Akbank has set the benchmark in Turkish banking by fusing data-driven insight, research-led design and omnichannel agility into an effortlessly human customer journey.
Its flagship AI-powered digital assistant, conceived in 2019 and publicly launched in 2024, can now execute more than 200 end-to-end transactions daily. When the system detects friction, such as an e-commerce payment exceeding a card’s limit, the assistant feature triggers a push notification, raises the limit and finalises the purchase automatically, one of over 10 live use-cases that fuse service and sales without human intervention. Customers who still need help flow into live chat, underscoring an omnichannel model that unites branch, call-centre, remote, mobile and web touchpoints.
Digital loyalty was another area of focus over the review period. Late last year, the lender introduced a new digital loyalty proposition – with 2.5 million users enrolled, the initiative has already become the sector’s largest programme – which rewards heavier digital engagement with financial and lifestyle perks.
Investments in targeted portfolio management sharpened the appeal to younger users: micro-segments such as newly graduated students or first-time employees receive tailored benefits, helping the 18-26 cohort grow 10 % in 2024 and expand 3.5-fold over three years.
Such propositions rest on a platform customers trust. Digital migration for sales, transactions and monitoring reached 96% in 2024, and the average customer now logs into the mobile app more than 30 times a month – exceptional stickiness by industry standards. Inside the app, a dashboard zone offers Banking IQ insights, open-banking data and personalised campaigns, giving users a 360-degree view of finances across providers while nudging them toward healthier cash-flow decisions.
The average customer now logs into the mobile app more than 30 times a month – exceptional stickiness by industry standards
Back-office processes kept pace with client-facing innovation. The bank introduced fully digital onboarding, opening accounts immediately after electronic ID verification, and enhanced its cross-channel pre-approval engine that displays real-time credit limits the moment customers sign in, sustaining approval and conversion ratios that outstrip most private-sector peers.
The lender’s product development relies on a research-driven design loop: ideas are validated up front, user journeys are instrumented, and a living design system translates findings into consistent interfaces across all channels. The feedback pipeline is equally wide – 3.3 million pieces of customer input a year from surveys, complaints, social media and journey-specific CX checks. AI models categorise this data with 90%-plus accuracy, triggering improvements and feeding internal tools that broadcasts real-time customer stories to staff.
“At Akbank, we are leading a holistic, customer-centric digital transformation journey,” says Akbank’s CEO Kaan Gür. “Being named the best bank in customer experience in both Central and Eastern Europe and Turkey by Euromoney is a testament to the innovations we’ve introduced by placing our customers firmly at the heart of everything we do.
“We strive for simplicity, accessibility and excellence at every point of interaction, bringing innovative services to the Turkish banking sector. Through Akbank Mobile, our proactive assistant scenarios offer tailored solutions, while Akbanker of Mobile – Turkey’s most comprehensive customer rewards platform – delivers lifestyle benefits that go beyond traditional banking. Thanks to our strong digital capabilities, our digital active penetration is over 85% today, and our digital customer traffic is also at an all-time high. To further build on this momentum, we will continue to develop innovative ideas that capture global attention.”
