For any business, there is not much you can conjure by way of retort to service inefficiency except provision of quality service. Instinctively, the human mind will be drawn to some form of apology, more frequently with no immediate prompt of resolution. However, remediation of fault should always supersede expression of remorse. A month ago, BPR Bank Rwanda PLC upgraded its core banking system, a process that involved merging customer data sets from former KCB Bank Rwanda and former Banque Populaire du Rwanda, followed by transference to a singular, new release system. This development required multiple stakeholders buy-in and planning sessions prior to its initiation. Extreme caution had to be exercised, discussions had to be repetitive, and an immeasurable amount of time had to expend in analyzing every component of the upgrade. All of this was done with only the customer in mind. Access to funds at all times, seamless transfers, utility purchases, and meeting credit obligations were some of the parameters prioritized before the go-live date. Unfortunately, post go live presented various challenges as front and back-end users of the system experienced what can now only be termed as the acclimatization curve. Service interruptions led to palpable customer frustration. Despite acknowledgement of delays and several apologies, nothing was ever going to substitute resumption of consistent system availability. So, the technicians went back to the drawing board to analyze every single nook and cranny as the Management teams went out to meet customers and reassure them of an upcoming re-birth that would return the bank to better days of regular channel uptime. Today, over the counter services are stable and working within scheduled turn-around-time, channels are available to all our customers while intermediary systems that facilitate institutionary transfers are up and running. Does this signify the end of service downtime? Probably not. There will be more developments, and more requirements of our base technology in the immediate and long term. Why so soon after a large-scale upgrade, you might ask? Our objective is to consistently meet customers ever changing demands in an even more diverse technology ecosystem. We have embarked on a brand led culture and customer transformation program. The primary reason for this endeavor is to unlock consistent behavior with our staff that drives a customer obsessed approach. It’s vital that we have the right mentality to be agile, innovative, and accessible. Looking back at the progress BPR Bank has made so far, there has been robust financial growth as well as a steadily growing customer base. Further improvements have been noted in brand health as well as increased social impact through the BPR Bank Foundation’s award-winning flagship project, a vocational skills building program called IGIRE. So why change strategy amidst these positive metrics? The Bank is cognizant of our customers' ever changing requirements and has therefore taken on the task to re-focus all elements of our business to remain relevant to customers’ expectations. We are on a journey to reposition ourselves to do better for and by our people. It is imperative that beyond profits, we have a clear sense of purpose that holds the motivation beyond our strategy, operations, and culture. For us, that is our people. Taking the first strides into our new purpose, means initiating a series of activities toward a singular end – Service excellence for our customers. The first is an unequivocal understanding of the words and spirit behind the bank’s purpose statement by all staff, who are the custodians of customer service in the organization. Distribution of information and road shows to illustrate this message of culture change are underway to sensitize all employees. Secondly, we are reviewing operational policies that will substantially ease the process of banking for the customer. This speaks to credit applications, transactional banking needs, and trade requirements. This is not a proclamation of an organization that will be flawless, it is in fact an affirmation from a company making the right moves to correct its flaws. This is a pledge to our stakeholders that there will be positive change. Our task is to ensure that we place the right people to implement best in class technology, and processes to deliver a worthwhile customer experience, designed for our people, toward the betterment of their personal and professional lives. The writer is Head of Marketing, Corporate Affairs and Citizenship at BPR Bank Rwanda PLC.
