TheBanker

SUPPLEMENT SEPTEMBER 2005

BRANCH OF
THE FUTURE
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
 The Banker special supplement

BRANCH OF THE FUTURE

contents
211 AT THE HEART OF BANKING
Banks are investing huge amounts in their branch networks,
transforming them with new technology and services to
attract customers in an increasingly competitive environment.
David Cavell reports

214 CROSS-CHANNEL COLLABORATION

Cisco Systems’ Angus Hislop talks to David Cavell about multi-channel
strategies and the importance of cross-channel collaboration in
branding and presenting services to customers

216 BALANCED STRATEGY OFFERS AN EDGE

Installing new technologies in branches is bringing balance to some
banks’ offerings to customers. Those that do not follow suit will be left
behind in the competition for business, says Jordi Ferrer

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210 SEPTEMBER 2005 The Banker

 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
BRANCH OF THE FUTURE

At the heart
of banking
I
The predicted death of the nvestment in the branch net- representation in central and eastern
works of the world is running at Europe, where it already has 850
branch network was premature. very high levels. Any reluctance outlets. In the US, the continuing devel-
Major banks are expanding into to invest caused by the storm of opment of branch networks has con-
new territory and taking a hyperbole about the death of founded the pundits and unforeseen
more branch-centric and the branch has disappeared growth has been sustained into the 21st
personal approach to winning and the results of this renewed interest century. The banks of the Asia-Pacific
in bricks-and-mortar banking have been region, meanwhile, have been among
customers, says David Cavell remarkable. the industry leaders in the re-engineer-
In Europe, despite the impact made ing of branch formats and processes.
by first generation internet banking,
there have been few closures of major Critical factors
networks other than through consolida- Three key factors will play a critical role
tion. BBVA recently announced plans to in determining the overall customer
open 550 new branches in Spain over experience in the new generation of
the next three years. Bank Austria branches that is now emerging. These
Creditanstalt is planning 200 new are sales and service, retail format and
branches by 2007 to bolster its existing self-service strategy. These factors >>

Asia Pacific region banks have been among the industry leaders in the re-engineering of branch formats

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BRANCH OF THE FUTURE

will also play a large part in determin- they work together. The common fac- input from qualitative consumer
ing whether the next generation of tor in both scenarios is for the highest research. What would appear to be
investment produces the required level of shared customer information beyond dispute is that any new concept
return. providing: branch project must comply with the
For many years, the banking commu- ● a view of all aspects of a customer’s following fundamental principles:
nity has been obsessed with the practice relationship, including their credit- ● The design must meet the expec-
of referring to bank branches as ‘shops’. worthiness; tations of the market segment at which
This was part of a significant shift ● a record of the ongoing dialogue with it is targeted, and avoid costly over-
towards a harder sales environment, the customer, whichever channel they engineering;
which put a strong emphasis on the tar- have used; and ● It must be fit for purpose through its
geting of selected products. The trend ● either reactive or proactive identifi- facilities and functionality;
to emulate retailers has frequently been cation of the next sales opportunity. ● It must be both flexible and afford-
fuelled by the hype of external This is customer relationship manage- able if it is to be financially and opera-
observers. ment (CRM) in action. tionally viable and capable of being
A face-to-face dialogue with the cus- rolled out across the network.
A new trend develops tomer has the potential to be the best- Failure to comply with these princi-
However, in a slowly developing trend quality bank-customer contact in terms ples will almost certainly result in a sub-
since the early 1990s, an increasing of CRM. For this, the competences of optimal performance of the bank’s
number of banks have begun to branch staff are critical. However, the investment.
explore the idea that they should only basic elements of courtesy, empathy and Often associated with branch design
sell to meet real client needs. Comerica a commitment to resolve issues on is the exhortation for bankers to be
Bank of the US was among the pio- behalf of a customer are often still lack- more like retailers. Let the buyer
neers of this strategy in the 1990s, ing. Much remains to be done to beware! In many areas, there are funda-
which exceeded its expectations in sales improve interpersonal competences, mental and critical differences between
and customer appreciation. besides selling skills, in order to harvest the businesses of bankers and retailers.
This movement – based on true For example, the gestation period of a
relationship building – is now well bank product purchasing decision – and
established in the US, with a developing
following in Australia. In the UK,
Wherever it is the motivation behind it – is typically
longer and different from that of the
Barclays made a low-profile announce- applied with weekly food shop.
ment in autumn 2004, heralding the Retail store staff ’s interpersonal and
introduction of a similar approach to commitment, professional skills fall far short of the
selling in its branches. Wherever it is depth of those that are required at a
applied with professionalism and com- moving to a bank branch. And even the successful
mitment, the outcome of moving to a operators of in-store branches (whether
needs-based sales strategy is almost uni- needs-based retailers or bankers) now recognise that
versally beneficial, and often delivers a
paradigm shift in results and customer sales strategy complex financial services are not the
type of product that consumers will buy
appreciation.
There is now a spectrum of sales
is almost ‘in the aisles’.

