Asiatrust gets Asian award

The prestigious Asian Banking Awards 2004 has recognized Asiatrust Development Bank recently for its special service for entrepreneurs, the SME Helpdesk.

From around 107 entries from 49 banks in 15 countries vying for the awards in eight categories, Asiatrust’s SME Helpdesk was among the three runners-up under the SME financing product or program category. It was one of only eight Philippine banks recognized in this year’s awards.

The bank product provides free expert financial advice to improve the entrepreneurs’ business and cashflow planning.

Last year, the Helpdesk offered user-friendly and affordable accounting and payroll software packages for SME’s.

The software packages were designed to empower SME’s with tools that make business backroom processes easier and more productive.

Bank clients can get the software at a special price.

"The product, in short, enables SME clients to help themselves," it said in a statement.

This is the second time the private development bank was recognized for its outstanding products and services by Asian Banking Awards, having won the best commercial credit product in 2000 for its CA/SA (cash account, savings account) manager, an auto-transfer current, and savings account with attached value-added products and services that would help the entrepreneur manage his cashflow better.

The awards program was presented by Asian Bankers Association (ABA) in cooperation with the Bank Marketing Association of the Philippines (BMAP), Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), Bankers Institute of the Philippines (BAI Phil), Institut Bank-Bank Malaysia (IBBM), Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), Mongolian Bankers Association (MBA) and Association of Russian Banks (ARB).