e-commerce
Electronic update
While plans continue to pave the way into e-commerce, we take a moment to
catch-you up on some of our existing initiatives - those products that were
launched some time ago and continue to evolve to meet the needs of the
growing e-marketplace. These initiatives are the stepping stones, the lessons
learned - and will shape much of what RI's e-future will look like.
Integrated business
Future potential
Intranet
-
Customer focus
Phased approach
Shared model
6 What's NewS Issue 5 August/September 2000
Up and running for more than two
years, InSight's primary ambition has
always been simple - to provide better ser
vices for clients by understanding their
business, environment and ambitions. To
offer the most suitable financial solutions
for users, InSight combines knowledge
and cliënt management while proactively
leveraging the resources available across
the network. Driven by this goal to
match clients' needs with the relevant
knowledge and expertise in RI, the
InSight team is in the process of up
grading to Version 2.
InSight was hrst developed as a pro
totype for an F&A-focused audience
of some 200 globally connected front
office personnel. It was recognized as not
just an IT application but, as Patrick
Guyver, RI's program director for eBusi-
ness and knowledge management says, 'as
a system that was developed by the busi
ness for the business.' A web-based desk
top application was designed and built
that provided global connection to users,
offering F&A sector knowledge and ex
pertise, product/market solutions and ba-
sic Client Relationship Management and
transaction support to provide a struc-
tured and consistent approach to RI's
clients.
As our business becomes ever more de-
pendent on technology, recent events have
addressed the positive role InSight plays
in our organization. At the Client Rela
tionship Management Program early this
year, InSight was discussed as a key op-
portunity to better serve clients. And, at
the F&A Workshop in June, discussions
arose about the benefits and future of the
product. As a common platform for dis-
seminating valuable information and
knowledge on clients, sectors and prod
ucts, InSight clearly adds value to our
business. Second, to encourage a cultural
shift toward the 'networked culture', sup-
FAR Knowledgebase
Performance
I business
environment
Knowledgepublishing
Observation, idea
Individual
project cases
Section Country
assessment
Performance
Portfolio management
analyzing tooi
Monitoring
analysis tooi
Project performance
returns
port and commitment to the program by
senior management was seen as crucial.
Lastly, InSight's audience is expected to
change - with plans to extend the resource
base beyond the F&A sector to include
Telecom, Media and Technology (TMT)
and other areas of DGRI focus and
interests.
InSight's future will focus on supporting a
customer-led strategy through more effi
ciënt ways of organizing, working and
communicating with and for the cliënt.
Over the next few months, the InSight
team will focus on business requirements
in the areas of targeting, account and
pipeline planning, cliënt MIS, compliance,
monitoring, business-driven sector analy-
sis and product and financial solution de-
velopment. A key area of focus and an
initiative supported by our IT teams, will
be working to 'institutionalize' InSight by
personalizing a user's desktop to match
individual needs. 'We're developing a kind
of "my Yahoo",' Guyver explains. 'Rl
personnel will be able to select specific
clients, sectors and products and receive
regular updates for these items - a type of
"my Rabobank".'
The design of Version 2 - targeting a
much wider user-group - began in early
August with the kick-off of the first step
in a three-phase approach. Working in co-
operation with other business and IT ini
tiatives, the InSight team will use inter
views and focused workshops to examine
RI's current information needs and
sources, technology, infrastructure and
applications, in phase one - 'what needs
to be done'. Existing and future IT plans
in other e-business applications will be
reviewed, with a particular focus on
MIS activities, web architecture and
e-commerce initiatives that align
with the outcome of the ongoing
F&A and TMT workshops. A key
task is to prioritize and globalize
applications and processes, thereby
mitigating the need for non-stan-
dardized, regional or branch appli
cations to reduce costs and enable a
Standard global approach to informa
tion needs, e-business requirements and
ultimately the management of RI's clients.
The second phase - 'how are we going to
do it' - aims to translate the requirements
produced in the first phase into a detailed
blueprint. The final phase, the build
phase, will focus on 'doing it' - quickly
building the architecture, infrastructure
and relevant Internet based applications,
to ensure successful roll out in early 200 I
'To handle customer interactions consis-
tently, and across departments,' says
Guyver, 'ir's critical to build loyal, prof-
itable customer relationships. InSight's fu
ture is where clients and partners share
(and trade) knowledge with the bank
(See diagram). A number of financial in-
stitutions have moved or are moving to-
wards this model already. The InSight
team will be looking at this in alignment
with IT Internet platforms being
developed.
Send InSight questions or comments to
fm.ul.insight@utc.rahohank.com