strategy options. At one end is a harder

sales policy of moving products off the
universally Retail lessons
However, the thoughtful and innova-
‘shelves’ of bankers ‘shops’. This may
extend as far as encouraging after-sales
beneficial tive banker will always recognise value
in looking across sector boundaries
service to be conducted through non- and learning from others. Although
branch channels. In this scenario, the sales from a dialogue. The leadership retailing will not offer a panacea, it will
customer is typically given a list of tele- and coaching capabilities of branch offer some valuable lessons. The fol-
phone numbers that they must ring for managers are also critical to success. lowing points may be worthy of con-
any further dialogue. Unless they Failure to reach these new standards, sideration:
return to the branch, they may have no and establish a positive difference in the ● Retailers value footfall. They see cus-
further contact with it. At the other mind of the customers, will do much to tomer visits as sales opportunities and
end of the strategy spectrum is an further corrode relationships and sus- not operational costs, and they work to
emerging approach of developing a tain the vulnerability of the banks to increase the time that customers spend
dialogue with customers – from which their competitors. in store.
sales ultimately flow – rather than just ● The best retailers work hard to ensure
pedalling products. The retail format the consistency of the appearance and
Each of these sales strategies also has Many of the new branch development operation of their stores.
implications for the respective roles of programmes have been guided by ● Retailers maintain a willingness to
the bank’s delivery channels and how creative design, with varying levels of explore new ideas for increasing the

212 SEPTEMBER 2005 The Banker

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BRANCH OF THE FUTURE

THE IDEAL BRANCH

AS THE CUSTOMER booth is readily available. The friendly and helpful, without upset them – even if the bank
approaches the ideal branch, overall appearance of the unit being pushy. And they are turns out to be in the right.
they become progressively is smart: free of the usual array encouraging and supportive in Often, the customer visits a
more aware of the bank’s brand of wires that trail across desks helping the customer get branch event in the evening
values from the messages and and floors; clean and tidy; and accustomed to the array of hosted by a member of staff,
images that are being there are no desk-top pub- equipment in the lobby. They where they enjoy complimen-
projected. It is clear what prod- lished notices taped to the want customers to use the tary refreshments and view an
uct, services and facilities the walls (or fixed to machines that equipment and they want to interactive video presentation
branch is offering. are out of order). maintain a friendly, ongoing by an expert on a specialist
There is an area where the dialogue with them on each topic.
ON DISPLAY customer can sit comfortably occasion they visit the branch.
The window is fitted with well- and use a web pad to review the The staff are good at listen- EFFICIENCY AT WORK
positioned, outward-facing state of their accounts. They ing as well as at asking ques- Customer footfall is monitored
electronic merchandising and could also stand or sit at one of tions. They are always from the back office to ensure
signage that still allows a clear the kiosks in the lobby. A video interested in the customer and that adequate staff are always
view into an inviting interior. booth allows the customer the what they are doing next. If a available in the public space.
Some merchandising is opportunity to call in on their withdrawal or credit cannot be The branch has been given
window-based; other equip- way home from work – even if dealt with by the self-service extra full-time equivalents to
ment is located inside the the main branch is closed – and equipment, a member of staff cover predetermined workloads
branch but is also visible from contact a mortgage advisor for enters a secure till booth and routed from the call centre.
outside. a ‘face-to-face’ conversation, deals with the transaction, These staff provide a useful
The interior will meet the without an appointment. before returning to the floor. float to cover peak customer
customer’s expectations by bal- It is possible to conduct All the staff make eye footfall in the branch,
ancing their wish to feel that it most types of customer trans- contact and smile, they use lunchtimes and absences.
means business with an overall action in the self-service area, customers’ names whenever All branch facilities are mon-
ambience that is comfortable, through online automated possible, they are eager to help itored and managed from a
secure and friendly. tellers and service terminals. and are genuinely interested in remote location, which deals
customers problems – not just with all aspects of utilities and
INTERNAL ISSUES STAFF SKILLS their next sale. If a customer security. Self-service equip-
If the customer wishes to have The staff that operate from the complains, the staff seem con- ment is monitored and main-
a private conversation, then a meeter-greeter desk are cerned that something has tained on an outsourced basis.

