The Business Plan seeks to transform the Bank’s business model via a significant investment plan that focuses in particular on innovation.
To this end, in the second half of 2014 the new Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) Governance Area was set up; this Area, reporting directly to the CEO, is tasked with identifying, analysing and developing innovation activities together with the other Group functions. The Chief Innovation Officer Area is based in the new Intesa Sanpaolo tower in Turin, which was also conceived as the physical centre of innovation within the Group.

Technology is revolutionising banking, calling for increasing levels of flexibility and versatility in a quickly and profoundly changing market. Today, the customer experience is created at all moments and through all points of contact with the bank. A multi-channel model makes it possible to create a continuous bank-customer dialogue to offer an excellent experience thanks to the simplification of processes, more efficient and effective communications, and the integration of all physical and virtual channels.

Intesa Sanpaolo has an open and constructive dialogue with Consumer Associations, encouraging standing conciliation in order to strengthen the relationship of trust with customers over time and offer an additional opportunity to ensure and protect customer's full satisfaction with the quality of the products and services used. The procedure, which concerns products offered to retail customers (current accounts and linked payment cards, mortgages and personal loans), is simple, free and fast, with maximum case resolution times of 60 days.

To use and efficiently manage the large quantity of information collected from customers via the various channels, “Voice of Customer” was launched at the end of 2013 with the objective of collecting the suggestions and assessments received from customers within a single device.

To allow visually-impaired or blind people to withdraw cash, know their account balance or top up their mobile phone at ATMs, Intesa Sanpaolo has partnered with Unione Italiana Ciechi (Italian Association for the Blind) and developed an initiative that allows them to operate autonomously and safely. All Group ATMs in Italy (approximately 6,600) have been fitted with a high-visibility display.

Best meeting the new needs of customers, offering a better experience in line with what has been tested in other areas of consumption, building a solid and lasting relationship through a higher level of expertise and quality consulting are the distinctive elements of Intesa Sanpaolo's strategy to become the reference bank and preferred commercial partner of current and potential customers.

Retail and corporate customers

To ensure an excellent quality of products sold and a high degree of customer protection, Intesa Sanpaolo has promoted a consultancy-based model focusing on customers' needs, making the business proposal easier and more effective, and fostering purchase awareness. This model is also recognised by the European Directive on markets and financial instruments (MiFID) as that having the highest level of protection for customers.

In-depth and systematic listening to customers, through dedicated and innovative tools, and their proactive involvement allow understanding and anticipation of their requirements and expectations and the development of a customised commercial offering. The service models adopted and the enhancement and expansion of multi-channel operations ensure support to customers when and where they are more appropriate. Protection of customers in the product creation process and in the innovation of offering remains a key aspect.

For the Group's Italian banks and for some of its International Subsidiary Banks, Intesa Sanpaolo has activated an anti-fraud system that analyses all transactions carried out via Internet Banking in real time and identifies those considered to be questionable. Such transactions are then centrally verified by a specialised unit. Suspicious instructions are promptly verified to ascertain their truthfulness and accuracy, through direct contact with the customer and - when possible - those not recognised and not yet completed are revoked.