With UBS Ticino, greater skills and know-how at the service of clients

What will change in the future for customers?

Luca Pedrotti: «Unity is strength! It is of fundamental importance to us to continue to offer excellent services and products to meet the basic and more sophisticated needs of all our private, commercial and institutional customers. We present ourselves on the market with an even greater number of trained and competent collaborators, active throughout the Ticino area thanks also to our consolidated presence from Biasca to Ascona and from Lugano to Chiasso. Without forgetting our vast, constantly evolving digital offering which allows you to carry out a large number of transactions online, anywhere and at any time of the day."

In no other sector is trust as important as in the banking sector, and perhaps even more so in Wealth Management, the sector for which you are responsible in Ticino. Do you agree?

Luca Pedrotti: «Trust is and remains fundamental in the relationship with the customer because ours is a business made up of people. With the customer we want to create and develop a solid and lasting bond that allows us to offer the right advice at every stage of life: from opening the first account, to entering the working world, from purchasing the first home to retirement and even further. When there is trust it is easier to address delicate issues such as the transmission of assets to the next generation, an aspect that is very close to our hearts and in the client's interest. Thanks to our experience we can explore different variations and discover topics that are more difficult to talk about. We receive the best testimony of trust when the client at the end of the consultation tells us that he can now sleep soundly. It's really a great satisfaction."

Let's move on to the Personal Banking sector. It groups together all the branches, therefore the customer's first point of contact with the bank. Digitalization is making giant strides precisely in counter operations. How are customer habits changing on the one hand and the banking offering on the other?

Remo Crameri: «Until a few years ago it was normal for customers to go to the counter for their banking needs. In the meantime, thanks to the pandemic, we have witnessed an ever-increasing diffusion of our digital solutions, which is why we have pushed on the accelerator by increasing the offer which today is among the largest available on the market. With UBS key4 we offer the entire bank in one app, from payments to investment options, from pension provision to requesting mortgage offers and much more. Having said that, direct interaction with the client remains a strong point of our consultancy and our collaborators remain at the service of clients in our branches."

In which consultancy area are requests from clients increasing?

Remo Crameri: «For some time now, pension planning has played a prominent role. Many baby boomers are preparing for retirement and contact us to get an overview of their post-retirement finances. Added to this are practical questions on the choice between annuity or capital withdrawal and on possible early retirement. In this area we offer added value with an initial free consultation, evaluating the customer's options, desires and needs."

Another important sector is that in contact with the economy. Ticino is full of small-medium enterprises with multiple banking needs. How is UBS's offering developing in this area?

Marzio Grassi: «For us our personal advice remains the flagship. The know-how and skills we have acquired over the years position us as a bank for entrepreneurs. One of the particularly relevant issues is company succession which must be managed not only from the perspective of the passing of the company, but also from the point of view of the entrepreneur and his financial, social security and investment needs. Even in the sector I manage, digitalisation is progressing. UBS key4 business allows you to simplify administrative procedures. Opening an account is immediate, in just a few clicks, as is requesting a credit."

Real estate is of great importance for Ticino. There is currently a certain slowdown in new construction. What are the prospects?

Marzio Grassi: «In the recent “Real Estate Focus” we highlight the causes of the slowdown, namely the high vacancy in some reasons, increasingly stringent regulatory provisions, excessive appeals and ever-growing bureaucracy together with the increase in construction and financing costs. UBS recently signed a collaboration agreement with Wincasa, offering a comprehensive consultancy solution for the energy-efficient renovation of income properties in Switzerland. This offer is particularly attractive for existing, older properties in need of complete rehabilitation, offering new opportunities for construction companies. This is an important, long-term contribution for both income property owners, tenants and the environment as a whole."

The image:
Remo Crameri, head of Personal Banking Ticino, Luca Pedrotti, regional director of UBS Ticino and Marzio Grassi, head of Corporate & Real Estate Ticino