Shinhan Bank topped the bank category in the 2014 National Customer Satisfaction Index ― a record it has held for two years in a row. The bank was also placed first in four other customer satisfaction surveys in 2014.

The accomplishment is significant as all the surveys were conducted by customers who have received service from the bank.

Shinhan Bank said it was able to become a leading bank in customer service as it has emphasized “Customer First” as one of its core values since its foundation, something the bank’s executives have continuously strived to uphold.

Shinhan Bank has a history of maintaining a customer-friendly management since its founding days. It started a “customer satisfaction business” in the early 1980s, back when the concept of customer service was unheard of in Korean financial groups.

The bank’s service ethic was deemed innovative and it soon became a business standard in the industry.

Shinhan was also one of the first Korean banks to introduce various financial services in the country, such as ATMs, self-service stations, Internet banking and one-stop banking.

In 2011, it introduced a distinctive service quality control indicator called “Service Capability Level” to systematically manage the bank’s level of service. Shinhan also introduced a “Customer Protection Index” in 2012 to assess whether customers have been appropriately catered to.

Shinhan Bank stated it would continue to cater to customer needs in the ever-changing financial sector through innovative and differentiated services.

By Sang Youn-joo (sangyj@heraldcorp.com)