Capitec understands the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. Throughout this season of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, we’ve explored how affordable transactional banking and access to finance can help business owners grow.

But how does it all come together? And how did Capitec make such a strong impact on the business banking scene so quickly?

In episode 8, we reflect on the acquisition of Mercantile Bank just before COVID hit – and how Capitec's innovative approach helped shape the products, systems and client experience that followed.

This is The Finance Ghost in conversation with Karl Kumbier (Executive for Business Bank), Amrei Botha (Executive of Client Experience Delivery) and Sicelo Mkhize (Head of Distribution).

Episode 8 covers:

• Why understanding SME challenges is the starting point for better products and solutions – including Capitec's simple, transparent pricing structure

• The systems architecture of Capitec Business and why it was built to stand alongside the rest of our business

• How the pandemic shaped Capitec's blend of digital innovation and personal support in the business centres

• The rapid growth from 30 000 to 85 000 clients in just one year – and why individual clients still matter

• (00:00:00) - Finance Ghost
• (00:01:24) - Capitec's'simply the bank'
• (00:02:07) - The Future of Capitec in SA
• (00:04:47) - Buy Rather Than Build: Capitec's Business Banking
• (00:07:22) - How Capitec Went From Afresh to SMEs
• (00:08:54) - Capitec's Sixto Susello's story
• (00:10:23) - An Evolving Capitec
• (00:12:38) - A New Business Bank at Capitec
• (00:14:53) - The 4 fundamentals of Capitex Business Banking
• (00:17:04) - What Made Capitec Bank So Interesting
• (00:20:01) - Capitex Bank: No Silos
• (00:21:41) - Onboarding the Capitec Bank
• (00:25:28) - How Business Banking has simplified for our clients
• (00:28:32) - The Credit Card Innovation at Capitec
• (00:30:40) - How Citigroup's Relationship Suite has empowered its bankers
• (00:33:33) - Citi Business Center and the Relationship Suite
• (00:41:10) - Capitec Business Banking: Pricing
• (00:45:05) - Capitec Business Banking: Growing, Profits
• (00:47:30) - Clients' stories
• (00:49:59) - Multiple stories from the townships
• (00:50:57) - MR: Future of Business Banking
• (00:52:37) - Podcast