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Implementing a development plan keeping pace with latest updates and enhancing the Bank’s leadership positioning and its network of branches
178 branches distributed across the Sultanate’s Governorates and more than 850 Physical (Self-Service banking) machines to serve over 2 million customers
Muscat, 11 December 2023 – Bank Muscat’s network of branches distributed across the Sultanate’s Governorates represents the Bank’s main interface and a major channel set to deliver a suite of diverse banking services and facilities to customers. Since its establishment in 1982, Bank Muscat has taken strategic steps and implemented a long-term plan to expand its network of branches, design them with the best business safety and security standards, and equip them with the latest technologies that keep pace with the recent developments. The Bank’s endeavor to expand its branches stems from the Executive Management’s belief in the necessity to save customers’ time and effort and make the various services and facilities accessible.
Therefore, the Bank today is taking immense pride in its expansive network of branches reaching a total of 178 branches, out of which 5 branches are dedicated to corporate customers, 27 branches are dedicated for Meethaq’s Islamic Banking customers, 5 branches for institutional customers, and over 850 ATMs and CDMs available at the branches across the Sultanate. This, consequently, makes the Bank’s services and facilities available even in the less populated areas which are equipped with mobile ATMs and bus-based Banking Units, aiming to benefit as many customers as possible. To maintain its continuous growth and success and uphold its leadership positioning in the Sultanate’s Banking industry, the Bank persists in implementing new strategies with more branch inauguration plans as well as relocation of some of other branches while ensuring they are in distinctive and spacious areas and that they feature modern designs and technological advancements, aiming to keep pace with the recent and future advancements, enhance customers’ banking experience, and strengthen the Bank’s leadership position.
In line with its commitment to organizing regular media visits, Bank Muscat, the leading financial services provider in the Sultanate of Oman, has recently organized a media visit for a number of media representatives to the Bank’s newly inaugurated branch in Al Mouj Street, Muscat. The visit aimed to introduce the audience to the services and facilities offered to customers at the branches and to shed the light on the Bank’s strategy of enhancing its branch network in terms of design, space, the types of services and utilities available to enhance financial inclusion. The visit also comprised a presentation on the wide range of banking services and facilities offered to customers at the branches. This, in essence, provides the audience with a room for an open exchange of ideas with officials from the Bank and to raise queries on the Banking services, thus, resulting in a strengthened and enhanced relationship between the Bank and its customers.
During the media conference, Bank Muscat’s officials emphasized that the Bank’s branches represent a main point of contact with its customers from across the Sultanate. Therefore, the Bank ensures that its network of branches is equipped with a diverse suite of services and facilities to enable fast and seamless transaction processing and allow customers to enjoy an enhanced and one-of-a-kind banking experience. In addition, it is worth noting that Bank Muscat represents today the first choice for over 2 million customers. the Bank’s strategic plans of enhancing its network of branches with new and modern designs demonstrates its commitment to keeping pace with the latest multi-aspect advancements. The new branches are also designed to ensure the availability of a comfortable work environment characterized by safety and security features and equipped with qualified and experienced Omani employees to serve different customer groups, including persons with disabilities.
Bank Muscat officials said that customers may avail multiple services and offering when visiting the Bank’s branches, including opening children saving accounts, requesting for personal financing, home financing, car financing as well as applying for various banking cards such as debit, credit, and prepaid cards. In addition, to provide customers with the best services, most of the branches comprise desks customized to serve customers applying for home financing “Baituna” and “Sayyarati” financing, and other customized desks for “Najahi” Business Banking. These branches are also equipped with over 47 “Asalah” Private Banking centers distributed across the Sultanate.
To better serve customers, Bank Muscat is constantly committed to developing its Internet Banking and Mobile Banking platforms to enhance customers’ experience with secure, seamless, and quick option to initiate their transactions. Hence, it is worth noting that over 1.6 million registered customers today are taking advantage of the offerings and facilities provided to them online, including bill payments, money transfers within the Bank and to local banks, or money transfers across the globe via “SWIFT” network. Not only that, but customers may use the Self-Service banking machines which include over 850 ATMs, CDMs, and multi-use machines available at the Bank’s branches and distributed in many locations across the Sultanate to initiate transactions like depositing money, creating and resetting PIN codes for debit cards, credit card and prepaid card, and connecting debit cards with multiple accounts. Through these machines, customers may also avail credit card payment services, deactivate prepaid cards, transfer money to multiple accounts, request for a 12-month account statement, and pay fees associated to school.
Speaking about the media visit, Abdulnasir Al Raisi, General Manager, Personal Banking, Bank Muscat, expressed his appreciation to all media representatives from different institutions for their continuous cooperation and successful partnership in the events and initiatives organized by the Bank. The different media channels pivotally contribute to introducing the Bank’s customers to the latest updates and developments Bank Muscat achieves. The Bank will continue its partnership with the media in pursuit of the common objective of serving the entire community.
Furthermore, Abdulnasir Al Raisi illustrated that the Bank adopts strategic development plan aiming to enhance its network of branches distributed across the Sultanate to serve customers with the banking services and offerings provided. He added that from the Bank’s executive perspective, these branches constitute a key link between the Bank and its customers thereby the latter are enabled to enjoy the banking offerings and services provided to meet their diverse needs and requirements. In addition, Abdulnasir Al Raisi emphasized that the Bank has set its branch expansion strategic plan to keep pace with the incremental progress the banking landscape has seen today and to ensure that the Bank’s branches are equipped with the amenities and means of comfort and security to enable facilitated and fast transaction processing for customers. In commitment to its vision “To serve you better, every day,” the Bank will continue to enhance its network of branches by inaugurating more branches at different locations. Hence, Abdulnasir Al Raisi deliver his thanks to Bank Muscat’s customers for their continuous confidence in the Bank’s services offered to them and equally expressed his appreciation to the employees at the branches for the great effort they exert when serving customers. Their dedication, he explained, contributes to upholding the Bank’s excellence and leadership position.
Saleh Mohammed Al Maaini, Deputy General Manager, Capital Regions, Bank Muscat expressed his happiness about the media visit through which the Bank seeks to familiarize all media representatives and the Bank’s customers with the recent updates and various developments that the Bank’s branches have witnessed. He explained that the Bank is committed to enhancing its branch network all over the Sultanate by equipping all branches with all the facilities and necessities required to provide customers with the best banking services. These branches, he highlighted, represent the Bank’s primary interface and loop of contact with customers.
In addition, Saleh Al Maaini clarified that the Bank’s network of branches provides a suite of diverse banking services and products that cater to the needs of customers. The branches are designed attractively and in accordance with the standards adopted in the banking industry. They are also equipped with advanced technologies to ensure that customers enjoy a satisfying environment backed with all sources of comfort to complete their transactions in a seamless and fast manner. Muscat Governorate is populated and it experiences big economic and commercial growth, a main driver behind Bank Muscat having expanded its branches across the Governorate for customers to avail the Bank’s services and facilities. Needless to say, the Bank through its development plan has inaugurated a number of new branches located in Al Mouj Street, Al Hail, Sultan Qaboos Street, Amerat, in addition to the recently inaugurated branch in Al Khoud-6.
Taya bin Eid Bait Sabeea, Deputy General Manager, Interior Regions, Bank Muscat’s strategic plan of expanding its branch network across the Sultanate will enable customers to access and benefit from the Bank’s services and facilities in light of the development which the Sultanate’s Governorates witness. This, as a result, called for a need to provide customers with diverse and distinguished services and products at the Bank’s different branches strategy which Bank Muscat upholds to enhance customers’ experience. In the same manner, the Bank’s Executive Management gives high importance to continuously enhancing its network of branches with the aim to offer customers a distinguished set of services and facilities provided at these branches which feature a comfortable environment for processing transactions and include desks customized to a suite of financing products that appeal to customers. The Bank is also committed to the development of its staff in order to equip them with various skills necessary for the well-serving of customers.
Taya also highlighted that the Sultanate’s Governorates are populated, and they witness huge development and growth in many commercial sectors. For over 40 years, Bank Muscat have taken proactive steps to keep pace with these developments through expanding its network of branches across Oman to ensure customers’ easier and faster access to various services. Excluding the branches in Muscat, the number of the Bank’s branches in the Governorates stands at 90. Therefore, with this expanded network of branches, Bank Muscat owns the largest number of branches in the Sultanate’s banking landscape. In commitment to its vision, the Bank will continue to implement strategic development plans and embrace innovation in the course of business practices.
On the online banking services, Abdullah Al Jufaili, Assistant General Manager, Digital Banking Services, Bank Muscat explained that the Bank’s network of branches distributed across the Sultanate features modern technologies enabling fast and efficient transaction processing. The Bank is also pioneering in implementing advanced technologies and digital systems, indicating that the field of information technology plays a key role in developing the manner businesses are run, which results in the Bank’s customers and referrals enjoying an enhanced and unique banking experience. Hence, Abdullah Al Jufaili pointed out that the Bank over the past period has been developing its online platforms and offering customers multiple online services to ensure safe and quick processing of transactions, which has resulted in an increase of the number of the Bank’s online platform users.
Adding to the various banking services available at the branches distributed across the Sultanate, Abdullah Al Jufaili explained that Bank Muscat’s Internet Banking and Mobile Banking platforms have become a primary choice for over 1.6 million users of these channels to initiate transactions and avail the offerings provided to them. Furthermore, the Bank owns over 850 ATMs, CDMs, and multi-use machines distributed across the Sultanate and that customers may also use to complete their transactions. Bank Muscat continues to develop its banking machines as well as online platforms to keep pace with the increasing number of users and to ensure a strategic implementation of innovative and better customer-serving channels in line with the Bank’s vision and the digital transformation perception within Oman vision 2040.
