Banking Management
Imagine yourself as a manager of a bank in which the automation will be made. Explain the steps that will do it .
WE in the Internet era, which is now an integral part of our lives, like a cup of coffee every morning. This is as far as the broken geographic barriers and move us away from the brick-and-mortar to the world (or should it be un-wired) cable. In turn, financial services and other support service providers now have to try to keep in touch, re-tune and re-oriented service delivery. This raises a major challenge for institutions such as banks, which requires a fundamental change in the way of doing bisnis.Tingkat
High automation in the bank to reduce the load on the back-office accounting, reconciliation and so on, and thus set free resources for increase the level of business.
Gone are the days when people could wait for the process to develop, and jump as and when business reached maturity. In the Internet world, there is a definite need to be a part of evolution right from the conceptualization stage, and during the development process, continuously if the vision is to emerge as a major player.
Much has changed in the financial field for 10 years last. After the bankers thought they could replace them with an ATM or a branch of the so-called “branch in a box.” Now they realize that the branch plays an integral role in building and maintaining relationships with consumers.
Branch is currently changing to incorporate more self-service and automation . ATMs and self-service technology is now used in branches and financial centers worldwide. Teller is not replaced – their service is only equipped with additional self-service.
IT is time to review the work of public sector banks (PSB) as far as automation is concerned bank. Old private banks, which are not nationalized in the mid-seventies, or the new private banks established after the liberalization of the banking sector with multinational banks doing business in India is not within the scope of this study as well as cooperative banks.
Some begin PSB computerization of branches based on the Rangarajan Committee report in the eighties, go for a simple, isolated applications at the branch level. Most applications are based on DOS or UNIX computer and use either COBOL or simple packages such as dBASE, FoxPro etc. This is the stage of studying the automation of banks in India.
Today, various types of computer packages that offer “Total Branch Automation (TBA )”are available to automate various activities of a typical branch. However, there is still a fair degree of confusion about what exactly TBA means, according to a sample survey of CPPD head of the National Institute of Bank Management, Pune.
Troubled present
Being a bank manager, I can identify some problems in automation of banks in today
scenario thus:
Islands in the application of bank branches, with different computers, operating systems and application packages. There is no integration of the application. We calculate interest may differ from the regular package with SB account, CA, FD. Partial manual processing requires that if the required reports from more than one isolated application.
Some PSBs have more than one distinct TBA packages from different vendors. Although the solution looks attractive in the late eighties and early nineties, now has created serious problems for inter-branch communication within the bank.
PSB Part great software package that runs on TBA technology obsolete, although the package is the best currently available PSB choose them.
Already, a large number of branches use outdated package and the question is, how does one get out of this difficult situation? The RBI and CVC is also responsible, in some measure, because they kept the pressure on banks to increase the use of computers. Information technology is evolving and PSB requires intelligent technology gradation plan to ensure that their investment will at least break even in three years.
Computerising a manual system is a general trend. Manager, usually, are busy people and computerization initiatives to make additional demands on the manager. He may just tell him to go forward with the computerization of the system without studying the processes involved. A hasty decision on the type of technology required may lead to more spending and inefficient system.
More manpower requirements because some of the PSB have a parallel system of manual and computerized. This is the least risk strategy ‘for the bankers. Bank may need to double the spending on computerization projects.
The database created by the transaction at the branch level are supported at regular intervals and stored in a closet to make disk space available for the following period. It does not take advantage of the bank except to generate some mandatory reports (which, perhaps , no one is looking seriously). It is not used by middle managers and strategic-level, although it is a gold mine of data for effective decision making. Recently the trend in effective information design calls for varied, easy approach to help managers use data.
The top management of the PSB has also created a serious problem in computerization. Decision makers have the promise of relatively short, ranging from one to three years. Why commit to large expenditures in IT now? Why not delay the automation? – Such a decision is typical of the PSB as a limited knowledge of IT and top management complexity.
To smooth the transition
The IT application can choose to bank in the future will be complex for some />
Bank of automation will be the network so that bankers and customers can access the different applications of the bank. The application is based on integrating the various functions, the call for projects of complex software development.
