Some Christiana Scotia customers plan to leave bank amid digital push

Several members of Scotiabank's Christiana branch say they will be forced to withdraw their savings and open accounts in other institutions following the bank's announced plans to expand its digital footprint.

Scotiabank announced that come early 2021, six rural branches will go cashless while two will be shuttered as the bank rationalises its operations. 

While Scotiabank President David Noel downplayed talk of resistance from technophobes, customers in the northeast Manchester town have shared concerns about their competence and willingness to navigate online portals. 

Farmer and vendor Maureen Whyte said she had been banking with Scotia for years but was averse to engaging in digital transactions. 

"Me will keep it under mattress," she told The Gleaner. 

Whyte said that greater public engagement was required to ensure that the needs of all members were served. 

"Them have to find something for old people and the people who nuh understand these things ... . All this a go do is force old people to go seek assistance from young persons and them might even steal out the money," she added. 

Contract worker and a customer of the Christiana branch, George Coley, said he mainly uses ATMs but does in-person transactions occasionally. 

He, however, revealed that he was not familiar with online banking and was unsure whether he would continue his long-standing relationship with the institution into the new year. 

The development offers insight into the dilemma facing both banks and their customers – the need to trim budgets and maximise remote access to online transactions vs pushback from clients who prefer face-to-face interaction and the reassurance of a bankbook in hand. 

Analysis from the Bank of Jamaica shows annual average growth in electronic payments of about 24 per cent for December for the period 2014-2018. As Christmas beckons in a year that has been reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic, heightened interest in online platforms is expected to surge as people avoided crowded banking halls to avoid infection. 

Scotia said earlier this week that up to September, in-branch transactions accounted for less than six per cent of total transactions compared to 13 per cent in 2018. Online and mobile transactions now account for 30 per cent of transactions. 

That trajectory should see the enlistment of many holdouts against online engagement. 

Retired police officer Ogilvie Coley told The Gleaner that he will have to have sit-down talks with the institution to get a better understanding of the way forward before making a final decision.  

While some persons are aware of the impending changes, other members said they have not received official notification from the bank.

"To be honest, I only started learning how to use the computer since my daughter started online school. I am just getting the hang of using the ATM,” said a member who wished not to be named. 

“To hear that everything is going online, I don’t even know if that is safe because the criminals know every way fi take you money these days."

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