Application upgrades to attract more customers
Dhanlaxmi Bank’s digital transactions have reached 55% of the total transactions:
Dhanlaxmi Bank is an old private sector bank head quartered in Thrissur, Kerala, India. The bank has 245 branches spread over the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, and Haryana. J. K. Shivan, Managing Director and CEO says: “Presently we have 258 automatic terminals across the country, consisting of 242 ATMs & 16 cash recycler machines (CRM). We have plans to open another 15-20 offices at new centres during FY 21, principally in the southern part of India and the approval process is on. During FY 2020-21, we have deployed 3 New ATMs and replaced 16 ATM terminals with cash recycler machines. Current employee strength is 1644.”
100% UPTIME
Dhanlaxmi Bank has revisited the business continuity process and ensured that all its ATMs, digital channels including internet banking, mobile banking and UPI are operative 24x7 for continuous service. Shivan explains: “The on-boarding process of banking and mobile banking is simplified by enabling the channels with `view’ facility to customers who have registered valid mobile number with bank. Further, customers can generate the password/MPIN online using debit card authentication. This process change has simplified the online onboarding process in digital channels. The infrastructure has been strengthened up with latest hardware and software containing redundancy to ensure 100% uptime and cyber security. The digital transactions are 55% of the total transactions.”
ONLINE DEPOSITS
Dhanlaxmi Bank has simplified the online registration process for digital banking applications. Shivan elaborates: “With the revised process, customer can generate password online and enable transaction facility using debit card credentials. We have opened online deposits worth `750 million in the last FY. We have recorded an average increase of 10% month on month in the current fiscal.”
Dhanlaxmi Bank also ensured that the welfare measures and relief packages announced by GOI reached the intended beneficiaries. The process simplification has contributed in increasing the digital transaction growth. Shivan adds: “The bank has extended the moratorium, emergency line of credit, onetime restructuring scheme of MSME’s to all eligible customers as per guidelines. The top 3 regions for the maximum business in our bank are Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur in Kerala.”
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
Social media is an interesting marketing platform for the banking industry. With social media Dhanlaxmi Bank can enhance the reach and spread the wings to connect and communicate with a large number of people. Shivan informs: “We are active on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Well planned targeting strategies helped us to identify the needs of each customer segment and to reach out to specific consumer groups with specific information, tailored to their needs.”
DATA CENTRE
Dhanlaxmi Bank manages state-of-theart tier 3 data centre at Nxtra and disaster recovery at CtrlS. Shivan states: “We have a near DR site at STT Telemedia to ensure seamless business continuity. We are revamping our digital banking platform this fiscal.”
REMOTE EMPLOYEE TRAINING
To help the employees be more productive, Dhanlaxmi Bank is providing continuous on-the job training. Shivan points out: “Unlike earlier years, the reality of pandemic has brought into the sharp focus, the need for a well-defined `remote strategic’ employee training plan.”
CRM IN REAL TIME
The customer relationship management (CRM) of the bank provides a holistic view of each customer in real time. Shivan
indicates: “This helps our employees in areas such as sales, marketing and customer support to make quick and informed decisions on everything from up-selling and cross-selling, to improve the quality of customer communication and responsiveness.”
UPGRADING APPLICATIONS
During the last financial year Dhanlaxmi
Bank upgraded its core banking system (CBS) and data base to the latest version, refreshed the network and security systems. Its DR was shifted to new co-location partner with latest technological standards and implemented NDR. In the present scenario, the bank has decided certain targets and plans in the current FY for IT, digital initiatives. Shivan reveals: “This financial year we have planned to upgrade all our digital banking application to the latest version to improve better digital experience to our customers. As part of the upgrade, we have also planned to fix the gaps and in online banking applications to be at par with our peers. We are sure that these changes will attract more customers to our digital banking platform.”