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| Sunday, 31 July 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Seylan's digital dividends a reality E-banking which is gaining popularity in the country recorded tremendous growth during the last decade. Deputy General Manager of Seylan Bank, Dr. D. N. D. Ramanayake told a press briefing. He outlined their coherent e-commerce strategy creating positive ROI (return-on-investment) streams. Dr. Ramanayake said with the position of trust they have established with their customers through technological advances. Banking could be carried out from anywhere. It is in this environment that Seylan Bank provides many electronic delivery channels such as SMS Banking, Tele Banking, Internet Banking, Virtual Wallet, Visa Electronic Debit and Credit Cards and even a fully computerised bank on wheels. Referring to the recent upgrade on Internet Banking, Telephone Banking and credit card systems Dr. Ramanayake said by working with specialist service providers they aim to consolidate all electronic delivery platforms, and maintain cohesion across databases and systems". In addition to the standard functionality, Seylan now offers third party online money transfers, utility bill payments, credit card account information, credit card payments and ability to draw funds from the credit card account as a cash advance using either the Telephone or Internet Banking System. Applications for Internet banking are available through the Seylan Bank branches or the form can be downloaded from the website www.eseylan.com. Explaining the strategic developments, Dr. Ramanayake said in April 2004, Seylan commissioned a "Payment Gateway", to electronically make payments. This system helps a customer to make payments for goods and services over the Internet. Clients of Seylan Bank with access to the Internet can obtain not only information such as prices from registered merchants from the system, but also pay through the Visa Credit card or make a direct debit to his/her account, he said. "The basic strategy using IT is to offer convenience to Seylan Bank customers by providing 'anytime, anywhere, anyway banking'. To achieve this we use electronic delivery technologies," Dr. Ramanayake said. He explained the innovative plan of the Bank augmented by the Chairman, Dr. Lalith Kotelawala, and the Corporate Management of Seylan wanting to take banking to the remote areas through many channels. One such service is Automated Mobile Banking. Dr. Ramanayake said that Seylan now offers a fully computerised "bank" in a mobile vehicle. The vehicle can be parked in a village supporting the local community to perform all banking functions available to any customer in Colombo. "We are now researching to provide a fully computerised mobile bank in areas even without a telephone connection," he said. "We were the first to introduce fully functional SMS banking to Sri Lanka a few years ago and also Internet Banking just before Y2K. With the SMS banking you can perform a wide range of query-based transactions from your mobile phone, without even making a call. Your mobile phone will ring to alert a debit due to the use of Seylan Credit Card/Visa Electron card. At the next stage of transition we have plans to evolve this facility into a fully-fledged J2ME enable mobile banking solution. The advantage is that it will enable customers to perform most of the Internet Banking facilities on the move on their mobile phones," he said. Another innovation of Seylan Bank is the Visa Travel Card replacing the cumbersome travellers cheques. "Simply visit a Visa Supported ATM anywhere in the world, any time of the day to obtain currency of that country," he said. "One can also use it for purchases globally at any Visa merchant outlet". Dr. Ramanayake said their Chairman Dr. Lalith Kotelawala's vision to provide digital dividends to all parts of Sri Lanka has become a reality with services such as Automated Mobile Banking and e-Learning program. Already Seylan Bank has implemented small-scale solar powered computer centres at Thanthirimale in the NCP and in Kayts in the North. "We have designed a blueprint to provide solar enabled power and RF based telecommunication to any remote village in Sri Lanka. The bank would develop a call centre to enable single point of service to
their customers to effect cross selling of services and to provide outbound
marketing". |
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