Sampath Bank selects EPIC Lanka to implement ‘Agent Banking’ for first time in Sri Lanka

From left: Epic Technology Group Vice President Corporate Communications Pradeep Carvalho, Sampath Bank Senior System Administrator Nuwan Wickramanayake, Sampath Bank Senior Deputy General Manager – Consumer Banking Tharaka Ranwala, Epic Technology Group Consultant Business Development Ramli Mohamed, Epic Technology Group Group Director/CEO Viraj Mudalige, Epic Technology Group Executive Chairman/Managing Director Nayana Dehigama, Sampath Bank Managing Director Aravinda Perera, Sampath Bank Chief Operating Officer Nanda Fernando, Sampath Bank Head of IT Ajith Salgado, Sampath Bank DGM Operations Dinusha Ihalalanda, Sampath Bank Manager Operations Udara Suraweera and Sampath Bank Chief Manager IT Systems Development Pasan Manukith

Sampath Bank PLC, one of the premier banks in Sri Lanka in the forefront of adopting latest technologies, recently contracted Epic Lanka to develop and implement its Agent Banking Solution. This is in an effort to bring about extension of reach to its vast growing customer portfolio across the country and to promote financial inclusion in line with the national vision. With the introduction of Agent Banking, Sampath Bank boasts of yet another first in the country setting an example in the banking and financial services industry. 

Commenting on this world-class innovation by EPIC, Sampath Bank Managing Director/CEO Aravinda Perera said: “We are extremely delighted to be associated with this innovative product from a truly Sri Lankan technology leader like EPIC Lanka. This product will surely help Sampath Bank move to the next level of banking and financial services. It will further strengthen our service delivery channels, while providing us extended reach to new markets cost-effectively. This initiative will also immensely contribute towards achieving financial inclusion goals of our country.” At the contract signing ceremony, Sampath Bank Chief Operating Officer Nanda Fernando said: “Keeping up with future banking trends, it is a key priority to all of us at Sampath Bank to provide convenience, extend the reach and also be able to serve the un-banked and the under-banked. That is why we are a firm believer of this product. Through this solution we will appoint a number of Agents to deliver our banking products and services on-line real-time in addition to our 226 existing branches. With this implementation we will go on record as being the first bank in Sri Lanka and in the region to implement an Agent Banking Business Model, which would be a proud achievement for the Sri Lankan customer and to us.”

Elaborating on Epic’s innovative Agent Banking Platform EPIC Lanka Executive Chairman Dr. Nayana Dehigama said: “The Agent Banking Product is implemented on our flagship state-of-the-art Epic Electronics Channel Platform (EPC) that will enable Banks to carryout usual business without investing in bank branches. Over 25 banking transactions such as instant new customer on-boarding in the field, KYC assessments, account opening, issuance of pre-personalised ATM/Debit Cards, loan application processing and disbursement of funds, fund transfers, account balance inquiries, etc. are be enabled and facilitated on-line real-time at the Bank Agents through this solution.”

Epic’s Electronic Channel Platform (ECP) is a state-of-the-art, omni-channel based comprehensive mobile and electronic banking transaction switching solution, which provides an effective framework for banks and financial institutions to shift their operational strategies to a new dimension. This end-to-end solution allows interfaces to diverse front-end channels and back-end hosts, thus acting as a universal electronic transaction switching platform for financial services delivery. 

Epic ECP comprises of different modules such as mobile banking, internet banking and branchless banking, in order to facilitate multi-channel transactional operations. All its modules are highly cohesive but loosely coupled with each other to ensure modules could be plugged-in and detached as and when necessary.