It's vital that as many people
as possiblefeel involved
in what we re
Tanja Cuppen:
"You've hit the nail on the head," says Arthur Paijens, Head of
Financial Logistics. "Our corporate clients, faced with a slowdown
in the global economy and a liquidity crisis worldwide, are keen to
look at new ways to unlock cash trapped in their working capital
cycles. Focused cliënt and product alignment of our business is
therefore our best response to this market demand, enabling us
to react more quickly to changing cliënt needs."
Very importantly, good execution is your best calling card, says Els
Kamphof. "If you really want to be a sustainable market leader, you
need to be best-in-class in execution. It's all well and good having
the best products and even the best solutions - on paper - but if
you don't execute you'll lose clients more quickly than you'll win
them," she says.
Good products are a given, and top-notch execution is essential
says Matthijs Mondria. But we also have to demonstrate
commitment to our clients. "Right now, some clients are
questioning our commitment, asking whether we will be there in
the long run. The only way to prove this is to show them that we
are committed and that we will be there in good times and in bad."
And once we have committed, we need to do exactly what we have
promised, Kamphof says. "We need to be predictable, especially
in these unpredictable market conditions." At the same time, Cees
Hamming adds, we can surprise our chosen clients by making
commitments based on know-how that other banks don't have,
by leveraging our sector knowledge and our networks. "Let's face
it, the local and regional networks and the distribution channels we
have as a group are unique to this marketplace, and we should be
using that capability much more effectively."
This is where the Act Together campaign launched in 2009 comes
in, says Sander Pruijs. 'This extends right through the organisation,
through the networks and externally to clients. If we can make
that work, the ethos of collaboration will approach the level of
a corporate value. What starts as a slogan becomes a natural
behaviour. And when that happens, the value we can create as an
organisation will be so much greaterthan it is today."
If people can see the work they put into a cliënt in terms of its value
to the bank as a whole, they will begin to think beyond their own
silos, Hamming adds. "Especially when they see that it also benefits
their own business in the long run."
Paijens comments "our clients feel the need for silo-free services
Tanja Cuppen
as well, and are looking for new opportunities to interact through
one window, one process and a consistent delivery of our services.
As a result there is clear demand from the corporate market for an
integrated approach and, as corporates are preparing for European
integration and expansion, we should respond effectively and.go
where our clients go."
To turn a sporting metaphor on its head, adds Pruijs, taking part is
no longer good enough. "Our team - and that means all of us - is in
this business to win. And there's no time to waste. Our competitors
ISSUE 23 MAY 2010 RI WORLD 29
