The future of the ASB branch on Picton St Howick, is in doubt.
The Times asked ASB to clarify whether or not the branch will be re-opening.
Craig Sims, ASB executive general manager Retail Banking said, “Our Howick branch will remain closed for now. This is because our branch teams are currently dealing with the mammoth task of proactively contacting 14,000 customers who are depending on us for urgent advice and guidance, as their current support packages are due to come to an end.
“As you’ll appreciate, these conversations are complex and time-consuming because we want to get it right for each individual customer who has been affected by Covid-19, through no fault of their own.”
Sims added, “We’re hoping the Howick community will appreciate the good intentions behind our decision, especially when a lot of branch banking needs are able to be done through self-service channels or at the nearby Highland Park branch. We understand our decision may lead to some frustration but it is well-intended, and we genuinely thank the community for their patience and ongoing feedback.”
Further comment was sought by Times on June 12 regarding whether the site will re-open at all, and whether the recent Covid-19 lockdown was instrumental in hastening the closure of unprofitable branches.
ASB has not responded to these further inquiries.
A list of branch availability can be found via the link below:
https://www.asb.co.nz/contact-us/covid19-branch-update.html
