State Bank of India (SBI) is stepping up its digital push with a clear goal: to double the number of users on its YONO platform after rolling out a new and improved version of the app. From the current base of around 9.6 crore users, the country’s largest bank wants YONO to reach 20 crore customers in the coming years.
The new version of YONO has been designed to make everyday banking simpler and more intuitive. According to SBI Chairman C.S. Setty, the upgraded app brings together services across mobile phones, the web, and physical branches, offering customers a more seamless and consistent experience. Whether it is checking balances, applying for loans, or making payments, the bank wants customers to feel that digital banking is easy, reliable, and time-saving.
To ensure that customers are comfortable with the transition, SBI is not relying on technology alone. The bank plans to deploy nearly 10,000 staff members across its branches to help customers download the app, register, and learn how to use its features. This hands-on support is especially aimed at first-time digital users and customers who may be hesitant to move away from branch-based banking.
SBI believes that increasing digital transactions through YONO will also help reduce operating costs. Transactions carried out on mobile phones or online platforms are far cheaper than those handled at branches. By encouraging customers to shift routine activities online, the bank expects to improve efficiency while freeing up branch staff to focus on more complex customer needs.
The new YONO app also offers personalised insights, quicker approvals for loan limit enhancements, and the ability to handle a high volume of digital activity smoothly. These features are part of SBI’s broader strategy to strengthen its digital ecosystem and stay competitive in a fast-evolving banking landscape.
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