Business customers opened 1,460 accounts in SKB-Bank in November 2008, whereas a month earlier, 1,118 accounts were opened, and 761 accounts were set up in September 2008. ‘This record actually fits the pattern of the general trend. We get more new customers every month, and almost every opening of a bank account is accompanied by an e-banking agreement. This means we get more than new accounts, what we get is the new economically active customers,’ says SKB-Bank’s Business Development Director Evgeniy Pavlov. The bank executive reports the customers are attracted to SKB-Bank because it keeps

Alfa-Bank sustained 7.96 billion RUR worth of losses in November 2008, Vedomosti reports. At the same time, the figure came to 103.7 million RUR in October 2008. Alfa-Bank bought Bank Severnaya Kazna’s controlling shareholding on November 30, 2008, which is to result in loss of independence by the latter. An Alfa-Bank representative quoted by the newspaper explained that the decrease in profits had to do with having to build up on the lending portfolio reserves and to reassess the cost of the business’s securities.

Ural Airlines has recently introduced a passenger support service. Any of the company’s customers can call 8-800-2000-262 to find out about the timetable and pricing policies, book tickets or order extra services as well as learn about any other flight-related issues. ‘Ural Airlines’ call center has acquired both a new name and more skilled personnel. All the calls are now handled by experts who undergo continuous training, while the passenger support service is targeted at dealing with each caller individually. This means that, whatever his or her problem, every passenger is sure to get a

Bank24.ru came up with its financial recovery plan, the bank’s official website reports. ‘Things have by now become smooth again. Bank24.ru is busy implementing a whole range of financial recovery measures,’ the bank says. Bank24.ru’s website says the agreement to this extent was signed by Deposit Insurance Agency, Probusinessbank (Life Group’s leading bank), and Bank24.ru on December 4, 2008. According to the terms of this agreement, Bank24.ru’s financial recovery is to be handled by Probusinessbank. According to their action plan, the bank’s management expects all of the bank’s services to

‘The first prize in our Gold Deposit business customer offer comes to 104,290 RUR at the moment. This is the cost of the gold accumulated since the beginning of the special offer’s term. The weight of the prize keeps growing, and so does the number of business who chose to work with the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development,’ the spokesperson for the bank said to an UrBC reporter. ‘Gold will keep adding up until December 29, 2008. The prize will thus keep being accumulated from November 24, 2008 to December 29, 2008. The weight of the gold prize depends on the number of accounts opened