In addition to dial- up a leased line and satellite, the Internet will play an important role, and internet banking will gain popularity. With the advances in communication, such an approach might be cost-effective for developing countries.
Most of the products of the new bank will be based on network environment. Then there will be new uses of IT products, such as mobile computing.
IT investment should increase the profitability of the bank. Most banks have a list of available technology. Relevance of them depend on the bank’s business strategy. Otherwise, the large amount spent on implement a particular IT project without addition to the many advantages of the operation and customer satisfaction.
The data created by various bank transactions should be available to middle and upper level managers and executives for effective decision-making using the popular concepts of Decision Support System ( DSS), Executive Information System (EIS), Expert Systems (ES), Data Warehouse (D / W), Data Mining (D / M), etc.
Future perfect
Banks need to develop a clear plan of business looking for the next 3-5 years. Must be updated at least semi-annually. There are a number of techniques to help top management to develop a business plan suitable for banks, including SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces Model, Value Chain, Strategic Grid, Balanced Score Card, Core Competencies and Critical Success Factors.
The next step is to identify the critical IT applications based on business plans. It is then relatively easy to identify gaps in IT application is , running, and applications that may be needed in the future. They can be formulated as a well defined and prioritized projects, causing the IT plan for at least the next 2-3 years.
The plan requires periodic updation, preferably at the same that the updated business plan. Such plans also provide the budget profile for future IT-applications according to business plan.
As the proposed budget may also be accepted by top management because it is based on business plans in which they were involved during the formulation.
Banks and financial organizations often find regression test efforts are too repetitive and too long to be accommodated in temporary short test window software upgrade and implement changes in the application in all branches. These challenges can be overcome by deploying Well-designed automated regression test suite that uses the right set of automation tools.
Test automation provides us with the following benefits:
Significant reduction in time required per iteration of testing for the release of the application period front & labor cost savings related, because it reduces the effort of manual testing (potentially up to 80%). Improved regression test coverage in short time frames Flexibility, as the individual modules can be tested independently Radical improvements in consistency and uniformity of the testing process easy modification reusable components <- – Nextpage!>, once created and reference, automation suite of flexible, repeatable, and stable.
We have to build (and optionally, automate) Regression test suite for increased testing. our test suite to ensure that any changes in code does not change existing functionality of the software. Regression Test suite helps us to reduce testing costs and overall maintenance schedule.
Some of them have been successfully implemented test automation projects for many of the Bank and the Global 500 clients in financial services and insurance domain. These include automated regression testing, regression testing and performance testing for core banking implementations and enhancements.
We have to provide test automation services using a variety of tool sets from well known vendors such as Mercury Interactive, IBM Rational and QES and tools customer proprietary.
Below are the various tools that can be used in the project:
Test Project Management – MS Project and Defect Management Test Director – Test Director, PVC Defect Tracker, Bugzilla , and Rational Clear Quest Regression Test Automation – Win Runner, Rational Robot, Quick TestPro and Architects QES Management Coverage – Requirements Pro Rational and Mercury Test Director Performance Testing – Mercury Load Runner, Rational Performance Studio and Compuware QA Configuration Management – Visual Source Safe and PVC Test Data – Test Data Manager Thinksoft Dynamic Code Coverage – Rational Pure coverage
Banks and financial institutions that trade enabler now need to improve the delivery system to support Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and e-commerce. The new channel is being defined, which require re-dimension of the well-received and put into practice the principles of traditional banking.
For the moment, let’s go to the origin of transactions involving businesses and consumers who are either initiators or the recipients in all cases. Transactions of the B2B- value, and recurring transactions, while B2C low-value, large transaction volumes. C2C Transactions low-value and low volume. The whole world, B2C transactions have come to the forefront because of the high level of consciousness and, as in every other new development, the precautionary attention has been applicable to test the water with a low-value transactions. However, that is a large B2B, waiting to explode.
Banks must capture all three streams. Going by the experience at HDFC Bank so far, we have tried to create jobs for achieve this, and achieve some level of the first requirements such as:
High levels of automation Centralized database management and processing of online connectivity across the delivery channel Front-office and back-office integration of surveillance and security systems Back-up systems
Automation
Selecting a technology partner is critical. We chose to go with CITIL (now I-Flex Solutions) to achieve the efficiencies that come from such low-cost automation of processing, better turnaround times, ability to handle excessive volume, zero-error rates and better customer delivery and so on. Bank initiate automation projects should ask the following questions and try to get answers for better clarity:
Is automation for
Reducing the burden of back-office? Improving staff working conditions? Improve customer service? Increasing levels of business?
