Preferential loans made by Center-invest Bank under its own loan programmes and government-subsidised programmes have helped save over 5300 jobs in southern Russia.
Since signing up to government loan programmes to support business recovery and help employers pay salaries, Center-invest Bank has enabled 280 hard-hit businesses to keep trading and preserve 5312 jobs.
Under these programmes, Center-invest Bank has lent SMEs RUB134m in interest-free salary loans, and RUB310m in business recovery loans with a preferential interest rate of 2% per annum. The main recipients of these loans have been businesses in the transportation sector and various service sectors (in particular, sport, tourism, the restaurant, beauty, and entertainment industries).
In May 2020 the bank launched a new “Business Transformation” loan programme, thanks to which 416 companies in southern Russia have transformed their businesses to reflect the realities of the new distance economy. The loan product takes the form of a 12-month credit line, with an annual interest rate of 9.5% per annum. In autumn, an offer was added to the programme, combining attractive terms for payments and cash management, with reliable acquiring and a free online cashier.
“In a distance economy, customers need their banking interactions to be as quick and responsive as possible, with digital options,” says Maria Khristolubova, deputy head of Center-invest Bank’s SME Division. “Customers can apply online on the bank’s website to open a current account, or to obtain a loan or bank guarantee. This is convenient for both the bank and our customers. By using big data from all open sources, we have reduced the time taken to review loan applications and issue loan decisions to just a few hours.”
Center-invest Bank is accelerating its customers’ business transformation, by providing comprehensive, anti-crisis programmes to help companies to not just stay afloat, but to increase their turnover, and enter new market niches.
Customers can apply for any Center-invest Bank business product or service remotely, by submitting an online application on our website, www.centrinvest.ru.