The health crisis has been a real test of the level of digitalisation in Spanish society. Digital connectivity has been key in helping us overcome loneliness during this state of emergency, stay informed, enable remote working in many activities, and access financial services and products as normal. We have been better able to manage the lockdown, which was necessary given the severity of the situation, thanks to the digital transformation that has, almost imperceptibly, become part of our lives for some time now.
Now more than ever, digitalisation entails risks that must be prevented and addressed, such as cybercrime. Raising awareness among users and businesses about what this challenge entails is the best strategy to combat its risks, especially if it is carried out within an internationally coordinated strategy. Because having ever better tools does not guarantee that we will make the best use of them.
During this crisis, banks have been able to guarantee access to financial services thanks to the efforts of many professionals who continue to serve the public in branches, and to the level of development achieved by digital and mobile banking. The benefits of digitalisation are not limited to more efficient and effective service provision. They also make it possible to bring banking services to places where it was previously difficult and to ensure their availability 24 hours a day.
Banks’ priority at this time is to mitigate the impact of the health crisis on families and businesses, and to strengthen financial stability, which is essential for economic stability and citizens’ well-being. Financial digitalisation is a very important part of this firm commitment.
José Luis Martínez Campuzano, spokesperson for the Spanish Banking Association