The high level of automation reduces the burden on the back-office accounting, reconciliation, and so on and so set free resources to improve the level of business. While the evaluation should clear all of the above, each bank will need to look into the appropriate priority and select the right system – into the open, Web-enabled and scalable with the exact function is very important.
management centralized database and processing
Internet clearly throws the historical debate on centralization vs. decentralization out of the window. We are now talking the flow of information and transactions through the clouds in which the environment is not conducive to de-centralization, and hence there is a basic need to take a centralized route . This requires business process re-engineering (BPR) and the creation of a centralized back-office processes to be redefined to flow to / from the branch. The organizational structure of the basic needs to undergo radical change with more emphasis on empowerment in the branches with centralized control.
HDFC Bank has set up a centralized processing, through the hub and spoke concept, with regional processing centers in major metro and national processing centers in suburban Mumbai.
Online connectivity
There is a need to connect customers, front office, back-office and other external agencies and determine the level of access to the system based on the needs (real-time, batch, dial-up etc.). It requires a huge infrastructure to run together, and therefore should be carefully thought through. With the increasing number of delivery channels such as branches, ATMs, telephone, internet and so on, estimates on the volume transacted through each of these channels play an important part in determining the bandwidth to ensure acceptable response time.
Through a combination of terrestrial lines, VSAT and ISDN, HDFC bank has reached a total online connectivity, where all the branches and other channels we use a centralized database access.
Front-and back-office integration
Workflow needs to be clearly defined with over-riding goal of customer service, which must remain at the forefront. The process must be transparent, and one must establish customer service standards and service level agreement (SLA) between the various groups internal to the system audit for a quality service.
Supervision and security
All the above will fall flat without the online surveillance and security. access control, authentication and encryption mechanism should be built around each each system. technology, including firewalls, private and public key certification and data encryption are available, and the prudent choice is blended to be put in place, in advance. It is not just enough to have the security set-up. monitoring mechanism to overcome the threat of hackers and constant supervision is a must.
Back-up systems
At this stage, when all of the above runs, the bank has effectively become prisoners of technology. Does this mean that he can not do much with this system and requires near-100 percent up-time to stay in business. Therefore, the need to have adequate backup systems and telecommunications, contingency procedures during the un-availability systems, disaster recovery sites and so on .
road ahead
The above allows the bank to occupy the space where the recognition comes with a product superior way as liberators. Is that all? Not really, because the bank must now turn their eyes to aggressive marketing. There is a need to treat ourselves as a marketing organization is not just a bank. After the workout ended capacity building, field staff’s turn to make it happen. To enable this, the bank must have a focused direction in the identification of products, business lines, revenue -river, pricing strategies and cost-control. Increase processing capacity and durability of buildings have been running parallel, and when the volume of building. Attempts to prepare the bank’s customers to ‘come point’ of their business and integration with their back-end Electronic Data Interchange ( ERP) systems, trading and other accounting systems, it will take top priority.
When a business focus on integrating suppliers and their clients, and automate the ‘buy’ their ‘sell’ side through the Internet, banks have to counter this challenge and build a suitable system for the flow of funds with the flow of information.
Integration with EDI and e-commerce
India, unlike other countries, is undergoing a unique phenomenon. This has never been seen phase of EDI in the truest sense and it is to see it happen in conjunction with e-commerce. The outlook for near-future include:
allow authenticated e-commerce portal integration The evolution of integrated payment system (gateway) on the banks of Evolution settlement system funds (and similar RTGS) The evolution of EDI standards related to trade such as sales tax / excise / customs, and so forth.
Bank of cross-border transactions play a major role in the economy, and should be agents of change in each new development. This is a problem perception of whether the new developments is considered a kit to survive or an opportunity for growth.
Bank must switch their eyes to aggressive marketing, treat yourself as a marketing organization rather than just bank.