A Consumer-focused Account Promotion Strategy for Branchless Banking: The Case of Omni in Pakistan

Pakistan is considered a leader in the field of branchless banking but the sector remains dominated by Over-the-Counter (OTC) transactions. This case study examines the promotion strategies employed by United Bank Limited (UBL) Omni to transition 100,000 customers to mobile accounts over the course of one year (2012).The case study presents the results and description of several elements of the consumer-focused account promotion strategy, including agent training and engagement, agent incentives, technology and process improvements, and marketing activities. It also offers several reflections on the larger industry issue of the importance of mobile wallet accounts versus OTC customer transactions.