The Bank of Credit and Commerce (Bandec) branch 8572 in Guantánamo has initiated a digital waiting room for cash withdrawals, marking a first for Cuban banking amid a severe liquidity crisis.
This innovative system utilizes the Ticket app, developed by the state-run company Xetid, allowing users to book appointments in advance and receive notifications via the app and text messages.
Additionally, the system can accommodate up to three individuals per account, catering to those without direct access to mobile phones, as reported by the provincial newspaper Venceremos.
Miguel Ernesto Gutiérrez Alejo, a Communication and Marketing specialist at Bandec's Provincial Directorate, stated that the initiative was a response to critical issues such as endless queues, people sleeping outside the bank, hygiene problems, and the illegal resale of appointments, which reached prices up to 400 pesos.
During its initial week of operation, starting December 3, the bank served around 150 customers through digital means, averaging 30 people daily, with 468 currently on the virtual waiting list.
The digital service begins at 11:00 a.m., while the bank continues to offer in-person queues, splitting daily cash availability between both methods to ensure "inclusion" for customers without mobile devices or stable technology access.
Bandec noted that this project is in a second testing phase, limited to one branch and a single service, with plans to expand it to other branches and eventually to the entire province, including additional services that currently create congestion.
Although touted as an initiative to enhance customer comfort and organization, the implementation of virtual queues for cash withdrawals highlights a fundamental contradiction by introducing technology to manage a resource the banking system fails to ensure.
The measure doesn't address the cash shortage; it merely organizes its distribution in a context where physical currency remains insufficient to meet demand.
This initiative also underscores the tension between the state's push for banking and the everyday reality faced by customers.
While the mandatory use of electronic accounts and payments is promoted, access to cash—still crucial for many—relies on appointments, waiting lists, and limited slots.
The digital queue, although presented as inclusive, introduces new inequalities. Those with smartphones and internet access receive preferential treatment, while in-person lines persist for those excluded from the digital realm, creating a two-tier service.
Beyond service organization, the virtual queue acts as social containment, aiming to reduce visible crowds and conflicts at branches but shifting discontent without addressing its root causes.
In this context, technology functions as a buffer against dissatisfaction rather than a structural solution.
Overall, this measure normalizes an abnormal situation, turning cash acquisition into an exceptional, regulated, and limited process.
The digitalization of waiting becomes symptomatic of a financial system that manages scarcity instead of ensuring basic services.
Understanding Cuba's Cash Shortage and Digital Banking Efforts
What is the purpose of the digital waiting room in Guantánamo's Bandec branch?
The digital waiting room aims to organize cash withdrawal processes amid liquidity issues by allowing users to book and manage appointments digitally, reducing physical queues and associated problems.
How is the digital queue system operated?
The system uses the Ticket app from Xetid to enable users to schedule appointments and receive updates. It can include up to three people per account to accommodate those without mobile phone access.
Does the digital queue solve the cash shortage issue?
No, the digital queue does not solve the cash shortage. It organizes the distribution of the limited available cash but does not increase the supply to meet demand.
What are the implications of introducing digital queues?
Digital queues introduce new inequalities, favoring individuals with smartphones and internet access while still requiring in-person lines for those excluded from digital solutions.