Information Technologies

Information Technology (IT) is among Finansbank's key strategic areas and is consistently targeted for high levels of investment designed to expand the Bank's IT infrastructure and support banking and internal operations.

In keeping with the dictates of Finansbank's strategy, the key principles guiding IT investments and activities are:

• To know our customer's better
  
• To provide innovative and flawless service
  
• To ensure the security and stability of the Bank's network, systems and applications
  
• To create an infrastructure architecture with the flexibility to support evolving strategies and services
  
• To manage and minimize costs

Ongoing major investments and extensive programming projects are implemented on the basis of these principles.

The Core Finansbank Basic Banking System, which was developed entirely in-house, our electronic call center and Turkey's newest and fastest Internet Banking and Virtual Payment System have all created significant competitive advantage.

The Banking System, the most important of our projects initiated to support Finansbank's concept of 21st Century Banking, was completed in 2002. At a press conference, IBM representatives stated that other banks will begin to employ the technology Finansbank has designed five to 10 years from now.

This new system incorporates the latest technological developments and has a parametric structure, which is in part responsible for the system's ease of operation, maintenance and interfacing with other systems. The system integrates the relationship between customer, channel and product, and facilitates the rapid introduction of new products adding not only to the Bank's efficiency but also to its flexibility.

In accordance with the principle of knowing our customers better, the Customer Information System improvement project has been completed. The Data Warehousing project designed to help us know our customers better and make it possible to develop sales strategies on the basis of actual data was completed and expanded to all product categories in 2003.

Service quality, risk management and cost control were improved by the implementation of Document Management and Credit Rating Systems. A new system that allows customers' signatures to be saved, tracked and viewed was introduced. In addition, a Check Automation System that allows checks to be scanned as images and circulated electronically was brought online.

For 2005, it was planned to add support for a variety of languages and currencies to the CoreFinans Basic Banking System. The Bank also created an environment in which it is possible to provide computer-enabled ongoing training programs for the CoreFinans System.

The Bank is continuing efforts to improve its existing infrastructure and applications, with one example being a new infrastructure for POS systems that increases flexibility, reduces operating costs and speeds up transaction times. A number of new products were also launched including CardFinans, the new SWIFT system, the new ATM system, new insurance products, the foreign trade model and EVM VISA certification. New projects designed to make internal processes more effective were also completed. The human resources, purchasing, cost control and inventory management processes were restructured and transferred to a web based Intranet environment. Infrastructure was put in place and programs brought online to make it possible to handle branch operations and banking transactions centrally from the Head Office, generating significant efficiencies and economies. The IT Department continues to make process improvement, one of its core responsibilities.

The Storage Area Network investments were completed in 2005. Transmission infrastructure was completely upgraded to handle the complex communication needs created by increased business volumes and a broader range of banking transactions. The Wide Area Network (WAN) capacity was also expanded.

In parallel with our Bank's growth strategy, system capacity at headquarters was increased and the system was designed in such a way as to operate with full back up. The latest technology was introduced to ensure maximum reliability using the latest generation of IBM servers. Information used by different systems was centralized in a high-technology storage environment. This technique was implemented for the first time in Turkey, allowing maximum effectiveness and management of data, which resulted both in improved performance and lower costs. In October of 2003, an investment of US $ 2.5 million was made in the establishment of a Disaster Recovery Center located in Ankara where data are transferred in real time.

The technical service function has been entirely restructured and moved on to an electronic platform. The IT Department's system management processes, like problem and change management, communication monitoring and performance and capacity management were restructured. The Internet connection and firewall were updated for optimum capacity utilization and message filtering. Telecommunications infrastructure was optimized for cost reduction and the internal messaging system had its capacity increased.

The Finansbank Information Technology Department consists of two units totaling 323 highly qualified engineers, designers and technicians. The IT Department's high levels of efficiency, progressive and proven project management techniques are the product of teamwork and a spirit of cooperation.