The 2026 ASK AFRICA Orange Index recognises Discovery Bank as the country’s Winning Bank Service, continuing an unbroken streak of recognition that began in 2022

Johannesburg, 27 August 2026 – Discovery Bank has been voted South Africa’s Winning Bank Service in the 2026 ASK AFRICA Orange Index™, marking the fifth consecutive year that clients have placed the Bank at the top of the banking category for customer experience.

The latest recognition extends Discovery Bank’s unbroken run as the banking category winner from 2022 to 2026. In a category where leadership positions frequently change, the Bank’s five-year winning streak reflects a rare consistency in the client experience it delivers and reinforces its position as a leader in client service and experience.

The ASK AFRICA Orange Index™ is South Africa’s longest-running independent customer experience benchmark. Now in its 26th year, the 2026 study assessed 219 brands across 27 industries, based on 54,182 interviews with South African consumers conducted between 13 March and 22 June 2026. Brands cannot commission, influence or veto their position in the rankings.

Unlike a conventional satisfaction or brand survey, the Index measures what it is like to deal with a brand. It evaluates what the brand delivers, including responsiveness, competence, convenience and resolution, as well as how the experience makes customers feel through measures such as trust, empathy, compassion, authenticity and being understood.

Hylton Kallner, CEO of Discovery Bank, says: “Winning this recognition once is significant. Being voted South Africa’s Winning Bank Service for five consecutive years is deeply meaningful because it reflects consistency in the experiences our clients have with us every day. In a market where customer experience leadership can change from year to year, sustaining that level of performance over time is what makes this achievement particularly special.”

“Banking is built on trust. Clients need to know that their bank will be there when it matters, that it will listen carefully, respond quickly and make complex things feel simple. Perhaps most importantly, it reflects the trust our clients place in us. The strongest endorsement any organisation can receive is a recommendation from its customers, and we remain focused on earning that advocacy every day.”

Great service must perform and connect

The 2026 Index reveals a growing customer-experience challenge for South African brands. While 90% of customers say they are satisfied, fewer than half, 48%, say they are delighted. Furthermore, 42% of satisfied customers are not delighted by any brand in their category. The overall national customer-experience score was 64.74 in 2026, remaining below the Index’s peak of 71 recorded in 2017.

The research also found that the gap between what brands deliver and how customers feel about the interaction has doubled since 2022. ASK AFRICA notes that while operational performance has recovered more quickly, customers’ emotional connection with brands has not, showing that trust is faster to lose than it is to rebuild.

Against this backdrop, Discovery Bank’s fifth consecutive win highlights the value of delivering service that is both effective and human.

Kallner says: “Today, excellent banking service cannot be defined only by transactions. It is also about how clients felt at that moment when they interact with the bank through any channel, directly and indirectly.

“We have always believed that being a digital bank and delivering a deeply personal client experience are not opposing ideas. Technology should remove friction and make help more immediate and personalised, while our people provide expertise, understanding and thoughtful support. Our purpose is not simply to resolve a query, but to create an experience that gives clients confidence in their bank.”

Combining intelligent technology with a human touch

Discovery Bank’s servicing model combines 24/7 access to specialist bankers with intelligent digital support, secure in-app calling, WhatsApp assistance, Discovery AI and Live Assist co-browsing.

Secure in-app calling allows clients to connect directly with a banker through the Discovery Bank app without having to search online for a telephone number or navigate traditional identification and interactive voice-response processes. Calls are securely authenticated and intelligently routed to the appropriate area of the Bank.

Live Assist enables a banker to guide a client through relevant app functions remotely, while Discovery AI and WhatsApp provide immediate digital assistance with the option of seamlessly connecting clients to specialist human support when needed.

These servicing capabilities form part of Discovery Bank’s broader full-service digital banking proposition, designed to give clients convenient access to everyday banking, savings, credit, home and personal loans, foreign exchange, investments, rewards and financial-wellbeing tools in one digital environment.

ENDS