NBDB: Customer-Oriented Service

For the fifth consecutive time, National Bank Discount Brokerage (NBDB) has been ranked first for the quality of its customer service based on the results of a survey conducted by Dalbar.

Between February 13 and April 18, 2003, Dalbar surveyed the seven main brokerage houses in Canada to evaluate their representatives in terms of their professional attitude, speed of response to customers, pro-activity in providing information, overall knowledge, and ability to provide quality information.

"The Dalbar results confirm the superiority of the customer service given by NBDB. This exceptional performance simply reaffirms the excellence upheld in the past four quarters." stated Yves Breton, President of National Bank Discount Brokerage. "The pursuit of perfection also ties in perfectly with the National Bank's vision where it's no longer a choice but a priority!"

Mr. Breton went on to say that "Customer satisfaction is, without question, one of NBDB's most important objectives. Above all, that means having a better understanding of our customers' needs and, even more importantly, being able to give them quality service in line with their expectations. It's what makes NBDB's strength and also its priority."

Dalbar is a research firm that specializes in financial services. It measures the performance of financial institutions on a number of different levels, such as customer satisfaction, quality of service, and effectiveness of communication.

National Bank Discount Brokerage Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Bank of Canada.

About National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group which provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its customers elsewhere in the world. The National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management, as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. The National Bank has approximately $75 billion in assets and, together with its subsidiaries, employs over 17,000 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (NA: TSX). For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.nbc.ca.

Information ( The telephone number and e-mail address provided below are for the exclusive use of journalists and other media representatives):

Denis Dubé
Director of Public Relations
National Bank of Canada
Tel.: (514) 394-8644
E-mail: denis.dube@bnc.ca