Merchant acquiring business launched

BankMuscat has hosted a grand dinner at Grand Hyatt as part of the launch of the bank's merchant acquiring business for credit cards, a press release received here said. Amidst an atmosphere of cordiality, the event marked the coming on board of all HSBC and other prospective merchants to the BankMuscat fold, the press release said. Those present included a galaxy of top representatives of the banking, financial and the hospitality industry.

Speaking on this occasion, Sunder George, deputy chief executive of BankMuscat expressed his delight at the new development and extended a warm welcome to all the new merchant members of the BankMuscat family.

"With this new move, we look forward to increasing customer delight at all levels, be they our merchant members or credit card users. In the coming months, we will be offering customized solutions, tailor-made to suit individual merchant requirements.
"We will constantly endeavour to upgrade existing technology to enable existing greater user convenience, and with innovative services and schemes that enhance customer relationships, both with the merchant members of our family as well as our new credit card holders," he added.

Robert Bray, chief executive officer of HSBC, bade farewell to the card merchant members and exuded confidence that BankMuscat would carry forward the high traditions and personalized levels of service that HSBC had provided so far.
Jonathan Cabedo, deputy general manager of Visa International, thanked HSBC for the good work done so far and commended BankMuscat's abilities to keep up with the latest in technology, expressing optimism that the merchant portfolio would achieve bigger successes, in the times ahead. While welcoming the new merchant members to the Visa family, Cabedo showed his happiness at the growing number of Visa cardholders in the Sultanate. Shaun Rashid, vice-president of member relations for MasterCard International felt that BankMuscat with its technological edge and as the largest bank in the Sultanate, was the ideal platform for growth as well as consolidation of the merchant portfolio in the times to come.