visa delivery, Israel visa charging, are designated financial institutions, British Ruyi Visa provides door-to-door services, can achieve one-stop visa processing.
For the subdivided customer group of studying abroad, we have created a series of products such as escort cards, study abroad exchanges, credit certificates, and blue books for studying abroad, and launched a number of heavy activity lines such as talent internship camps, education exhibitions, and pre-departure meetings to provide accompaniment to the whole journey of studying abroad.
For outbound tourists, we have launched Master Foreign Currency Debit Card, Master Foreign Currency Titanium Credit Card, Visa Foreign Currency Platinum Debit Card, Visa Easy Platinum Credit Card and other products, and created global consumption season activities, including a number of rights upgrades, to create more beautiful experiences for overseas financial consumers.
Service upgrade: Customer-centric, improve customer experience
At present, the demand for studying abroad has recovered rapidly, so China CITIC Bank innovatively launched the EasyGo membership service system in early 2023, transforming the "trigger" business model that passively accepts customer needs into a "warm" service that actively accompanies customers.
The EasyGo membership service system not only integrates first-hand information obtained by China CITIC Bank through continuous research, value-added services such as resume improvement, and financial resources such as "global visa" and "three cards" rights, but also provides member customers with a number of exclusive benefits and services such as overseas insurance, overseas consumption cashback, and cross-border remittance fee waiver.
For example, the "Study Abroad Blue Book" for every EasyGo member to read for free is a comprehensive study abroad guide written by China CITIC Bank for Chinese families, including cutting-edge study abroad information obtained by the bank through first-hand research, which can lead families to understand the latest development trends of studying abroad, enter the preparation process of studying abroad, and make plans for studying abroad.
It is understood that the EsayGo membership service system has fully covered more than 40 countries, coupled with the blessing of systematic products, making China CITIC Bank's overseas finance the first choice for more and more people going abroad. According to China CITIC Bank's 2023 half-year report, China CITIC Bank's overseas financial customers have reached 10.34 million, continuing to lead the industry.
In 2023, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of China CITIC Bank's overseas financial business, China CITIC Bank will create a number of marketing activities to further give back to its customers.
Heart-warming accompaniment: "Junior Walk" education service escorts students to pursue their dreams around the world
On the basis of the traditional overseas financial advantages, China CITIC Bank has newly launched the "Junior Bank" companionship children's education service system, taking customer needs as the starting point, selecting top partners, integrating global high-quality resources, committed to solving the pain points at each crossroads of family education, being a leader on the road of education, a companion of family education, and providing one-stop services for private banking customers and families throughout the life cycle, mainly including four sectors: warm companionship, overseas protection, future planning and characteristic finance. In terms of warm accompaniment, it provides full-path education consultation and planning, overseas course training resources, school visit accompaniment support, and customized services for study abroad applications; In terms of overseas protection, it covers rental car life services, overseas safety information services, medical consultation and health services, global airport high-speed rail and customs clearance travel services; In terms of future planning, including professional selection, career planning, internship and employment and other services; In terms of featured finance, it integrates private banks' exclusive wealth products, credit, visas, remittances, credit cards, family trusts and other contents.
China CITIC Bank also launched the "Junior Bank" themed credit card for private banks and children of potential private banking customers, focusing on overseas legal and overseas medical consulting services, million-dollar international rescue, study abroad payment, cash back for study abroad life consumption, free currency conversion fees and other rights and interests in the world, covering the needs of all stages of study abroad preparation, pre-departure preparation, and study abroad life, which can be used as an additional card for multiple types of main cards, which is more convenient, faster and safer.
"Smart" enlightens the future: set a benchmark for digital transformation and highlight the brand temperature
While continuously strengthening its business capabilities, China CITIC Bank Overseas Finance has accelerated financial innovation, used financial technology to build an ecological service system, and continued to make efforts in channel construction, intelligent application, scenario expansion, and cross-border remittance.
As early as 2018, China CITIC Bank took the lead in launching the Overseas Financial Services Platform Zone, equipped with application scenarios such as intelligent form filling and smart package recommendation, covering all aspects of overseas services. Since then, China CITIC Bank has accelerated its innovation in the digital transformation of overseas finance, such as optimizing processes and launching the industry's first "Study Abroad Exchange" product. Digitize visa services for 100 countries by 2020; In December 2022, the mobile banking overseas financial service platform was fully upgraded to realize online processing such as visa progress tracking and document review, which better met the comprehensive needs of users going abroad.
The construction of comprehensive digitalization of overseas financial business is conducive to the mutual adaptation of channels, customers, products and services, and the integration of resources and scenarios inside and outside the bank to shape a new business ecology. The core value of digitalization is also reflected in the sublimation of "digital transformation" and the service concept of "keeping the temperature", accelerating the development goal of "first-class technology-based bank".
In addition, China CITIC Bank extends its services overseas through cross-border integration of resources, creating a one-stop service ecosystem of "finance + non-finance" for overseas customers.
On the new journey of struggle, the financial industry shoulders the new historical mission entrusted by the times. China CITIC Bank will continue to make new contributions to deepening Sino-foreign exchanges and opening up education to the outside world, and cultivating high-level talents with international perspectives.