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Absa hits 2m SMS customers

Flexi market drives uptake of the popular banking service "NotifyMe"
By Absa
Johannesburg, 13 Mar 2008

Less than two years after launching its SMS and e-mail notification service "NotifyMe", Absa Bank this week reached the milestone of two million users.

Those registered for NotifyMe receive instant SMS or e-mail alerts of any transactions on their Absa accounts, and real-time balance statements, allowing them to keep track of their personal finances wherever they are.

"We are registering up to 40 000 new NotifyMe subscribers every week," says Christo Vrey, Managing Executive of Absa Digital Channels, "which indicates just how useful this service is to our customers."

As 62% of Absa's NotifyMe customer base is from the bank's "Flexi" market, it is clear the service is popular and important with the lower end of the market.

With NotifyMe you never have to make enquiries or travel long distances to find out, for example, if funds have been deposited into your account.

"People like to know exactly what is happening on their accounts, and this is a quick and convenient way to manage that," adds Vrey.

Absa sends an average of 22 million NotifyMe messages to customers every month, mostly via the SMS channel. The bank was recently honoured by Vodacom as one of the cellular operator's top five revenue-generating business partners for 2007.

Vrey expects strong growth in the NotifyMe service, aiming to reach three million subscribers by the end of the year.

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Absa

The Absa Group Limited (Absa), listed on the JSE Limited, is one of South Africa's largest financial services groups offering a complete range of banking, bancassurance and wealth management products and services.

Absa's business is conducted primarily in South Africa. In addition to this, the group has equity holdings in banks in Mozambique, Angola and Tanzania.

At 31 December 2007, the group had 679 million shares in issue and a market capitalisation of R75 billion.

At 31 December 2007, Absa had assets of R641 billion, 892 points of presence, nine million customers, 7 687 automated teller machines and 36 893 permanent employees.

Absa is a subsidiary of Barclays Bank PLC, which holds a stake of 58.8% in the Group. Barclays is a major global financial services provider engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services with an extensive international presence in Europe, the USA, Africa and Asia.

For more information, please visit the Absa Web site: www.absa.co.za

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