Industries:
|
Offering Groups:
|
Solution Areas:
|
Regions:
|
Challenges:
|
Benefits:
|
Philippine Veterans Bank
Philippine Veterans Bank gears up for the next millennium with Fujitsu
COMPETITION and rising customer expectations have drastically changed the landscape of the equally volatile banking industry. Deregulation, globalization and information technology are making it possible for new players to enter domestic retail-banking markets.
To remain competitive, banks need to be at the forefront of information technology. Philippine Veterans Bank is exerting its efforts to stay competitive by adapting to the latest technologies such as electronic commerce and Internet-based banking applications. And through Fujitsu solutions, PVB is prepared to ride the imminent explosion of the Internet and other technologies to win market share.
"I think the banks will not have any choice," says Atty. Florencio Z. Sioson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at PVB. "We may be a small bank, but we are going to stay competitive, not only among domestic banks, but particularly among foreign banks. And to be competitive, we have to assimilate and adapt to the latest technological developments, so that we won't be left behind."
He adds that Fujitsu has been providing them with superior products and services, especially in terms of systems development and after-sales support. Siozon says that "the only way we can describe our relationship is that we are very satisfied, and we look forward to continue this satisfactory relationship."
Better service
This mutually beneficial relationship started in 1995. PVB was looking for a vendor to provide the bank with ATM's and the bank automation systems. Around 8 to 10 vendors participated, including Fujitsu. Nelson Celis, Chief Information Officer of the Information Technology Department at PVB, created the CASA Committee, to supervise the evaluation and selection of their IT vendor.
The committee, composed of end-users and members of the ITD department, deliberated and evaluated the various systems proposed by the various vendors. One of the major proponents was Fujitsu Philippines Inc. (FPI), which proposed a systems integration project. The FPI solution was based on Fujitsu's teamBANKS deposit management system, running on a non-proprietary UNIX backroom server, and the Fujitsu teamTELLER branch delivery system, running on a client-server architecture with Intel-based servers and PC workstations. The CASA committee mandated that the systems should be running on Unix and Windows environment due to the bank's direction towards client-server technology. "We don't want to be trapped in a mainframe environment," stresses Celis. "First, you need a lot of space and facilities for the mainframe and secondly, it's very difficult to maintain people who have specialized skills that are hard to find in the market. And lastly, the mainframe platform is very costly - both hardware and software."
And after a long and complex process of evaluation, the committee decided to recommend the Fujitsu solution to the PVB top management. Several factors influenced this decision: the solution was based on client-server technology; the system was user-friendly; it was most cost-effective; and most important, Fujitsu offered the most satisfactory support and after-sales service.
Implementation in record speed
In May 1996, PVB contracted Fujitsu to supply and implement its TeamBANKS deposit management system and TeamTELLER branch delivery system, on a turnkey mode. Within three months, PVB was able to implement the system in fifteen (15) branches nationwide. Celis stresses that this was the fastest systems roll-out that the bank has ever experienced. By the end of the year 2000, PVB is looking at installing the Fujitsu teamBANKS and teamTELLER solution at up to 55 branches all over the country.
On the hardware side, PVB acquired two Fujitsu teamServers, as the backroom platform for mission-critical teamBANKS applications. More than 200 Fujitsu DESKPOWER PC's were also installed in more than 40 branches, running the teamTeller application, as well as other critical applications such as salary loans monitoring system.
PVB also became the first ATM user of Fujitsu 7000 Series of ATM's. To date, PVB acquired 19 Fujitsu ATM's scattered nationwide, and is very satisfied with the performance and the reliability of these machines. "Megalink conducted in 1997 an audit test for Megalink ATMs' response time. The test concluded that PVB has the fastest ATM in terms of response time," says Celis. In the same year, PVB signed up to acquire the teamBANKS General Ledger system, which was a joint-development project between the bank and Fujitsu. "We've done phase 1 - the head office installation - of the GL and going on to phase 2 - the branches installation - which should be finished within this year. We are gearing up to complete phase 3 for the provincial implementation," says Celis.
The bank has several other banking applications in mind, including the loans information system for implementation by the first or second quarter of the year 2000. The bank is currently on the look out for solutions providers for this system. Because of the good track record, Celis says Fujitsu will always be a major contender among the list of possible vendors.
Management support
Celis believes that the fast implementation of teamBANKS became possible because of the active management support for all the technological endeavors of the bank. "I am very grateful to the bank management, especially to our President and CEO Mr. Sunday Lavin, and to our EVP and COO Atty. Siozon." Equally important, the fast implementation became possible because of a strong partner like Fujitsu. It was not just the reliability of the hardware, but the reliability of the services rendered by Fujitsu's people. Celis stresses "I am very happy with the quality of Fujitsu's services. If we are dealing with a small or mediocre company, expect the service level to be poor. But Fujitsu is a major-league player, being one of the top IT companies in the Philippines. Thus we are confident that Fujitsu's services won't go wrong, not even in the future." Ditto with Atty. Sioson. "We are happy with our partnership with Fujitsu. I think Fujitsu lived up to our expectations. We have been happily supported, not only in terms of development and implementation, but more importantly, even for maintenance and after-sales service. I am sure that Fujitsu is doing its best not only to get additional clients, but also to maintain and satisfy its present clients, and that includes Philippine Veterans Bank."
