Business segments

The group conducts business activities in segments adapted in terms of products and services to specific groups of customers. Such division of business segments is consistent with the sales management model and the comprehensive product offer of the group.
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PKO Annual
Report Online
2020

The group conducts its business activities in two segments:

The retail segment offers a full range of banking products and services to individuals and as part of retail and private banking, and mortgage banking. Furthermore, it also comprises transactions with companies and enterprises, developers, cooperatives and real estate managers. The products and services offered in this segment include among others: current accounts, savings accounts, term deposits, private banking services, investment and investment-linked insurance products, credit and debit cards, electronic and mobile banking services, consumer and housing loans, business loans and leases, and factoring.

11 million
Customers
PLN 182 bln
Financing granted
PLN 312 bln
Savings volume

The corporate and investment segment includes transactions with corporate customers, local government authorities and financial institutions. Products and services of the segment comprise: transactional banking (including operating accounts), deposit products and other products for managing liquidity, trade financing, treasury products, loan-related products to finance current and investment needs (including lease and factoring). This segment also comprises brokerage activities and internal activities, i.e. managing the bank’s liquidity and investment activities.

16.5 thousand
Customers
PLN 71 bln
Financing granted
PLN 41 bln
Deposits volume

Retail segment

The offer of the PKO Bank Polski Group for individuals covers a wide range of credit, deposit and insurance products, and electronic banking services.

As part of its activities in the retail segment in 2020, PKO Bank Polski Group built strong and long-term relations with customers and supported them during the pandemic, by making available to customers a maximum number of remote processes. It focused on developing tools and access channels to enable customers to easily manage their finances from any place and at any time.

Individuals can take advantage of consumer loans in the form of cash advances, mortgage loans, revolving loans, credit cards and housing loans. Investment and investor loans, revolving loans, leases and factoring are available to companies and enterprises. The deposit and investment offer comprises the regular saving products, term deposits, investment products of PKO TFI and Treasury savings bonds.

The group’s offer provides insurance services, both those related and not linked directly to bank products, to all customers in the retail segment. Insurance linked to bank’s products is offered to customers in connection with, among other things, consumer loans and mortgage loans, checking accounts and bank cards. The offer of insurance independent of bank products includes, among other things, life insurance, insurance of real estate, travel, motor and the OnkoPlan oncological insurance policy, and insurance of leased assets.

Retail segment serviced nearly 11 million customers by the end of 2020 – almost 10.5 million individuals, including 16.3 thousand customers of Private Banking and over 0.5 million companies and enterprises. Since the beginning of 2020, the number of customers serviced in this segment increased by 72 thousand.

By the end of 2020, the aggregate financing of the retail segment customers amounted to nearly PLN 177 billion and went down by over PLN 3.1 billion (-1.7% y/y). The decrease in the foreign currency mortgage banking portfolio (of PLN -6.0 billion) was the main contributing factor.

 

Retail savings amounted to nearly PLN 312 billion and went up by PLN 48.7 billion (+8.5% y/y) in 2020. An increase in retail and private banking deposits (+13.2% y/y), Treasury savings bonds (+50.5% y/y) and deposits of firms and enterprises (+40.1% y/y) were the main contributing factors.

 

The group reinforced its position as market leader in terms of the number of checking accounts maintained (ROR). This number amounted to almost 8.3 million and went up by 245 thousand during the year. It covers all active accounts, which constitute growth potential for further cooperation with customers.

 

In 2020, the group sold nearly 284 million Treasury savings bonds (i.e. 64% more than in 2019), and the debt in respect of the Treasury savings bonds issued to the domestic market amounted (at nominal value) to PLN 40 billion and was more than PLN 13.4 billion higher than at the end of the prior year.

Nominal value of savings bonds for the domestic market.
Source: Brokerage Office of PKO Banku Polskiego

The group offers its retail and private banking customers 57 funds and subfunds for individuals in which assets amounting to PLN 32.2 billion have been accumulated (according to Analizy Online data).

