Russian Agricultural Bank (RusAg, the Bank) has won the contest “Best SME Banking Programme 2020” of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (CCI of Russia). To identify the winner, representatives of the business community have reviewed service programs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the key Russian banks.
Launched in 2016, this contest is an annual event within the scope of Golden Mercury, a national business award conferred by CCI of Russia under the auspices of the Bank of Russia, SME Corporation and SME Bank. The expert board and jury are current entrepreneurs, managers and owners of SMEs as well as federal agency experts, and the key objective of the event is to stimulate the development of top-quality banking products and services for SMEs.
This year, the contest was held online in two stages. During the first stage, the expert board reviewed banks’ applications to select seven best nominees. The shortlist for the finals was made using the criteria relevant for a business deciding which bank to choose, such as: does the bank have a programme specifically tailored to SMEs needs and what terms does it offer; how expensive is acquiring and a working capital loan for SMEs; can SMEs communicate with the bank online, etc.
“For us, SMEs programmes are of strategic importance. The award and appreciation we have received from the business community testify that the Bank’s payment and cash services are fully geared to ensure that customers’ financial transactions are executed in a prompt and convenient manner. With our new terms and conditions, which came out this spring, SMEs can streamline the way they make their payments and save time and money," said Irina Zhachkina, First Deputy Chairman of RusAg’s Management Board.
RusAg published a new tariff schedule of its cash and settlement services for SMEs in the spring of 2020. It offers a zero tariff for smaller companies, attractive terms for settlements and remote banking services as well as discounts for holders of a corporate card, which is offered free of charge.
Larger companies may be given additional discounts too, if they make an advance payment for services (3/6/9/12 months).