Business returning to pre-Covid-19 levels: HDFC Bank MD Aditya Puri

HDFC Bank Managing Director Aditya Puri on Wednesday said the lender's business is returning to pre-COVID-19 levels and full normalcy is expected to be restored soon.

Launching the second edition of the bank's 'Festive Treats' offers, Puri also urged customers to shake off the gloom and return to the buying mode.

"COVID has created hassles in all our lives, we have to stay with it for some time. But we have to change the environment and this state of mind. Our endeavour is how to change this.

"As COVID has come, it also has to go one day and in any case, the whole world has to learn to live with this. You choose how to live with it, either complain or adjust by being safe and adapting to the situation," he said.

Puri said business is getting back to normal now and going forward it will be fully back to pre-COVID levels.

Through the 'Festive Treats' platform, customers can avail special deals on all banking products -- from loans to credit cards -- as well as more than 1,000 offers from leading merchants across product categories. Besides, it has over 2,000 hyperlocal offers to cater to semi-urban and rural areas.

"COVID will continue to stay for a while and we have to learn to live with it. As far as Festive Treats is concerned, we are all pretty much fed up with the doom and gloom. But people have started to spend, going forward we will actually see it going to pre-COVID levels.

"We are seeing tremendous demand, we are offering 30-35 per cent discount (on Festive Treats platform), toh bhaiya le lo (so just buy it!)," added Puri.

In light of the COVID-19 situation, all deals and offers this year can also be availed digitally, in addition to branches, partner stores and dealerships, HDFC Bank said in a release.

On the heels of its 'Summer Treats' festival, the bank expects mobiles, consumer durables, apparel, jewellery and dining-in categories to do well this festive season.

"In the past 2-3 months we have seen renewed customer interest and buying patterns. We see this continuing through the festive season as well," said Parag Rao, Country Head - Payment Business, Merchant Acquiring Services and Marketing, HDFC Bank.

He said during the month of September, the bank's 80-90 per cent business returned to pre-COVID levels and going forward it is expected to come back fully.

Consumers have held back on purchases during the lockdown and there is a lot of pent up demand that has built up in the system, Rao added.

"These are unprecedented times. What we have witnessed is that even during this period the people of our country have shown courage and resilience...

"Post lockdown we are seeing green shoots. We want to create positivity and boost consumption. We want to be there for our customers and ensure that they have everything they need to meet their demands this year," Puri added.