Banking – Any Time, Any Where

The banking sector in India has experienced a rapid transformation especially with the LPG model in 1990’s. Just about a decade back this sector was limited to nationalized banks and cooperative banks. Then came the multinational banks. The opening up of the Indian banking to private players backed by information technology sector proved a big push for financial resources mobilization. Many financial institution ( like HDFC and ICICI) and non financial institutions like GIC, LIC, UTI, organizations of pension and provident fund and other financial institutions like IDBI, IFCI and NABARD entered the banking arena. Now day’s banks have to do much more beyond just providing a multi-channel service platform to its customers. There are a lot of issues which bank management have to keep in mind before future planning. Banks have a lot of challenges to meet which are as below.

Cost Reduction: - It is essential to cut down the cost of operation with the aim to enhance profit margin. Because in the era of competition it is prime necessity to cut down the cost of operation to survive in market.

Product Differentiation: – Private banks like ICICI, HDFC and AXIS bank etc introduced product differentiation through specialization, new products and increasing the added value. Specialization basically means that bank gets involved only in selected areas such as housing finance or limit service to corporate sector or handling just specific set of portfolios. Above all it was the pleasantries in terms of respect shown to customers, discipline, long working hours, absence of strike by employees.

Customer-Centric: – Indian banks have realized to focus on customer-centric services. While banks have to ensure product superiority and operational excellence, but the biggest challenge is to establish customer intimacy. No doubt the real strength comes from operational excellence and understanding with customers. Customer relationships have to be managed in best possible manner. In increase of good customer base and their retention will provide better income generation capability. Because major part of income comes from existing customer rather than new customers.

Information Technology is Pivotal: – Information technology’s application in banking sector is the main cause why new private banks and multi national banks have been able to survive and compete. Majority of banks are leveraging on low cost channels such as ATM and Internet banking to optimum level contributing to reduction in operating cost. These channels help to reduce the traffic from branches. In reality cost of transactions over these channels is lower than doing at branches itself.

Evolving Information Technology: – Banks are trying to make customer’s banking experience more convenient, efficient and effective. Banks are now moving from branch banking to bank banking. Banks are now working on the basis of IP based network. IP based networking improves efficiency and productivity. IP based networks lets a bank offer multiple services over the same network resulting in cost saving.

Redefining Objectives: – To meet with increasing cost and high competition as well as to retain new customers, banks have started venturing into newer territories. This is one of the main reasons why banks are focused on retail banking in big way. There are lower NPA (Non performing assets) in retail banking. CRM if implemented and integrated correctly can help significantly in improving customer satisfaction levels.

Information Technology has totally revolutionalised the banking sector. Information technology has opened up new markets, new products, new services and efficient delivery channels for the banking industry. Online electronics banking, mobile banking and internet banking are just a few examples. Information technology has also provided banking industry with the wherewithal to deal with the challenges the new economy poses. It has been the cornerstone of recent financial sector reforms aimed at increasing the speed and reliability of financial operations and of initiatives to strengthen the banking sector. The IT revolution has set the stage for unprecedented increase in financial activity across the globe. The progress of technology and development of world wide networks have significantly reduced the cost of global funds transfer. It is information technology which enables banks in meeting such high expectations of customers who are more demanding and are also more techno-savvy compared to their counterparts of the yester years.

They demand instant, anytime and anywhere banking facilities. IT has also been successful in providing in providing solutions to banks to take care of their accounting and back office requirements. Information technology facilitates the introduction of new delivery channels in the form of ATMs, Net banking, Mobile banking and the like. Banks are increasingly interconnecting their computer systems not only across the branches in a city but also to other geographical locations with high speed network infrastructures and setting up local area and wide area networks and connecting them to Internet. As a result of it information system and networks are now exposed to a growing number. Now IT sector has developed a lot of technology products for banking companies which are used to facilitate the banking operations.

Internet Banking: – Internet banking is simply banking with the help of internet. It is also called net banking. The common feature falls broadly into several categories like account to account transfer, paying a bill, funds transfer between two accounts, purchase or sale of investment, repayment of loan, issuance of bank statement and financial institution administration. Some online banking platforms support account aggregation to allow the customers to monitor all of their accounts in one place whether they are with their main bank or with other institution.

Credit Card: – A credit card is a part of system of payments named after the small plastic card issued to users of the system. It is a card entitling its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder’s promise to pay for these goods and services. The issuer of the card gains a line of credit to the consumer from which the user can borrow money for payment to merchant or as a cash advance to the user. When purchase is done the credit card holder agrees to pay the card issuer. He gives his consent to pay by signing a receipt with a record of the card details and indicating the amount to be paid by entering a personal identification number.

Mobile Banking: – Mobile banking which is also known as M-Banking, SMS banking etc is a term used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments etc via a mobile device such as a mobile phone. Mobile banking today is most often performed via SMS or the mobile internet but can also use special programs called clients download to the mobile device. It refers to provision and availability of banking and financial services with the help of mobile telecommunication devices. The scope of offered services may include facilities to conduct bank and stock market transactions, to administer accounts and to access customized information.

Telephone Banking: - Telephone banking is a service provided by a financial institution which allows its customers to perform transactions over the telephone. Most telephone banking uses an automated phone answering system with phone keypad response or voice recognition capability. To guarantee security, the customer must first authenticate through a numeric or verbal password or through security questions asked by a live representative.

Smart Money Card (Debit Card): – A smart money card is a form of chip card which is built with integrated circuit card, is any pocket sized card with embedded integrated circuits which can receive input which is processed and deliver the output. Smart money card contains only non-volatile memory storage components and also some security logic. This card bears a hologram to avoid counterfeiting.

Bank @ Home: - Now day’s banks provide home delivery services like other companies. Today bank offers special facility to pick up heavy cash directly from customer’s home or deliver heavy cash directly at customer’s home. This is called bank at home. Customer need not go physically to bank. This facility is provided to special customer who deal with bank on daily basis and whom transaction amount is heavy.

Railway or Airline Ticketing: - Bank provides its customers facility to buy rail or air tickets through their deposit in bank via using internet. Customers can purchase railway or air tickets electronically by using their debit or credit card.

Bills and Tax Payment: – Today bank offers facility to its customers to pay bills directly through bank account by using internet facility. These bills may be of electricity, water rates or mobile etc. Similarly we can pay income tax or sales tax or VAT to government through bank account by using their bank identification number or password.

Shopping: - Customers of bank can shop any where any time by using smart card issued to them. They need not carry hard cash with them. They can buy any product or service and can pay the bill of same by these cards. Bank provides special type of machine to seller or owner of showrooms who can swipe these cards on that machine and it automatically deducts amount from customer’s account.

Online Recharging: - Now bank is providing all type of services to its customers which include online recharging also. Customers using prepaid mobile connection can recharge their mobile directly by visiting the website of concerned service provider company and giving the detail of their bank account.

Cash on Tap: - Cash on tap is a facility to take liquid cash directly from ATM by using debit card. This facility is 24 hrs and 7 days available. Customer can withdraw amount from Automatic Teller Machine by inserting their debit card and following special instructions. ATM gives us hard cash just like a tap gives water by turning it.

Forex Cards: – Foreign exchange cards are called forex cards. These cards are meant for those persons who often keep on going to foreign countries. Customer can deposit amount to bank where he has account and bank gives him in exchange forex cards. These cards can be used in foreign countries where customer can obtain foreign currency of concerned nation.

In conclusion we can say that information technology is the backbone of banking sector in present time. Armed with a technology backbone, banking will remain the best business model for managing liquidity, creating trust and managing risks.