effectiveness of their outlets, in particu- retail banks in their own right – are Fundamental requirements, such as
lar in the promotional area. leading Europe with a broad range of network quality and capacity, should
● Branch sales effectiveness is subject to self-service functionality and sophisti- also be factored in. Other issues to
executive involvement at the highest cated lobbies. The role of the cashier include are the better management of
level. Many retail chief executives take has now been minimised. And the the relationship between customers,
time out of their working week to visit nature of the branch and the customer staff and machines, and the creation of
stores and see them at first hand. experience has changed significantly – an environment that allows access for all
Although many observers and sup- for the better. service users.
pliers continue to pressurise banks to There is now a strong imperative for This strategic view, with its range of
be more like retailers, few case studies all banks to move self service to the viable sub-projects – for example,
in sustained success exist. There are centre of their channel strategy. No counter automation and elimination –
valuable lessons to be learned but bank should be without an active should be updated regularly to ensure it
being more like a retailer is not mission strategic self-service project, based on a takes account of new concepts.
critical. comprehensive knowledge of all the It should also be borne in mind that
latest hardware and software options – the distinction between the ATM, the
Self-service strategy and a vision of how they can be applied kiosk or PC, and hand-held devices is
The ability to move a large proportion for advantage. Examples of develop- becoming increasingly blurred. Today,
of transactions onto self service offers ments that should now be revisited any self-service strategy should embrace
the opportunity to improve radically include: the broader family of customer-
the layout, ambience and flexibility of ● automating the teller processes; activated terminals. TB
bank branches. It also offers a more ● the development of the kiosk;
profitable role for branch staff. The ● self-service marketing; David Cavell is a consultant specialising in
German Sparkassen – now mature ● the impact of prepaid cards. branch and self-service strategies

The Banker SEPTEMBER 2005 213

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Cross-channel
collaboration
A principal thought leader in UK financial services, Angus Hislop,
leader of the internet business solutions group in European financial
services at Cisco Systems, talks to David Cavell about the
development of multi-channel strategy and the need for collaboration

Q How do you think customers

have reacted to the emer-
channels on a regular basis, and that
does not take into account any routine A Across the growing European mar-
ket, we see areas of the continent
gence of multi-channel financial self-service transactions. Between 2003 that will develop both economically and
services? and 2008 the phenomenon of multi- socially, and others where the balance of

A Many customers have appreciated

the increase in the number of ways
that they are able to interact with their
channelling is set to increase by 30%-
50% according to research from
[market research company] IDC.
prosperity is moving against them. This
is a particular challenge for the mar-
keters and in channel strategy it poses
bank or building society. There are groups that are already special problems for parts of the branch
The advent of telephone banking was identifiable. The small business sector network, which could undergo a critical
extremely well received in the early has been an early adopter of new chan- reduction in the size and value of its
1990s, and 10 years on we see increas- nels. New channels have given small customer base.
ing enthusiasm for PC and mobile companies the opportunity to go about In the economic environment of the
banking channels. In the background, their daily business and carry out their 21st century, we need to manage our
the use of self-service machines has also banking after hours. They have wel- delivery channel mix on an ongoing
been growing. comed the arrival of the telephone, basis. In particular, there must be
The practical effect of this has been to online PC banking and the increasing greater flexibility in adapting the style
present bankers with an explosion of facilities available through mobiles. and role of branch networks. HBOS has
interactions across the delivery channel Affluent customers are another recently acquired a chain of electricity
mix. For example, BNP Paribas talks example of a market segment that showrooms in Ireland, which it envis-
about the challenge of managing 300 places great value on having access to ages turning into high-tech branches.
million customer interactions every year their financial affairs through an array Secure, branded hot spots at coffee
across its channels. This is typical of the of channels. For example, the issuers of shops and elsewhere might prove to be
situation that all retail banking opera- the top-end credit card products devel- the new agencies.
tions now face. oped for this segment of the market Overall, there needs to be a greater
However, not all bankers have realised recognise the need to provide online focus on interaction patterns and not
the nature of the challenge and the size access to their service. just product sales or transactions, and a
of the opportunity for those who get it We do need to learn from banks like faster response to what the data is telling
right. And not every customer uses the Okobank in Finland or Bankinter in us about changing patterns of customer
same channel or combination of chan- Spain. They have recognised the need channel usage.
nels to contact their bankers. Each will to defend their customer base in the
have their own preference according to
their circumstances.
online environments by ensuring an
increasingly personalised experience Q To what extent is the ongo-
ing development of new
for those using remote channels as channels and channel technolo-

Q Are banks doing enough to

understand which types of
well as easy transfer to face-to-face
channels.
gies going to influence cross-
channel collaboration?
customers like which channels?

