29th March 2023, Dubai: We return to Oman this week for another digital award. This time our analysts have been looking hard at the apps in the marketplace. We’ve long been fans of how the team at Alizz Islamic Bank have built such a simple, yet highly effective digital experience across their portfolio of Retail, Wholesale, SME, Female and Wealth management segments.
As is often commented, it’s easy to write ten pages on a topic. It’s far more difficult to write just a page. Simple is actually really difficult.
Their website is one of the best we’ve seen in the region and we really like the way the team has embedded key data points into the experience. For example, with every product, the team have added a ‘documents required’ section – making it incredibly simple for customers to understand what materials are needed to open an account. They’ve even included the option to download the required forms. It might sound strange that we’re highlighting these facts, but in many markets online or real-time account opening is not yet supported fully by regulation.
Making sure you’ve provided as much, clear, simple information for customers who have to bring materials to the branch is therefore very important.
In a region where often a screenshot and some generic ‘product copy’ is the standard approach, we think Alizz Islamic Bank stands head and shoulders above the competition.
When it comes to the bank’s retail mobile app, we have had the opportunity to use the app thanks to the support of one of our analyst team friends who is a customer. We found it incredibly lightweight, fast and beautifully designed, with balances and transactions displayed clearly and important functions easily accessible. We love the thought that the team have put into the mobile user interface – even down to the icon of the face wearing an Omani Masar (hat/scarf).
We’d like to congratulate Mr. Ali Al Mani, General Manager of Alizz Islamic Bank along with the bank’s digital team for delivering what we consider to be one of the best digital user experiences (“UX”) in Oman.
Assigned by Sebastien Parker
Senior Research Analyst
Global Banking Monitor
29th March 2023
Notes: Read about our Award methodology here.