In 2020, the group undertook the following activities with regard to housing loans:
  • ranted loans to individuals for a total of PLN 11.7 billion, which allowed it to maintain top position on the market with a share of 19.7% throughout 2020,
  • extended the offer to support borrowers with CHF mortgage loans until 31 December 2020 to limit the negative effects following from the changes in the exchange rate of CHF,
  • enabled concluding annexes to agreements for changing interest rates from fluctuating to fixed over a period of five years for the MIX mortgage loans and mortgage advances,
  • offered a “green mortgage” option according to which, based on an energy performance certificate for the property constituting collateral for the loan customers may be charged a lower margin.

Source: ZBP, sales data of PKO Bank Polski and PKO Bank Hipoteczny

With regard to consumer loans:
  • introduced new cash loan insurance packages for high amounts of loans (over PLN 100 thousand net of the amount applied for),
  • increased the maximum available amount of the loan for basic segment customers to PLN 200 thousand;
  • introduced the option of individualizing the price of cash loans,
  • introduced a new offer “Ekopożyczka” – loans for the purchase of photovoltaic (solar) panels and other ecological equipment and vehicles, available without the need to have an account with the bank,
  • introduced a new offer of external consolidation with a flexible price in the bank’s branches,
  • improved the process of remote sales with the participation of advisors.
With regard to loans for firms and enterprises:
  • introduced a new special offer for financing photovoltaic equipment addressed to those customers of the group who are entrepreneurs,
  • in cooperation with Operator Chmury Krajowej made available, as a pilot service, to customers who are firms and enterprises, the Cloud Disk service. The service allows saving files to an Internet disk (with a capacity of 100 GB), which allows the user unlimited access to those filed from a computer, smartphone or tablet, with ensured full privacy and security, and intuitive handling,
  • introduced new services, which include the automation and digitization of applications for granting the de minimis BGK guarantees through remote channels, a multiple signature mechanism consisting of certifying documents using an SMS code, the payment gate of eService which allows customers to pay with their cards, the BLIK code, make pay-by-link transfers and an e-wallet.
With regard to transactions and savings offer:
  • introduced Nowe PKO Konto za Zero (Zero-cost Account) to the offer addressed to those customers who use their accounts intensively, pay by phone or card and wish to use new technologies. The account provides the following free-of-charge services: maintaining the account, withdrawals from all ATMs in Poland using the BLIK code and abroad using the card, and free-of-charge multi-currency debit card at five non-cash transactions a month,
  • as of November 2020 it made available a new offer of company accounts with multicurrency debit cards. The cards are issued for accounts in 22 currencies. The new offer promotes active customers who chose PKO Bank Polski to be their key financial partner, and it fully replaces the former business account offer,
  • adapted the product offer to the current market conditions following, among other things, from the MPC’s decision to reduce interest rates, and among other things, it optimized the deposit product offer for firms and enterprises – it withdrew standard term deposits, negotiated deposits and automatic deposits from the offer.
With regard to investment and insurance offer:
  • made available to Personal Banking customers an investment advice service provided by advisors,
  • for participants of the Employee Capital Plans and Employee Pension Plans maintained by PKO TFI it introduced a system of discounts in OnkoPlan and Bezpieczny Plan insurance (10%) and a system of discounts for purchases of Moje Podróże24 and Mój Dom24 insurance through the iPKO Internet service (20% and 30% respectively),
  • made available an offer for insuring children PKO Ubezpieczenie Dziecka.

Corporate and investment segment

The Corporate and Investment Segment serviced over 16.5 thousand customers by the end of 2020: 8.6 thousand corporate customers, 1.3 thousand strategic customers, almost 5.2 thousand local and central government institutions plus budgetary and related entities, nearly 1.1 thousand foreign customers and over 0.3 thousand financial customers.

Since the beginning of 2020, the number of customers serviced in this segment has increased by over 0.6 thousand. The bank maintains its position as a market leader for servicing the largest local government units: it handles the budgets of 9 voivodeships and 9 voivodeship capital cities. The bank has been systematically reinforcing its leading position in the financing of the Polish economy, both on its own and as a major member of banking syndicates, with a share commensurate with its market position.

 

Under the offer of the bank’s subsidiaries, corporate segment customers may use lease and factoring products and services. Any fixed asset may be financed in the form of a lease, depending on the customers’ needs. Apart from standard products, the offer also includes services of renting car fleet and cooperation with suppliers.

