News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 27, 2012) - BMO Bank of Montreal has earned top honours in two customer service categories according to Ipsos, a global market research firm.

The Ipsos annual awards program ranks the top five banks and other financial institutions in Best Banking Awards categories. The 2012 ranking recognized BMO Bank of Montreal as an award recipient in two categories: Financial Planning & Advice, and Value For Money.

"At BMO, we understand that our customers want us to provide the products and services they need to help make their finances less complex and realize their financial goals. We are committed to 'Making Money Make Sense', providing meaningful choices and clear, relevant advice from financial experts. Whether it's a student just beginning his or her adult life, a young family buying a first home or an entrepreneur intent on growing her business, we are committed to exceeding customers' expectations," said Janet Peddigrew, Vice President, BMO Bank of Montreal.

The Ipsos awards follow another major customer service award for Bank of Montreal announced earlier this year. Keynote Systems, a global authority on mobile and internet performance, ranked BMO's website (www.bmo.com) highest among Canadian financial institutions for overall customer experience.

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Ipsos 2012 Best Banking Awards are based on quarterly Customer Service Index (CSI) survey results. The sample source for CSI is from the Synovate (now Ipsos) Online Global Opinion Panel for Canada, using online data collection. Sample size for the total 2012 CSI program year ended August 2012 was 43,202 completed surveys yielding 63,750 financial institution ratings. The sample is representative of the general household population based on Statistics Canada census data.

Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos offerings and capabilities.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly-diversified North American financial services organization. With total assets of $525 billion as at April 30, 2012, and more than 46,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions.