HR Corner Asia banking specialist first to utilise new platform by Wing Kei Bank makes use of latest technology to upgrade internal communication The bigger an organisation, the more important it is to ensure that internal communications run as smoothly as possible. Unless that happens, staff will be hampered by one of two major problems. They will either fail to get the information they need in timely fashion or, more likely these days, will be overwhelmed by a flood of data, most of which they can well manage without. To get things under control, DBS Bank decided to introduce its Next Generation Network (NGN), a flexible tool for governing the internal flow of information to all branch employees. "Before we introduced the new system, our branch staff had to read far more emails every day to understand the latest happenings in the financial markets and within the organisation," says Sion Huang, managing director for consumer banking sales and distribution at DBS Bank. "They now have a faster method of accessing the right information when they need it." Launched in February this year, the NGN is a web-based platform available to all staff and will be extended step by step from Hong Kong to other offices in the region. "The network is part of our efforts to invest in high technology for branch support, enabling staff to deliver better services in response to customer demand," Mr Huang says. "Relying on hard copies to distribute certain information is no longer enough, so this system will be a big benefit." According to LeAnne Wong, vice president for operational customer relationship management, the new platform includes information about products, markets, investment seminars, fees and prices, policies and the branch network. The network is part of our efforts to invest in high technology for branch support "This acts like a self-help service, since staff can easily find the most up-to-date information for themselves," she explains. "They can instantly check anything about the latest products and services on offer, which also provides a direct benefit for customers." Comments and opinions from industry experts are also presented through web-based videos. The new system has helped to avoid misunderstandings or confusion about the latest prices and rates, since all branch staff have access to the same real-time data. "The platform serves like a personal assistant," says Mr Huang. He notes that the financial markets are ever-changing, but with just a few clicks, staff can now be sure of having the very latest information and also check relevant historical records. "Besides that, the new system has made it easier for management to monitor the sales performance of different branches and individual staff," Mr Huang says. "It has also helped us to ascertain customer demand for specific services more accurately." Ms Wong adds that the NGN allows staff to have access to the bank's rules and policies, as well as to study course modules and find advice about career advancement and HR matters. "We care about our staff and hope that they can maintain a work-life balance. We don't want to see our staff carrying piles of documents home to learn about the latest products, market trends or compliance policies. Instead, staff can learn at their own preferred time and pace in a more interesting way via multimedia applications, which makes learning easier and less stressful," she says. "Good work-life balance policies and practice can have a positive impact on our business. We have recorded lower absentee and turnover rates, but higher work performance." She emphasises that the system is easy to manage and uses broadband fibre optic technology to ensure the fast transmission of information. NGN connects the bank's headquarters to more than 60 branches at 2 x 10Mbps speed. It is a top of the range network service provided by PCCW. "It guarantees stability and reliability," Ms Wong adds. "It has definitely been worth the price and we calculate that the costs have already been offset by savings in other areas. Besides, we can regularly track the hit rate of the system, so that we can better understand our staff's learning preferences and identify areas that they require support and assistance." Instant access - New system introduced to improve the flow of information for branch employees - Plan to extend from Hong Kong to other regional offices - Easy access to essential data allows better customer service - Branch staff can check real-time information on markets and product prices - With online course modules, employees can study for career advancement Taken from Career Times 25 August 2006, p. A22 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]