The bank supports the Polish economy and participates in the financing of strategic investment projects and local government investments. Such financing takes the form of syndicated and bilateral loans or securities issues. Total financing of customers in the corporate segment (including loans, bonds issued and lease receivables) amounted to PLN 71 billion by the end of 2020 and decreased by PLN 2.6 billion (-3.5% y/y) since the beginning of the year.

The bank maintains securities accounts for customers and facilitates Polish and foreign market transactions, and acts as a depositary for pension and investment funds. The group offers wide access to funds to its customers for the financing of complex investment projects, and the services of advisors focused on selecting optimum forms of financing and repayment terms.

The level of savings of customers in the corporate segment as at 31 December 2020 amounted to PLN 46 billion and decreased by more than PLN 4.3 billion from the beginning of the year, mainly due to a drop in the largest customers’ sector current and term deposits. This drop was partly offset by investing more than PLN 4.5 billion in bonds issued by the group’s companies.

In 2020, the group undertook the following activities with regard to customer service and transaction banking:
  • implemented regulatory and functional changes, which enable opening and closing subsidy accounts for PFR financing of the “Large Enterprises” and “Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises” programmes,
  • implemented regulatory changes to enable the signing of documents provided under the Cash Management products for corporate segment customers using a qualified electronic signature,
  • adapted the product offer to the current market conditions following, among other things, from the MPC’s decision to reduce interest rates, and optimized the deposit product offer which included withdrawing the term deposits product,
  • introduced new Cash Deposit Machines (Wpłatomaty) in customer locations, which accept cash in PLN and EUR, which are accounted for on-line,
  • automated the SEPA Card Clearing service and implemented collective bookkeeping for the SEPA Direct Debit service for the purpose of the German branch.
With respect to financing and banking services, it concluded:
  • agreements for the comprehensive servicing of budgets of Kraków, Katowice and Rzeszów,
  • 143 communal bond issue agreements at a total value of PLN 1.55 billion.
With regard to financing the corporate segment customers:
  • 21 loan agreements in the form of a banking syndicate for a total of PLN 24.5 billion EUR 3.8 billion and USD 0.7 billion, in which the bank’s share amounted in total to PLN 4.7 billion, EUR 0.4 billion and USD 0.1 billion,
  • two agreements relating to the organization of corporate bond issues without guaranteeing the closing of the issues in the total amount of PLN 2.0 billion.
With regard to brokerage activities conducted by the bank’s Brokerage House:
  •  as a joint offeror and joint bookbuilder it conducted the IPO of Allegro.eu S.A. with a value of PLN 10.6 billion,
  • as an intermediary, it completed the subscription for the sale of shares of Energa S.A., announced by PKN ORLEN S.A., totalling nearly PLN 3.2 billion,
  • as the global coordinator and joint bookbuilder, it completed a transaction on the primary market according to the ABB procedure relating to CCC S.A. shares with a value of approx. PLN 506.9 million and a transaction according to the ABB procedure relating to X-Trade Brokers Dom Maklerski S.A. shares with a value of approx. PLN 111 million,
  • on behalf of Ghelamco Invest sp. z o.o., as part of its operations on the debt securities market, it completed in total issues of bonds with a value of PLN 350 million,
  • maintained nearly 135 thousand securities and cash accounts and over 252.8 thousand registration accounts – in terms of the number of securities accounts (according to the data of the National Depository for Securities) the bank’s Brokerage House ranked third among 36 participants in the market,
  • provided services concerning units in 432 funds and sub-funds managed by 11 fund management companies.

IT projects and new technologies

New functionalities and services offered remotely

The voice assistant appeared in the IKO mobile application in May 2020. Since mid-August, it has been available to all users of smartphones, both with the Android and iOS system. It can be used for example to order an ordinary money transfer to a defined recipient or a bank account number, transfer money to a phone number, check an account balance, search the account history, top up the phone, and pay with a BLIK code.

The assistant uses advanced analytics and artificial intelligence algorithms to understand the customer’s words and respond to them. The system understands natural language and does not require any special method of communication. By the end of 2020, the system talked to customers 330,000 times. Customers transferred PLN 1.9 million via the voice assistant.