A The short answer is: probably not.

An analysis of the current situation Q Is it true that customer cir-
cumstances are changing
A Many bankers aspire to present
one face of the bank to the cus-
tomer. In practice, separate channels are
shows that banks typically see 40%-70% faster than ever before? If so, often operating at differing service levels
of customers using two or more what are the implications of this? and perhaps providing the customer

214 SEPTEMBER 2005 The Banker

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reliance on the old maxim caveat emptor:

let the buyer beware. The latest genera-
tion of regulators have taken a much
closer interest in the processes by which
we sell to and serve our customers.
This has implications for the way in
which we will handle customer data in
future – in particular the need to store
and retrieve data automatically and at
minimum cost.

Q What do you consider to be

the key enabling technolo-
gies for the next generation of
channel development, including
the branch? When are they likely
to reach viability?

A The starting point is undoubtedly

the progress made in band width
and line speed. The branch will be one
of the beneficiaries of this. It will be a
key enabler in the use and development
of other channel facilities, for example,
high-quality video.
I believe the next development stream
– of equal importance – is the emer-
gence of mobile and wireless technology.
The third major development is
undoubtedly the ability to handle voice,
data and video seamlessly through one
IP (internet protocol) network. This is
already providing the facility to move all
three elements together around a single
network, which will have major benefi-
cial implications for where and how
banks interface with their customers in
future.
Transferring telephone calls with
‘Channel strategy must no longer associated data instantly from call
centre to branch or to a travelling
be determined or constrained by specialist adviser will become the norm,
thus reducing the current 20% plus rate
management or channel silos’ of leads being lost due to poor commu-
nications across channels.
with a materially different impression of staff training, the infrastructure they Where banks are already embracing
the bank and the brand. What is needed deploy and the resultant key perform- these new technologies it is often
is much more proactive collaboration ance indicators. Channel strategy must through an initiative taken by the IT
across channels. no longer be determined or constrained group, which sees significant cost sav-
La Caixa in Spain provides an exam- by management or channel silos. It ings to be realised. However, the lever-
ple of what can be achieved where must develop across the organisation on aging of these new areas to enhance
channels do collaborate. A credit card a truly collaborative basis. channel, sales and service effectiveness
can be applied for through its online will require business vision as well as the
service, collected in a few hours from a
branch nominated by the customer and Q How do you think the issue
of regulation is going to
support of the IT team.
Cisco is placing great emphasis on
used immediately at a cash machine. evolve in the next few years? explaining these benefits at executive
That is true collaboration across three
channels.
Increasingly, there is a need for banks
A There is already strong evidence
that future regulation will develop
on a much more prescriptive basis.
level in its client organisations. Much
can be achieved here, but it is important
to lay IT foundations that facilitate ben-
to look hard at the processes they use, There is likely to be increasingly less efits for all areas of the bank. TB

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Balanced strategy
offers an edge
the point of their inquiry is now an
everyday situation. Despite this, UK
Some banks are developing more banks are still not good at routing cus-
balanced multi-channel service delivery tomers accurately and quickly to the
strategies that include bringing new most appropriate person to deal with
technologies into the branch network. their needs.
Those that do not follow suit will be less Research shows that there is a signifi-
cant decrease in customer purchasing
able to compete. Jordi Ferrer reports intentions – from an average of 64% to
48% – if the call is subject to more than
one handover. If customers are asked to
return to see a specialist, about 40% of
leads are lost. Banks and building soci-

