The preferences of people who use commercial banks have changed a lot over the past year, claims a recent survey. The respondents were asked about their top-priority proviso that could actually influence their choice of a type of deposit. The survey was conducted by SKB-Bank online via the corporate website www.skbbank.ru; 150 people responded altogether. The results of the survey were compared with those of the survey conducted in February 2006.

It thus appears that the interest rate offered on a deposit is still the top-priority factor for 35.7% of respondents (the majority of those surveyed) against 45.2% in 2006. Alongside with the interest rate, things like the topping up option (supported by 15.6% of respondents this year compared to 14.2% last year), capitalization of the interest (supported by 19% of respondents now against 16.2% in 2006), and the money-withdrawing option (supported by 13% of respondents in 2007 against 8.1% in 2007) were also important.

Over the year, people also grew more interested in prize-winning lotteries that some banks hold among their depositors: this year, the number of those surveyed approving of the idea reached 9.7% compared to only 2.5% a year ago, reports the bank’s press officer.