In the second quarter of 2020, PKO Bank Polski implemented a voicebot in its call centre. The bot helps find answers to the most frequently asked questions relating to the effects of coronavirus on the bank’s operations, concerning e.g. requests for suspending loan repayments, checking the opening times of branches, preparing the bank for the epidemic threat, using ATMs, ordering cards and changing the limits, creating a trusted profile, changes of personal data, times of executing money transfers and regaining access to systems.

PKO Bank Polski implemented a video adviser function for customers in cooperation with Operator Chmury Krajowej and Google. The cloud technology used in the project allows customers to maintain a continuous relationship with their bank advisor irrespective of the external circumstances.

In cooperation with Autenti sp. z o.o., PKO Bank Polski introduced electronic signatures in the contacts between the bank and the customer. As a trusted third party, Autenti enables the verification of electronic signatures and electronic stamps. Additionally, Autenti enables satisfying the legal requirement of preserving the document so that it can be saved, reproduced in an unchanged form and read (a durable medium). Every signed document receives an Autenti certificate, which confirms the authenticity of the origin and integrity of the document.

PKO Bank Polski, in cooperation with PKO Leasing and Prime Car Management, launched the Automarket.pl platform which offers safe purchases of new and used cars with documented mileage. All cars undergo thorough technical checks. The customer can choose from a range of different forms of financing, and the vehicle can even be delivered to the customer’s door.

At the end of 2020, there were approx. 1,600 offers on the platform. From its launch to 31 December 2020, Automarket was visited more than 3 million times by 1.4 million users who made more than 15 000 inquiries about the vehicles presented on the platform.

In cooperation with PKO Faktoring, the bank launched the online factoring service, which is available on the iPKO transactional platform (the service can be activated and an invoice can be submitted for financing remotely without the need to visit a branch of the bank). Invoice financing is a product for small- and medium-sized enterprises that allows the customer to sign an agreement and obtain financing for up to 100% of the value of an invoice online – PKO Faktoring makes the payment to the issuer of the invoice before its due date and charges a commission for such service. The money is credited to the business account of the issuer of the invoice on the same day. By the end of 2020, 824 entities used this form of financing and the value of the financed invoices was PLN 5 million.

Bank’s customers may sell foreign currencies in the PKO Bank Polski currency exchange office though iPKO and transfer the PLN amounts immediately to their accounts with other banks. This service is free of charge and in order to use it a customer must add a personal account with another bank to the IKO mobile application. Online currency exchange is a simple and intuitive tool, which makes it possible to exchange currencies online safely and fast. The currency exchange service handles 10 foreign currencies – EUR, GBP, USD, CHF, DKK, NOK, SEK, CZK, HRK, HUF. Since launching of the currency exchange service in January 2018, 7.5 million transactions have been concluded.

The currency exchange service is one of the elements of the “three-in-one” currency package. The package also includes a foreign currency account and a multi-currency card. Online currency exchange is available 24/7 in the IKO mobile application and on the iPKO platform. Its functions include online tracking of foreign currency rates, sending text messages and push notifications when a given currency rate reaches a specified level, ordering automatic currency exchange when the rate has reached the required level and setting up standard orders to exchange currency on a specified day. Customers who have accounts with other banks may also buy foreign currencies from PKO Bank Polski paying with a BLIK code. No extra fees are charged for currency exchange transactions.

The bank also offered other e-services implemented in 2019: e-Accounting(e-Księgowość), e-Lawyer(e-Prawnik), e-Cash collection (e-Windykacja) and e-Identity (e-Tożsamość).

In November 2019, PKO Bank Polski was the first entity to launch an innovative service of investment advice based on full automation of the purchase process in remote channels. Inwestomat is characterized by intuitive navigation and simple communication with the customer. It helps understand difficult concepts and risks related to investing. Inwestomat presents possible market development scenarios and the recommended product, and in a simple way shows how to select appropriate funds which may help the customers attain their goal. The proposal takes into account the risk acceptance level, the expected rate of return and investment duration. Customers can use Inwestomat to invest funds starting from just PLN 100.

