The Importance of Training in the Scope of Marketing Alternative Products and Distribution Channels in the Turkish Banking Sector

The banking sector is one of the sectors where the effects of changes in technology are felt most clearly. Banks' keeping up with technological developments will not only reduce service costs but also ensure that a wide range of products reach customers in the fastest and most effective way. In this new era where banking products and services are offered to customers through non-traditional channels, ATMs emerge as the first and most widely used alternative distribution channel. Apart from this, customers are now able to access a wide range of banking products outside the branch, including telephone banking, home-office banking and Internet banking. The use of these channels, which are described as alternative banking distribution channels, carries some risks as well as benefits. When we look at the risks in question, especially from the customer's perspective, it is observed that since not every customer has the same level of education, they cannot use these channels correctly and need help. The fact that mistakes made by customers bring about a number of legal problems for both customers and banks underlines how important education is in bringing these channels together with customers. Internet banking is an alternative distribution channel designed to provide banking services over the internet. Internet banking provides the opportunity to benefit from almost all the services offered by any bank branch quickly and easily from anywhere in the world. Traditionally, the basic functions of intermediary organizations in marketing, such as offering the appropriate product at the appropriate place, at the appropriate time, in the appropriate quantity, in the appropriate form and at the appropriate price, are fulfilled more easily and cheaply by technological means, which are alternative distribution methods. Despite the advanced technology used by banks in Turkey and the high quality of service they offer, it is seen that the number of customers using internet banking in the country is still insufficient.