Knowledge is king
arranged. Both were very sweet deals, with big numbers. Ifwe
can make this collaboration a natural part of how we work,
wanted to do it through a Swiss bond issue, which Sarasin
the sky's the limit. We have to focus on providing appropriate
and innovative solutions that work for the cliënt. This
outweighs the concerns of individual silos."
Rabobank can also connect the dots within its international
network, Weenig explains. "In order to become the leading
wholesale bank in the Netherlands, we have to follow the
Dutch large and mid corporates outside of the Netherlands.
So in addition to focusing on the F&A sector, our network is
also servicing Dutch corporates. Forexample, we recently
closed major transactions in Sydney and Shanghai for two
of our big Dutch clients," he says.
These success stories are perfect examples of what Rabobank
can do if it takes a truly collaborative approach to its clients.
Everything should flow from the cliënt and what they need.
The timing is perfect for this kind of approach. Rabobank has
proven it is there for its clients in challenging times, as well as
the good. Now the worst of the crisis is over, clients are taking
a long, hard look at their banks. Van Nieuwenhuizen: "They
want us to be their partner at every level. To do that that we
have to offer all the services they need to meet their own
strategie goals. It is happening, but not enough. Now it's
time to put our money where our mouth is and make full use
of the vast range of specialisations we have at our disposal.
And quickly, or we'll miss the opportunity."
Rl Wholesale is currently preparing for the rollout of an
organisation-wide Client Relationship Management {CRM)
system later this year. An effective CRM system is widely
recognised as a vital tooi in the battle to retain existing
clients and win new ones. Knowledge really is king in the
increasingly complex world of international banking.
Gilles Boumeester, Head of F&A Coverage: "Basically, a fully
functioning CRM system allows everyone, right across the
bank, to coordinate their activities and share vital know
how about clients. Relationship managers and product
specialists can combine their cliënt knowledge, and share
planning and management information. Given the ever-
increasing complexity of our business, involving different
product groups and clients active in multiple countries,
this can involve very large cliënt teams. Having the right
knowledge available to everyone is vital."
Of course, this is a big challenge, he adds. A CRM system is
only as good as the information it contains. To make this
project a success, everybody needs to use it and that means
making an initial investment, as getting all the relevant
existing cliënt information into the system will take a lot
of work. "But it will be worth it," says Boumeester. "This is
about really working together, and working with clients
much more efficiently and effectively. And once the system
is up and running, we have to make updating the CRM
system a natural part of our working day. This will be
a change in routine, but the potential benefits are huge."
A fully operational CRM system will also lead to highly visible
benefits for clients, which in turn makes them a lot more
willing to work with Rabobank. Clients should see that their
Relationship Manager has all the information needed about
their business at his fingertips. "And that they can quickly
call on the team of product people they need to provide the
right financial solution for their business or a subsidiary in
a different country. As you can imagine, a cliënt is bound to
be impressed with that level of efficiency. And much more
likely to put more business our way."
issue 27 Rl WORLD