Two new functions were introduced in 2020: an online investment advisor and the opportunity to benefit from the PKO TFI retirement package. Personal banking customers may use the service through iPKO and through their advisor at a branch. As a result, customers using Inwestomat have already invested more than PLN 1 billion in the funds managed by PKO TFI. PKO Bank Polski is the first bank to offer investment advice as part of the integrated customer service at branches and through a remote channel to such a wide range of users.

Services based on cloud computing

In 2018, PKO Bank Polski initiated the establishment of National Cloud Operator, a company which is being developed by the bank jointly with the other shareholder, PFR. The strategic partnerships between the company, Google and Microsoft enable the bank’s comprehensive transition from the traditional IT model to the provision of cloud services. PKO Bank Polski will ultimately operate in a hybrid cloud.

Implementation of a durable medium 2.0

PKO Bank Polski implemented a durable medium 2.0. Due to the development of the technological infrastructure used in the previous version of durable medium, it will be possible to use the medium to deliver not only public documents (such as price lists, service rules and regulations) but also private documents assigned to specific persons. Credit card statements are already delivered on durable media. At the next stage, it will be used to deliver cash loan documentation.

Durable medium 2.0 was developed by PKO Bank Polski in cooperation with KIR, National Cloud Operator and technological companies. The solution is based on a combination of blockchain technology and the WORM matrix. It meets the highest data security standards.

Bank service desk of the future – VDA

PKO Bank Polski launched a modern virtual application and terminal (VDA) solution, which is based on cloud technology provided by Operator Chmury Krajowej. The VDA solution comprises:

  • a cloud drive for storage of all data which is now stored on the employees’ desktop computers – by the end of 2020 the data of nearly 9 000 users was migrated to the central repository,
  • unlimited mail – vault service, i.e. automatic archiving of emails to the cloud, which is now available to all employees of the bank,
  • a virtual workstation (terminal) in place of a computer – in the PKO Bank Polski network of branches desktop computers have been replaced with terminals with access to cloud services; in total, 8 888 desktop and 3 246 mobile terminals have been installed as part of this implementation.

Microsoft Teams

Due to the transition to the remote model of work, PKO Bank Polski adopted Microsoft Teams – a cloud-based Internet solution comprising a set of tools and services for team work. Microsoft Teams is available on Azure, a cloud computing service, as part of Microsoft 365. As at the end of 2020, Microsoft Teams, integrated with tools that support remote work, was used by more than 13 thousand employees of the bank.

Recording conversations of advisors

PKO Bank Polski launched cloud recording of the advisors’ conversations. The service is addressed to retail sector advisors and it makes it possible to store recordings of conversations with the bank’s Customers made on any device, e.g. a notebook or a mobile phone. It is used to provide remote services to the customers when it is impossible to meet in a branch.

Distribution network and access channels

PKO Bank Polski offers advanced technological solutions to its customers, providing them with complete, simple, functional and at the same time safe access to banking services using telephones. Digital banking at PKO Bank Polski is strongly supported by the IKO mobile application, which was voted by users the best mobile application in the world for two years in a row. The IKO application also won in the Special Award by Internet Users category in the last edition of the Mobile Trends Awards. It was voted for over 17 000 times.

 

The number of active IKO applications has exceeded 5 million. In 2020 alone, the users logged in to the application 1 150 million times, and the total number of logins since IKO’s launch in March 2013 until the end of 2020 exceeded 2.9 billion. IKO is the most popular banking application in Poland, with the biggest number of reviews in mobile stores (620 thousand) and a very high average score of 4.8 out of 5. The youngest customers of PKO Bank Polski under 13 years of age can use the PKO Junior mobile application to access their accounts. In 2020, the IKO application was expanded by:

  • opening an account on the basis of remote verification – a customer may open a PKO Konto za Zero, PKO Konto dla Młodych or PKO bez Granic account online from home, and his/her identity is verified based on the photograph on his/her ID and a selfie,
  • open banking, which allows adding the customer’s bank account with another bank to the application, so that IKO shows the balances of both accounts. At present the accounts with the following banks can be added: Inteligo, Santander Bank, Alior Bank, Bank Pekao, mBank, BNP Paribas, Bank Millennium, ING Bank Śląski,
  • combining the registration of a business with CEIDG (the Central Registration and Information on Business) with opening a business account with the bank,
  • an offer of insurance for customers’ children up to the age of 20 who permanently reside in Poland; the insurance cover is provided by PKO Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń,
  • payment for motorways – customers who have entered the details of their cars can pay for driving on a motorway from their account with the bank,
  • the possibility to buy gift cards for popular platforms: Allegro, Google Play, PlayStation, Xbox, Spotify, Netflix, CDA Premium, Nintendo, Microsoft.

