Chaminda Senewiratne, Assistant General Manager and Head of Digital Banking at Seylan Bank, shares insights into Seylan’s digital banking strategy which centres on accessible, customer-driven innovation. Chaminda and his team design digital solutions to meet the unique needs of Sri Lanka’s diverse banking population, from urban clients to rural farmers. By focusing on usability and practical functionality over generic app features, Seylan enables customers to benefit from digital tools that fit seamlessly into their everyday lives. This approach embodies the bank’s vision for an inclusive financial future—where digital empowerment enhances accessibility, ensures security, and strengthens Seylan’s role as a trusted partner in each customer’s journey.
How would you define Seylan Bank’s digital banking strategy, and what sets it apart from other banks in Sri Lanka?
At Seylan, digital innovation is not just a feature but a core pillar, fully aligned with our mission to enhance customer experience and promote financial inclusion. Rather than pursuing stand-alone digital milestones, we craft solutions that directly address the needs of our diverse customers. This approach is embedded in Seylan’s overall strategy—supporting our goal to bring practical, accessible banking to everyone. For instance, when creating solutions for rural clients or farmers, we focus on usability rather than sophisticated app features, allowing customers to engage with our digital tools meaningfully, regardless of their background. Ultimately, our digital strategy reflects our broader vision: to guide customers into a more inclusive, digitally empowered future where Seylan’s services are relevant, supportive, and aligned with their lives.
Can you share some of your initiatives to improve digital banking services?
Our bank has a long-standing reputation for pioneering digital solutions designed around the customer. Over 15 years ago, we launched Palm Top banking, enabling on-the-spot onboarding through a tablet, eliminating paperwork and bringing banking services directly to areas with limited branch access. This approach fulfilled an unmet need and set a foundation for digital transformation.
Since then, we have continuously expanded our offerings, including 24/7 online chat support. This service has proven invaluable, especially for customers abroad or corporate clients seeking real-time assistance. Our digital solutions, designed to adapt and improve, ensure every interaction is convenient, accessible, and supportive of the needs of each unique customer.
Today, our digital strategy focuses on evolving alongside customer expectations, enhancing accessibility and convenience. By prioritizing practical, user-friendly technology, we aim to make digital banking more intuitive and consistent, establishing the bank as a trusted, supportive partner in every financial journey.
AI and automation are transforming industries everywhere. How is Seylan Bank leveraging these technologies in its digital banking services, and what kind of impact has it had?
AI has become a focus, and our bank has already integrated some AI-driven services to enhance customer experience. For example, our system can handle customer inquiries 24/7, so clients receive timely responses without waiting for business hours. Looking ahead, we plan to utilize AI for smoother onboarding and to equip our relationship managers with personalized insights. This way, RMs can anticipate customer needs at each life stage—for instance, offering student loans to recent graduates or home financing options as they approach new milestones. AI will help us proactively engage customers with relevant products at the right time, sustaining personalized relationships even as customer needs evolve. This segmented, targeted approach allows us to build lasting relationships with tailored service, all supported by AI-driven insights.
How does Seylan Bank ensure the digital banking experience remains seamless, secure and personalized for its customers?
Digital security is a priority, and we take it seriously while ensuring a smooth customer experience. Each of our customer segments has unique needs, so we craft digital solutions with that in mind—offering mobile apps for retail clients and robust desktop platforms for corporate users. Our security measures go beyond the basics, using a soft token system within our app for secure, unique code generation protected from interception. We also add an extra layer with randomized security questions for identity verification. Additionally, our OpenAPI Banking Stack lets fintechs and corporate clients integrate our services directly into their systems, allowing secure, seamless transactions without logging into our platform. This way, we balance security with accessibility in every interaction, in all segments and sectors the Bank serves.
Looking ahead, what are Seylan Bank’s key priorities in continuing to innovate within the digital banking space?
Our strategy revolves around understanding and meeting customer needs, advancing Seylan’s vision as a comprehensive banking partner. By tailoring digital solutions for different customer groups, we make it easy for anyone to open accounts, access services, or upgrade without a branch visit—streamlining each experience and keeping it personal.
Collaboration is central to our approach. Rather than developing every solution ourselves, we team up with fintech partners who bring specialized customer engagement tools while we provide secure banking support on the backend. This partnership model lets us enhance digital services and reach more customers efficiently, maximizing growth without duplicating resources. Ultimately, by combining our infrastructure with fintech expertise, we offer seamless, relevant banking solutions that keep customers at the heart of innovation.