It amazes me that in 2012 most banks still
insist on dictating the mobile technology used by their workforce.
With such a tight grip on access, policies and content, some
organisations more closely resemble the ‘police state’ of the
former Soviet Union.
To maintain control the industry has even
resorted to using its own secret police – The BES – which has
become the preferred method for maintaining order.
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All sarcasm aside, mobile investment should
not be limited to customer facing services. Here are eight tips to
mobilise your workforce before you face a very angry
uprising…
Tip 1: Move on and open
up
It has become apparent over the last two years
that the chosen platform of banks, RIM, no longer has the
capabilities or the vision to support today’s modern workforce. The
BlackBerry device in conjunction with the ‘lock down’ environment
that banks have implemented, has left routine activities like
accessing a site or video almost impossible.
Banks should instead be encouraging this
behaviour. Workers want access to content anytime and anywhere.
Sure, RIM may be the most secure enterprise solution, but the
negatives of the platform are now far outweighed by the positives.
As they say, the stats don’t lie – banks should move from the
platform now.
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By GlobalDataTip 2: Don’t own the
device
A couple of years ago it was common for
employees to only have one mobile device at work; their corporate
BlackBerry. Now it’s common to find most people with two or three
self purchased devices. The BlackBerry’s poor usability and lack of
functionality has left workers desperate.
Most have resorted to spending their own money
on new work devices. Banks need to let staff manage their own
device. They instead need to focus on how they can allow workers to
securely access and share the content they need. The majority of
workers now have smartphones with richer features than those
offered by their corporate device. So which device do you think
they want to use?
Tip 3: Make WI-FI
mandatory
Can you believe a lot of banks still don’t
offer employees free Wi-Fi? A previous employer of mine took months
to set up Wi-Fi access and this was only after a major staff back
lash. It got so bad that a member of the team had to rig up their
own ‘unsanctioned’ hot stop and secretly pass around login
credentials.
Needless to say, he became the local office
hero. We even considered printing ‘Che Guevara’ style t-shirts of
his likeness such was the admiration for his one man revolution.
With Wi-Fi staff can move around the office and collaborate more
freely. They can also benefit from much faster download times. This
will particularly come in handy as they access and share more
content from their mobiles moving forward.
Tip 4: Review your current
approach
Before moving to a more mobilised workforce,
banks need to assess their existing operations and processes. It is
critical that your strategy is not just thrown over the top of the
organisation. The overall group model should be refined to
compliment the changes initiated by a mobilised workforce. Anything
that is currently done on a desktop or in person should be examined
for its potential to be mobilised.
Only after looking at the overall picture can
banks best prioritise the opportunities that are presented. They
can then determine what mobile technology should be deployed to
support or even replace existing processes.
Tip 5: Invest in mobile
technology
Mobile technology offers so many opportunities
for the workforce that it can be hard to know where to begin. From
replacing plastic access passes with NFC, to real time performance
dash boards. The opportunities are endless. To begin with, banks
need to establish a strong architectural framework.
It should cover all system components, from
the user interface to the data layer. In parallel, banks need to
decide whether to outsource or build up their own internal
development capability. When developing apps or services for staff,
it is important that banks treat staff as they would an end
customer. No short cuts can be taken on usability, design or
support.
Tip 6: Technology is not
enough
Providing greater flexibility to your
employees doesn’t just mean building an app and letting staff work
from home. The key to success is empowering your staff to decide
when, where and how work best fits into their lifestyle. To do
this, banks need to operate within an open and trusting culture.
This will surely test some senior executives.
The demand for greater flexibility in the
office however is not something that is going to go away. Banks
need to appreciate the benefits from a mobilised workforce. It can
lead to greater efficiency and can reduce the cost and
environmental footprint of a large property portfolio. There are
some great win-win situations to be had for banks and staff.
Tip 7: Establish a
benchmark
Most banks don’t have any dedicated
productivity experts beyond a handful of Six Sigma black belts who
tend to focus on improving customer facing processes. My view is
that you need to get your own house in order before you can have
any hope of providing better customer service.
The best way to do this is to establish a
showcase department. Create a team that will be the case study for
your mobilised workforce. Ensure they have the right environment,
technology and leadership support to succeed.
Encourage staff from around the organisation
to visit, observe and participate. Conduct detailed analysis
before, during and after the roll out to see if key productivity
and satisfaction metrics have improved.
Tip 8: Be ready for the
unexpected
Mobile is the WMD (Weapon of Mass Disruption)
of this decade. No industry, product or channel will be immune to
its disruptive capabilities. With any ground breaking innovation,
the true potential and consequences of its adoption won’t be known
until after it has happened. Moving to a mobilised workforce could
have unintended consequences too. It is important that banks
support and monitor staff during the transition and adapt their
strategy where required.
Michael Nuciforo is a Mobile and
Digital Banking Consultant at Keatan who has previously worked at
ANZ on a number of developments including the ANZ goMoney
application and until November last year, was head of mobile
banking at Royal Bank of Scotland managing the UK retail
portfolio