The application allows automatic authentication of the customers calling the PKO Bank Polski call centre, as well as recovery and change of the password to the iPKO Internet platform and the telephone service.

The bank’s customers can use iPKO and iPKO biznes services as part of the electronic banking services. These services provide customers with access to information on their accounts and products, and enable them to effect transactions through the Internet.

iPKO service

The bank constantly promotes iPKO Internet banking among retail customers and small- and medium-sized enterprises. It includes remote self-management of accounts, banking products and other services. The customers have fast, safe and easy access to their funds (also those entrusted to some other companies of the group). Fees for using iPKO banking services are lower than the commissions and fees charged for the operations in the traditional channels of contact with the bank.

 

In 2020, PKO Bank Polski introduced the following new features to iPKO to make it easier for customers to use banking services:

  • the possibility to add documents to an application filed through a remote channel for a cash loan, renewable credit limit or a credit card,
  • remote signing by customers of offers processed by an advisor at a branch as part of credit pre-limits under the Fabryka Ofert (Offer Factory) project; the agreement is automatically sent to the customer for signature through iPKO,
  • new operations for business customers – loan activation or early repayment, appointment and cancellation of the appointment of a proxy for a business account, closing an auxiliary account, waiver of a credit limit, or filing an application to simultaneously register a firm and open a business account,
  • activation of tourist vouchers,
  • the “Moje aktywa” (My assets) function, which gives the customers access to a transparent list of all their financial assets (e.g. deposits, bonds, funds) in one place,
  • the possibility to use iPKO by Customers who do not have accounts with the bank, but who have Employee Capital Plans (PPK) or Employee Pension Plans (PPE) with PKO TFI or a cash loan with the bank,
  • the function of checking PPK and PPE register balances and the transaction history on such registers, provided that the registers are maintained by PKO TFI,
  • informing about the estimated total amount of transfer in the currency of the account from which the transfer is sent before the payment transaction is authorized. The information also includes all transaction fees and fees for currency translation,
  • new appearance of the iPKO home page and the log-in screens of the e-Tożsamość (e-Identity) platform and the ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) Electronic Service Platform.

iPKO business service

The iPKO business electronic banking system is addressed to all institutional customers who wish to have online and mobile access to the standard products and specialist banking services. In 2020, PKO Bank Polski made new functionalities available to the iPKO business users:

  • a virtual account module and the possibility to make orders for transactions from virtual accounts,
  • digitization of orders for e.g. cards or secure envelopes, activation of modules and sending e-Documents through iPKO business,
  • a card module, which allows ongoing control of transaction history, available funds and limits on a business card; the application also allows setting up or changing PIN and card activation or blocking,
  • bank also expanded the existing functions – bank statements, reports, white lists of counterparties, and simplified ordering transfers abroad,
  • customers could file applications (and appeal against negative decisions) for PFR Financial Shield subsidies for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises through iPKO and iPKO business.

The Contact Center of PKO Bank Polski plays an important role in serving retail segment customers. Its purpose is to sell the bank’s products during incoming and outgoing calls and to provide efficient and effective customer service via a phone or the Internet.

PKO Bank Polski’s hotline employs several hundred consultants who remain at the customers’ service 24 hours a day. The consultants not only handle telephone calls but also answer customers’ questions and requests electronically – e-mails and website requests. Customers may also send messages in the iPKO or Inteligo transaction service.

As part of the robotization of the customer service process, since 2019 Contact Center consultants have been using the support of a robot, which presents responses to the verification questions during a call. This reduces the duration of conversations between the consultant and the customer by up to 20 seconds. Due to increase activitity of customers in remote channels, the number of incoming calls to the Contact Center increased by 17.8%, and the number of e-mails by 72.8%.

