Calling service “the number one reason we are the leading bank in The Bahamas,” Commonwealth Bank officially opened the doors to its new $800,000 corporate learning centre recently.

Located adjacent to its Prince Charles Branch, the 8,740 square foot single story building  houses highly functional high-tech training facilities, including interactive digital and audio-visual equipment, conference rooms and motivational themes throughout.

“Service is what sets us apart, and that service does not come without constant reinforcement of its importance,” Bank President Ian Jennings said when the contract for the new learning centre was signed in late February.

Though the newly purchased and renovated space is the largest physical manifestation of its commitment to training, the $1.5 billion bank has never shied away from spending on human interaction and skills development, nor from rewarding those who provide exceptional service. It has sent management and executives to lengthy intensive leadership courses at the Richard Ivey School of Business, Stanford Graduate School of Business, ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and the CBA Executive Banking School The bank has also engaged everyone from those who keep the premises spotlessly clean to the chief executive in customer service training and continually rotates learning programs for all 500-plus staff members. It also rewards good service, including branch competitions.

The new facility designed by ARCOP Ltd. Architects and built by Watson Construction will free up much-needed space at The Plaza, Mackey Street which houses the Plaza branch, MasterCard credit centre and the bank’s head office.

The renovations were completed on time and on budget reported Director Earla J. Bethel, Premises Committee Chair.

“We were very fortunate. The job went absolutely according to plan, just over four months to the day for the renovations of an older building that was on the site, and we would like to thank David Lavin and the team at Construction Cost Engineering, quantity surveyors, and ARCOP Ltd. for project management, keeping everyone on track,”

According to Anthea Cox, Vice President of Human Resources and Training, the new centre facilitates the bank’s commitment to an ongoing learning culture.

“We are really excited about our new state of the art Corporate Learning Centre which will allow us to facilitate our in-house training in a modern, high tech learning environment," Mrs. Cox said.

The commitment to service is a priority of the President.

“At Commonwealth Bank, we believe it is not good enough to be good, nor sufficient to be satisfactory,” said Jennings. “At Commonwealth Bank, we are committed to seeing a smile on the face of every customer and although that customer has a choice when banking, we want them to come right back here next time they plan to bank; this facility will help us achieve this goal.”

Commonwealth Bank has 11 branches in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco, six of them with Saturday banking, in addition to numerous off-site ABMs for 24-hour banking. Since going public in the year 2000, the bank with more than 6,000 shareholders has not missed paying a quarterly dividend and has paid an additional extraordinary dividend in most years.

Commonwealth Bank officially opened its $800M corporate learning centre on Prince Charles Drive recently. “Service is what sets up apart and that service does not come without constant reinforcement of its importance,” said Bank President Ian Jennings. The 8,740 square foot building  houses highly functional high-tech training facilities, including interactive digital and audio-visual equipment, conference rooms and motivational themes throughout. L-R: Anthea Cox, Vice President of Human Resources and Training; Ian Jennings, President; and Earla J. Bethel, Director and Premises Committee Chair.

By Sandra Kemp

Diane Phillips & Associates