T
eties should be looking hard at the
power that is available to address this
he early years of the A network that enables the different type of situation.
21st century will be types of channels to operate as an inte-
noted in the financial grated delivery mix is still usually an Technology convergence
services industry as the aspiration rather than a reality in most High quality and secure voice, data and
period during which organisations. Add to this scenario a video facilities can be delivered to any
bankers rediscovered new generation of customers who are point in the delivery channel architec-
the strategic importance of their increasingly multi-channel in their atti- ture and then moved efficiently to
branches. Although few markets outside tude towards their banking affairs, and another location if that is how the dia-
the UK had taken significant steps to the case for a strategic technology logue with the customer needs to
reduce their networks, much branch- upgrade becomes overwhelming. progress. This convergence of three
orientated expenditure was put on hold types of technology, which is run
and the focus of new investment shifted Key alignment through increasingly powerful broad-
towards the alternative channels. Today, Two key factors need to be taken into band capabilities, is offering new facili-
banks have returned to a balanced view account when assessing the strategic ties to the retail banker beyond simple
of delivery channel strategy. The chal- direction and value of any proposed sys- network efficiencies. IP (internet proto-
lenge is once again to maximise revenue tems upgrades. First, the customer is col) technology enables rapid movement
opportunities at the branch, while increasingly comfortable and demanding of voice, data and video around the net-
attacking costs and achieving the opti- in the new multi-channel environment. work. The customer can be connected
mum balance between the role of the Second, as banks have re-engineered quickly to a remote member of staff
branch and other channels. branch processes for greater efficiency and the conversation may be face-to-
The communications network is now a and met the demands of increasing reg- face using readily available branch-
major issue that needs significant consid- ulation, they have no longer been able to based, high-quality video, if required.
eration and investment by many banks. retain all the skills that a customer In the near future, customers will also
This is the principal artery that links all requires at one location. Increasingly, be able to use video from home.
the channels in the delivery mix and yet is they have had to respond to a customer Research shows that dealing with a
often inadequate at a single location. For from a location other than where they voice call in this situation, and moving it
example, the quality of networks linking first made contact. through one or two handovers to the
most UK bank or building society The need (perhaps regulatory) to correct person has hitherto required an
branches is often inadequate to support focus sales or service activities through average wait of 2.5 minutes for the cus-
any significant extension to their inven- specific members of staff, who may be tomer. Today, this type of network
tory of customer-activated terminals. situated at a location that is remote from transaction can be handled in about 50

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seconds, whether it is just voice or

includes data and video. This is because
the business processes can be changed
and the network infrastructure responds
seamlessly.

Self-service development
A major factor in determining the level
of network support required by a
branch is the extent to which the bank
has sought to benefit from the new
capabilities of a more widely defined
self-service inventory. Hitherto, the self-
service complement of a typical UK
bank has comprised a set of ATMs, low
usage kiosks and an ‘automated’ depos-
itory that is not linked to the network
(despite carrying the capability). In
many cases, banks have greater aspira-
tions but are inhibited by the capabili-
ties of their networks.
A review of the self-service facilities
located in a branch of a leading
German Sparkasse (savings-cum-retail
bank) will demonstrate the potential
that has yet to be realised in the UK.
High function ATMs, enquiry and
statement terminals, well-used kiosks,
depositories and currency exchangers
remove the need for all but a minimum
complement of cashiers at the largest
branches. Similar situations apply at
many of the banks in the Asia-Pacific
region.

Stalled implementation
It is more than 10 years since UK banks
and building societies first deployed
video conferencing facilities, yet com-
munications limitations have meant that
it has not become part of a broader self-
service strategy. This situation has
changed. In addition, web pads and
mobiles will form part of the wireless
complement of customer-activated ter- Window dressing: banks have taken differing approaches to using windows for merchandising
minals at the branch of the very near
future – if bankers gear up to accom- Self-service is another component of management and renewal of branch
modate these new low-cost applications. delivery channel strategy which offers merchandising. If a merchandising sys-
Web-enabled ATMs are already a new opportunities that are waiting to be tem is already in place, a four to six-
standard item in the product range of realised. Deployment of the available week effort is often needed to create and
all the major self-service suppliers. network technology will facilitate a par- deploy a new merchandising scheme.
Linked to customer relationship man- adigm shift in self-service functionality. Pressure to shorten the timescale of the
agement (CRM) tools, all forms of cus- exercise is usually only applied as an
tomer-activated terminals are capable Marketing strategies exceptional matter, to meet special
of providing a level of personalised The effective management of any retail needs or urgent campaigns.
service that extends from presenting a network, especially one being operated Networked electronic merchandising
tailored promotional offer on screen, to in a heavily regulated environment, systems are able to reduce time to mar-
an ATM suggesting that it dispenses the requires significant resources to be ket and costs while offering a product of
customer’s “usual $50”. devoted to the creation, deployment, comparable quality, which may be >>

