Inclusive Banking

Started in 2004, Bank of India finished implementation of CBS in 2009. Unlike
other nationalized banks, BoI has successfully implemented a complete CBS across
all its 3,000 plus branches enabling the bank to provide uninterrupted and
hassle-free services to its customers. The deployment was challenging since the
CBS was implemented connecting remote branches with no electricity supply or any
type of connectivity. The bank had to first create VSAT connectivity and
establish solar driven UPS for proper functioning of the system.

Doing IT Better

As pointed by PA Kalyansundar, GM, IT, Bank of India, "At BoI we always
believe in doing it innovatively so that IT can drive business expansion as per
our plans." With the enterprise CBS the bank has integrated all other
functionalities seamlessly in order to offer customers an ultimate banking
transaction experience. "We have integrated everything including all our
delivery channels into one single database to have a faster and process oriented
service structure," he says. Earlier it was only a brick-and-mortar delivery
channel but now customers are offered world class service through facilities
like Internet banking, mobile and SMS banking and ATM.

BoI has recently implemented web 2.0 for Internet banking. Its feature rich
and interactive website enables complete banking transactions online. Customers
can also give their feedback and lodge complaints online. For internal members
the bank has implemented a unified communication system providing a common
communication platform for all bank employees. "They can now collaborate faster
and jointly look for solutions, come up with new ideas, suggestions or
feedbacks. This is automatically increasing individual performances and rising
efficiency and productivity," says Kalyansundar.

We are now looking to penetrate deep into remote markets through mobile banking	PA Kalyansundar, GM, IT, Bank of India

The bank is further expanding its ATM base across the country and by
September it will have 1,500 ATMs.

Financial Inclusion

BoI is going for financial inclusion in a big way. In India an estimated 50% of
the population still doesnt have a bank account, especially in the remote
villages, where only17% of the population is exposed to getting credit. "We are
now looking to penetrate deep into these remote markets through mobile banking
and help these people avail basic banking transaction facilities," informs
Kalyansundar. "Its a big challenge for us and only technology can help us do
this," he adds.

Out of six lakh villages in India, only 50,000 have access to banks. A huge
gap exists and covering it is no easy task since its difficult to open and
sustain a branch in remote locations, it being a costly proposition. It is here
that technology comes to the rescue. The customers will be given a smart card
containing demographic and bio-metric information. The handheld devices will
work in offline modes and at the end of the day the data will be transferred to
the banks data center and will be synchronized automatically with the core
system. "It will thus be a part of our CSR initiative as well as bring in huge
business for us," he concludes.

Piyali Guha

piyalig@cybermedia.co.in