PKO Bank Polski, with an eye to providing convenient access to its products and services, provides its customers with a wide network of retail branches and agencies, private banking offices, corporate branches, as well as branches located abroad. The optimization of the branch network is carried out on a continuous basis, and decisions on whether to open a branch on a particular micro-market are made by reference to economic criteria, taking into account the growth potential of that micro-market (retail branches) and optimization of the coverage of business areas (corporate branches). At the end of 2020, the network of PKO Bank Polski’s branches comprised:

  • 943 retail branches organized into 10 regional divisions, 8 private banking offices and 11 corporate banking offices,
  • 23 regional corporate centres organized into 7 regional corporate branches, as well as the branches located in Germany and Czech Republic,
  • 492 agencies that complement the bank’s branch and ATM network.

In relation to the end of the year 2019, the total number of retail units decreased by 101, including 100 retail branches, and the number of corporate units decreased by 10 regional corporate centres. The costs of liquidating branches in 2020 amounted to PLN 5.5 million. This amount mainly includes the costs of restoring the premises to their original condition and the costs of compensations resulting from the agreements signed with the property owners. The compensation costs do not increase the value of the lease agreements; they only change the dates of charging the costs to the bank’s financial result due to the earlier payment of rents.

The decrease in the number of branches is a result of the digital transformation, which is one of the key elements of the consistently implemented development strategy of PKO Bank Polski. The digital transformation supports customers switching to remote service channels and at the same time implements the assumptions of the government project “From paper to digital Poland”.

Operating data of the retail and corporate segment:

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
Number of branches in the retail segment: 972 1,073 1,113 1,153 1,198
regional retail branches 10 11 11 11 11
retail branches 943 1,043 1,083 1,132 1,179
private banking branches 8 8 8 8 8
corporate banking branches 11 11 11 2 0
Number of branches in the corporate and investment segment: 32 42 42 41 40
regional corporate branches 7 7 7 7 7
regional corporate centres 23 33 33 32 32
foreign branches 2 2 2 2 1
Number of ATMs 3,022 3,080 3,133 3,190 3,206
Number of agencies 492 538 577 745 837
In 2020, the bank established a new Corporate Branch in Slovakia, which started operating in March 2021 – the branch is not accounted for in the above table.

 

The bank is constantly improving customer service conditions in the branches as part of the so-called New Format of Branches. The model assumes creating a modern bank facility which is friendly to customers and the bank’s employees. The new standard is supported by new technologies – the WIFI zone, self-service cash desks, possibility of topping up mobile phones, LCD monitors, tablets, authorization of selected customer orders using text messages. All these technologies strongly support educating the customers and changing their habits.

PKO Bank Polski constantly develops Private Banking and enables customers to access a wide range of financial products and instruments. The Private Banking Offices serve customers in the largest cities of Poland: Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kraków, Katowice, Poznań, Wrocław, Łódź, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz (the branch is a part of the Private Banking Office in Szczecin), Białystok and Lublin (the branches are a part of the Private Banking Office in Warsaw).

By the end of 2020, the Private Banking Centre managed a portfolio of assets with a value of nearly PLN 45 billion. During 2020, the number of the customers served by the Private Banking Centre increased by more than 6% to 16 300 at the end of the year.

The Corporate Banking Centre of PKO Bank Polski is an optimum environment created for the development of businesses with revenues ranging from PLN 5 million to PLN 30 million and similar product and service needs. A separate Corporate Banking Centre makes it possible to build the image of PKO Bank Polski as a reliable business partner for Polish businesses thanks to:

  • its service team,
  • creating a specialized group of nearly 150 mobile advisors cooperating directly with credit analysts,
  • improving the advisors’ credit competence, better matching of the product offer and price range to the customer’s needs, and reducing the waiting time for a credit decision due to improvements in the lending process,
  • limiting paper documentation in relations with the bank, remotely communicating with customers, as well as automating the processes using iPKO business.

In 2020, the number of customers served by the Corporate Banking Centre increased by nearly 13% to 13.4 thousand at the end of the year.

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