4 International
New look for
Rabobank
Aflas around the
world
What is Atlas?
You mean the internal
administration?
How user-friendly is the system?
Is there anything it doesn't do?
Why was Atlas selected?
How long will it take to
implement the system in all the
foreign offices?
Is the same system installed in
each office?
How do you go about installation?
So how would that work in an
office like Dublin that only has a
couple of people?
ISSUE 29/25 MAY 1994
For some time, the Communica
tions Division has been working
on a new housestyle for the
bank. The need for a total new
look is part of a complete
reassessment of Rabobank's
Communications policy. Why is
this necessary and what does it
mean for the foreign offices.
'There are a number of reasons
why we believe a change is essen-
tial,' says Willem Lageweg, head
of Communications in Utrecht.
With co-worker Gert Sluis, he has
developed the new strategy which
is designed in part to improve the
bank's overall image and increase
consumer awareness. 'First, social
relationships are changing at a
rapid pace and as bank you have
to respond to that,'Lageweg con-
tinues. 'Another reason is in-
creasing competition on the do-
mestic market. A lot of already lar-
ge banks have merged to become
even larger in recent years. Then
there are the smaller operators in
In the coming years, the Atlas
system will be installed at
foreign offices around the
world. Raboband asks Sjaak
Verschoor why the system was
selected and what advantages
it will bring to the bank.
'People are probably more fami-
liar with the name Internet - but
in fact this is the company that
supplies Atlas and a number of
other systems, so I think we
should try to get used to using
the Atlas name. Essentially, Atlas
is a so-called integrated system.
This means that it has more than
one function. It both adminsters
the various products carried by a
bank, ie. the loans, the payments,
dealing-room transactions, and
also the financial administra-
tion.'
'That's right. The products sold
by the bank generate all kinds of
data which the system can then
draw on to monitor the financial
administration. It creates a bal-
ance sheet, a profit and loss, and
so on, and is geared to the stan-
dards required by the reporting
authority in the country con-
cerned. If that's the Netherlands,
specific markets, such as insurers
and mortgage brokers - they may
be small, but they shouldn't be
underestimated. Finally, and this
is the most interesting factor, the
customer is changing.'
An awareness of these factors led
to extensive market research on
what customers want, how they
choose and subsequently perceive
their banks, and the value they
place on a close working rela-
tionship with that bank. 'What we
discovered ffom this research is
that Rabobank clearly has its own
clientele.'says Sluis. 'All you have
to do is look at the advertising
campaigns that are successful for
other banks and you realise that
they would definitely not appeal
to our clients. So that means you
don't start chasing customers at
random. Our kind of cliënt ap-
preciates equality and partner
ship. They are sensitive to a really
personal approach.'
Lageweg agrees, commenting that
although the bank also needs
'mass', ifyour basic approach is to
focus on the dient, and on build
ing a relationship, then everyone
is served. 'And, as a cooperative
then it would adhere to Dutch ac
counting regulations. So that's
why we call it an integrated system.
'It's a fairly complex system and
that shouldn't be underestimated.'
'It does the normal product
administration, but it cannot
handle the more special ones, such
as letters of credit. Atlas doesn't
cater for the whole bank and the
re will always be a number of
functions which will have to be left
to other systems. These have to be
made compatible with Atlas. It is
a core part of the structure that is
being put in place for each office
and, for example, Exim-bills, No
vell, Transact are others.'
'We've been using the system for
around five or six years here in
Holland over time so we've built
up quite a bit of expertise in using
it. That means when we begin in-
stallation in the foreign offices we
have more know-how to offer
them when it comes to tailoring
their systems. Another factor is
price. Because we are such big
users in the Netherlands, the
foreign offices can piggy-back on
that. The company itself is com-
mitted to major investment in the
system, so we think we'11 be living
with the system for many years.
You never know, but we're not
bank, that is what we've been
doing for a very long time. It may
not seem particularly revolution-
ary, but it does mean that we will
have to shift our emphasis, both
in our marketing and in our com-
munication.'
The research also showed that the
Rabobank logo evokes the wrong
connotations. 'It was described as
'patronizing' and 'old fashioned','
says Sluis. 'We asked Professor
Wim Crouwel, who designed the
existing logo in 1972, what he
thought of it now and he agreed
that it lacks the elements needed
for the years to come.' These ele
ments are clear symbols of the
bank's commitment to dient
orientation, a sense of warmth
The present... and what
about the future?
the only big bank using the sys
tem, so I'm confident about it.'
'Realistically, we're talking years.
And I don't think that ultimate-
ly it will be implemented in all
the offices. Some don't need a
system like this. A primarily pri
vate banking office wouldn't
really use it. We have put to-
gether a provisional program for
the next two years. This year we'11
see the system installed and im
plemented in Madrid, Dublin
and Singapore. Madrid is online,
we're currently in the middle of
installing Dublin - it will be op-
erational in June - and we're cur
rently planning Singapore. The
planning for that installation will
be discussed in June and the start
will probably be in September.
Sydney, Milan and London are
on the board for next year.'
'No, each office has a system
tailored to its specific require-
ments. Another thing we're cur
rently looking at is the possibility
of so-called regional data centres.
This means you have a main
frame located in one place, say
Singapore, and from that point
you service other offices in the sa-
me geographical area. It comes
down to networking, but then on
and client-friendliness. And these
elements are very much present
in the proposed new logo,' says
Lageweg.
The new logo has been submitted
to the so-called Central Delegate
Assembly - Rabobank's answer to
a parliament - for approval. Once
this has been received the Com
munications division can then
organize further development.
'We'11 be introducing the new
look in early 1995,' Sluis explains,
'but staff will see it in the fall of
this year.'
What does this process mean in
practical terms for the foreign of
fices? 'Well, nothing will change
for some time. Organizing a pro
ject as far-reaching as changing
your house style is a complex
business,' says Sluis, 'so we have
established project teams to mo
nitor the various steps in the pro
cess. A separate project team has
been set up for the international
division. The foreign offices will
be kept informed of any new de-
velopments and in due course
they will receive manuals which
will help them adapt their situ-
ation to the new house style.'
a regional basis. That's not new,
other banks already use the con
cept, but we want to look at the
consequences in terms of Com
munications costs, risks. We'11 be
looking at this in the coming
months. It would be great if this
worked because adding a further
office to the network would be
less complicated - we think.'
'It's definitely a joint approach
between the Atlas team we have
in Utrecht and the office con-
cerned.'
'Well, clearly we would do it dif-
ferently there. What we normally
do in an existing office is tap the
expertise of people concerned to
get input on their specific require-
ments. These are then used to
customize Rabobank's Standard
Atlas system to the office's needs.
Then we put together a joint plan
ning. The team from Utrecht
comes in and, working with the
office team, they implement the
system. In Madrid's case, this was
four or five weeks. In Singapore
the implementation period will be
much longer because there are a
lot of people to train. So that is a
more complex process. I can give
you a better idea of how the in
stallation works in a large office
after Singapore.'