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Finance

Singapore bank implements CRM to provide customized financial solutions

SINGAPORE - Overseas Union Bank Limited (OUB) hasimplemented a triumvirate solution based on a technology partnership amongPOINT Information Systems, Affinity Communications (a Keppel T&T company),and Finesse Alliance, to provide a technology-centric, customer-drivenplatform.
Written by ZDNet Staff, Contributor
SINGAPORE - Overseas Union Bank Limited (OUB) has implemented a triumvirate solution based on a technology partnership among POINT Information Systems, Affinity Communications (a Keppel T&T company), and Finesse Alliance, to provide a technology-centric, customer-driven platform.

Its OUB 2000 strategy exploits this leading-edge technology to empower the bank with an efficient time-to-market capability for its current and future consumer banking products, directed at the technology-savvy, well-traveled, educated professionals, which are its target customers.

The Modern Day Bank Customer
Customers today are more sophisticated and demand financial products and services that are catered to their needs and lifestyle. These consumers are also technologically-empowered and expect to be able to bank anytime, anywhere, whether it is at the branch, at his/her office, at home or on the move. Consumers today want to bank across different channels, such as by phone, mobile phone and the Internet. OUB is committed to meeting and fulfilling the needs of these individuals.

OUB's President and CEO, Mr. Peter Seah, said: "The OUB2000 service and product initiatives all come together to provide consumers with seamless delivery of a full spectrum of our banking services. This means that our banking and financial services are personalized to meet the needs of, and provide financial solutions to each individual who comes to us. He receives consistent, quality service no matter where or how he comes into contact with OUB - be it through his mobile phone, computer, or any of our sales and service channels. OUB2000 offers one-stop banking, giving consumers total freedom and flexibility to do what they want, when they want, and wherever they choose."

Staying A Step Ahead Of Competitors
As one of the OUB2000 initiatives to redefine banking, OUB has forged ahead of its competitors to become the first of the local banks to roll out its Customized Financial Solutions (CFS) Platform.

The CFS platform provides staff with focused product and sales knowledge, more accurate customer information and equips them with intelligent sales tools ­ thereby ensuring an immediate response to enquiries, a faster turnaround for facility applications and instant value-added service for bank customers.

Making The Technology Work
Teaming with POINT, Affinity and Finesse, OUB was able to harness the leading-edge technology to implement the CFS both on the back-end as well as its front-end systems. OUB chose these partners after an extensive search and evaluation process.

The CFS implementation comprises of several front-end interactive components ­ the Call Centre System, the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System, the Internet Banking System, the Enterprise Branch System and the Sales Force Automation System. The front-end interactive components are integrated with the Cross Channel Management Platform in the back-end, to provide an integrated multi-channel Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Solution.

The CFS deploys POINT's proven and highly CRM solution, TeamPOINT. OUB has successfully implemented CenterPOINT, CarePOINT, MarketPOINT, SalesPOINT and MobilePOINT modules of TeamPOINT for its expanding team of Bank Officers in PhoneBanking Centers and Branches, providing retail banking, credit/debit card and insurance services to their customers.

Said Ben Foo of POINT Information Systems, "We are pleased to be part of the bank's strategic IT infrastructure by helping OUB build more effective and integrated e-banking and CRM solutions, with a shared and common platform for customer information, access points, customer interaction and products/services".

The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, and the Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) server, CallMaster, are provided by Affinity.

CallMaster is a pro-active call center solution that allows OUB PhoneBanking officers to have interactive telephony, seamless integration to CRM system from POINT and the back-end servers, and even VIP queue prioritization.

CallMaster has the ability to route each call to the right customer service officer with the relevant customer profile. This reduces the need of repeatedly having to ask the same customers for information. As such, OUB PhoneBanking officers can provide personalized service to the callers.

In the back-end, the Cross Channel Management Platform is provided by Finesse Alliance's CL@RITY, a scalable enterprise software which allows the creation of innovative e-commerce services via electronic and wireless devices. CL@RITY was used to effectively integrate the bank's delivery channel applications with its middle and back office applications.

About Overseas Union Bank Limited (OUB)
OUB began operations in 1949. Today, it is widely recognized as a top-notch financial institutions with many accolades to its name. It is one of the largest banks in Singapore and Asean, and is well-established in Asia Pacific and further abroad, with a network of 74 offices in 16 countries. It offers the full range of consumer banking, corporate banking, treasury, international banking and investment banking services. OUB is especially known for its innovative and forward-looking consumer banking initiatives.

About POINT Information Systems
Founded in 1989, POINT Information Systems is a worldwide provider of advanced customer interaction centre solutions that enable organizations to link their sales, marketing, customer care, and back-office functions to form an integrated, enterprise-wide customer interaction platform. Currently deployed in 18 languages in 35 countries, POINT's TeamPOINT product suite is installed in leading multinational organizations such as Hewlett Packard, Allianz Group AG, Singapore Telecom, Mobile One, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Newton Investments, New T&T Hong Kong, Pacific Internet, Mobilink Pakistan, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, DiGi Telecommunications Malaysia, Dah Sing Bank and Overseas Union Bank. POINT has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Dublin, London Munich, Paris, San Francisco, Singapore and Sydney complemented by distributor locations around the world.

About Affinity Communications Pte Ltd
Affinity Communications is formed through a recent merger of DATA DPS and the Multimedia Solutions Group and SoftLabs, wholly owned subsidiaries of Keppel T&T. The Company is a leading provider of convergence solutions including full service call center integration and management. Affinity Communications provides consulting services and support based on clients' business strategies and existing infrastructures to build the most cost-effective call centres. Affinity Communications' large network of clients include Fortune 500 companies from the telecommunications, financial, banking and insurance sectors in the region.

About Finesse Alliance
Finesse Alliance is an innovative and high-growth enterprise software solutions provider that specializes in helping Financial Services organizations create e-commerce style services. Through the company's flagship product, CL@RITY, Finesse Alliance helps organizations scale their technology investments to meet the growing demands and requirements for the new digital economy. Setting world standards for combinations of new electronic distribution, including the Internet and wireless devices, CL@RITY's modular e-services platform enables financial services companies to rapidly develop secure electronic business solutions for managing Internet banking, brokerage and payments. Founded in 1995, Finesse Alliance has its Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, with offices in the United States, Hong Kong, and London.







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