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varied by branch or location. ported by or provided with a power sup- improve both its cost efficiency and rev-
Campaigns or promotions can be pro- ply, a burglar alarm, telephone, locking enue generation.
duced at short notice, varied by the day systems, a fire alarm, a public address A recent investigation undertaken by
or hour, and all with centralised control system, digital networks and cus- Datamonitor on behalf of Cisco identi-
that provides maximum efficiency and tomer/intruder surveillance. fied five key areas in which technology
assures compliance. The ability to rationalise the provision expenditure is both necessary and likely
of these many services through a single to deliver cost and income benefits. The
Windows of opportunity industry standard wire, capable of han- areas are:
Banks have taken differing attitudes dling IP communications, again pres- ● upgrading the branch network infra-
towards the merchandising of their ents an attractive combination of structure;
branch windows. A variety of manda- cost-saving opportunities and added ● replacing legacy systems in branches;
tory notices may need to be exhibited, functionality. It also offers the synergies ● CRM-enabling the branch;
which can often look unsightly. of operating through a single network. ● increasing self-service capabilities in
Thereafter, banks and building societies One of many examples is a fire alarm or branches;
tend to divide into two groups: those burglar alarm that triggers screen mes- ● process re-engineering.
that opt for blanket coverage of a full sages at a remote control desk, spoken The premise of the research was that
glass window with posters, etc, and messages at the branch through the greater cost efficiency should be one of
those that keep the view into the branch public address system, and a claxon. the key objectives of future investment,
relatively free from visual obstructions.
Some branches may have (usually older) A move to the next level of
frontages where there is little scope for
merchandising. network technology is an
Whatever the style of premises and
window strategy, the messages that are enabler of effective strategies
communicated by the assortment of
posters and notices – often with little in many critical areas
sympathy for the corporate livery –
could be generated electronically. This The system could also be programmed with the greatest return envisaged from
approach would not only offer higher to respond to irregular movements eliminating the heavy cost burden of
levels of quality and stimulation, but picked by cameras. legacy networking and communications
would also ensure greater cost efficiency. The use of camera technology offers systems.
As such, it should also be weighed in the the opportunity for management to Banks such as JPMorgan Chase in the
balance when assessing the many watch at first hand the experience of US, Abbey, and BNP Paribas and
advantages that will arise from a strat- customers using the branch. Are there Credit Agricole in France are already
egy of creating a best-in-breed commu- queues that require more staff in the taking a lead in deploying a new gener-
nications network. service area? Are there difficulties with a ation of network technology. However,
The same communication systems particular piece of equipment? Is the not all banks yet demonstrate an under-
also lend themselves to audio and new promotion attracting the attention standing of the critical importance of
video or television connections desired? All of these are facilities that the new benefits that it brings. Others
between locations. A head office or retailers already use as they seek to have embraced it to achieve cost savings
central location can broadcast to indi- extract the maximum benefit from store in their IT services but have failed to
vidual branches. A group of branch traffic. realise the other available benefits.
managers could be linked for a brief- Transaction analysis is already widely A move to the next level of network
ing without leaving their offices. Abbey used to optimise the balance of cashier technology may not seem to be a strate-
in the UK and BCP of Portugal are positions and self-service terminals, and gic requirement but it is an enabler of
among the banks that already have a has proved to be a highly effective effective strategies in many critical
beneficial experience of working with means of ensuring the optimum num- areas. As more banks take this path,
this medium. ber of machines are purchased and those that do not will be progressively
deployed. The use of live observation or less able to compete. Their channel
Property management video analysis adds further to bankers’ strategy, customer management tech-
Supporting branch power supplies and ability to judge the effectiveness of the niques and branch effectiveness will
security has raised the need for myriad individual features of a branch. increasingly fall behind.
automated systems, each with their own This is today’s technology, it offers
internal or external networks. These are Investing for today benefits today and it should be part of
usually expensive to install. They also With the branch likely to remain the today’s corporate plans. TB
add costs, delays and disruption to any predominant channel for the foresee-
work that has to be carried out on the able future, the case is strengthened for Jordi Ferrer is business development manager,
branch premises. For example, a typical addressing the extent to which the latest financial services, at Cisco Systems Europe &
large bank branch will often be sup- communications technologies can Emerging Markets

218 SEPTEMBER 2005 The Banker