From 7,000 to 200,000 Calls: How Awash Bank Became Ethiopia’s CX Pioneer

Awash Bank, Ethiopia’s largest private bank, was growing fast, but its customer service model was stuck in the past. Like many financial institutions in emerging markets, its legacy systems—relying on suggestion boxes and inefficient landlines—simply couldn’t keep pace.

The bank’s leadership, driven by a commitment to digital transformation, knew a change was essential. Under the direction of Yohannes, the Director for Customer Experience and Quality Assurance, Awash Bank embarked on a strategic partnership that didn’t just upgrade its technology; it fundamentally redefined its customer relationship.

The Bottleneck: High Volume, Low Visibility

Before the transformation, the contact center was inefficient and inaccessible. While Awash Bank served over 15 million customers, the contact center was handling a mere 7,000 calls per month in its initial year. This wasn’t because customers were satisfied; it was because they couldn’t reliably get through.

This inaccessibility led to a crucial metric failure: Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) was painfully low, hovering at 50-60%. The old infrastructure had no recording or structured escalation, leaving agents ill-equipped and customers frustrated. The bank, being a pioneer in establishing the CX directorate itself, needed a pioneering solution.

The Exotel Solution: Enabling Massive Scale

Awash Bank recognized that to truly serve its market, it needed to be available 24/7 and demonstrate reliability. It chose Exotel, becoming the first bank in Ethiopia to adopt the platform.

The core of the strategy focused on two actions:

1. Structural Re-engineering: The CX directorate was restructured, and new, effective self-service channels were created using Exotel’s platform.
2. Simplifying Access: The bank collaborated with Exotel to overhaul its confusing IVR and report synthesizers. They successfully shortened the IVR route and made self-service options easy to use, while simultaneously training agents weekly to handle complex interactions effectively.

The Impact: Scale Meets Quality

The results of this digital overhaul were dramatic, confirming that customers simply needed a trustworthy, accessible path to support.

In just four years, the contact center’s performance transformed:

This explosive growth was not a burden but a validation. Awash Bank proved that by investing in a reliable, scalable platform, they could handle 200,000 monthly contacts while delivering elite service metrics. Critical escalations are now resolved in less than a day (95% resolution within 24 hours).

The Partnership: Setting the Benchmark

Awash Bank’s success has set a new benchmark for financial institutions across the region. They are now an industry reference point, with other banks visiting their contact center for experience sharing.

As Yohannes noted, this success is rooted in strong communication: “We had a lovely relationship with the Exotel team. Very supportive, very interactive.”

Awash Bank’s journey showcases how strategic digital transformation can turn customer service from a cost center struggling with complaints into a powerful engine for engagement, trust, and market leadership.

Read the full success story [link]