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Monday, 6 April 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cloud is a platform that essentially means Cloud; it’s just there, accessible and workable as long as you have an internet connection. Businesses and processes are at everybody’s fingertips making it very convenient for the staff of an establishment to do their jobs with ease. This translates into satisfied customers and quality service.
With Sampath Bank moving to the Cloud, we can give our customers a very high level of efficiency and speed with relation to their banking needs and requirements. Due to ease of procurement of hardware and software, we can be up to date with our systems and processes, which provide the backbone for the front office of the bank to function in a seamless fashion.
With this, another first of its kind, we will gear ourselves to deliver the global level of service quality and commitment for delivering our products and services on time. This will also enhance our ability to adapt according to the environment and demand. That is what we want to give our customers. We want them to have the best of our products and services. To be able to do this, we need systems with the utmost reliability that can facilitate real-time processes and give results within the minimum time.
Q: So Cloud Computing will benefit the customers through faster, more efficient service with a minimal lag in processing standard procedures. How does this affect the bank’s operational efficiency?
A: Cloud Computing as opposed to running home servers is more economical. We pay for what we use. As of now, we target a period of 3-5 years and invest in our IT infrastructure accordingly. Whatever optimisation is done, there are a lot of underutilised resources. By moving to a system where you only invest for the
current need and grow when required, the operational efficiency of the bank increases with minimum unused resources.
Also our most important capital, human resources, which is currently administering bank-owned IT resources, can then be released to build and manage business critical resources. We have recognised Cloud’s ability to empower our team members to enrich their knowledge and skills beyond time limits and borders. It is our commitment to our team and this in turn reaps benefits for our customers.
Q: Tell us about Sampath Bank’s very own Cloud system that you and your team had developed.
A: Yes. Before making the decision to move to the public Cloud platform, we built our own private Cloud to test how the process would work. This has been a success. We embarked on the journey to Cloud by building our own necessary infrastructure way back in 2008 in the form of virtualisation. I can now proudly say that our level of maturity in that area is quite vast and impressive.
While we gradually move things from our own Cloud to the public Cloud, we are more assured of high priority details such as security and trust over the data and systems we would be storing.
Q: Sampath Bank over the years has been a pioneer in the field of IT and innovation. Being a Sri Lankan private bank you have brought many firsts to the country. Could you take us through your past achievements?
A: Sampath Bank has indeed brought to Sri Lanka the novel concepts of banking practices of the developed world. From card-less cash to ATMs that can exchange foreign currency, we have given our customers the best in terms of making their transactions as easy and convenient as possible. Our past achievements include quite a few feats.
From introducing the first ATM (SET) facility in 1988 to this migration to the Cloud, we have tried to keep constantly innovating in order to serve our customers best. We were the first bank in Sri Lanka to operate a multi-point network of Automated Teller Machines. The Master card and Uni-Banking system was introduced for the first time in Sri Lanka and the first off-site ATM was installed at the Liberty Plaza Shopping Complex.
We were one of the first banks to join the SWIFT network and introduce the Debit Card system, another first in South Asia which we did in collaboration with Cirrus Maestro. With the dawn of the new millennium, the Internet Payment gateway (lPG) was introduced and we launched Visa Platinum credit cards in Sri Lanka, one of the most prestigious credit cards in the world.
A series of other firsts would include one-day clearing for all cheques, first Bill Payment Portal with payment accepted from any credit card, prepaid card and internet accounts. We launched the first-ever Cheque Imaging and Truncating (CIT) in Sri Lanka and online Real-Time ATM Cash Deposit with ‘Cash Recognition’ facility - a first in the region. The telecommunication technology was then infused into banking technology with the introduction of Sampath Mobile Cash, this enabled people to transfer money using their mobile phones.
By 2010 we covered the country with over 1,500 ATMs through the introduction of Common ATM system.
Q: Along that very impressive line of IT innovations, the move to the Cloud is a very big decision for a bank. How will you reassure your customers?
A: The Cloud is the base for a lot of global players with a lot of sensitive information. There are governing laws and regulations that monitor and check the security of all data stored. We have gone through all compliance requirements and checked all avenues to ensure the highest level of security and reliability.
