Page 40 - ACCESS BANK ANNUAL REPORTS_eBook

plications as well as internal and external channels. We also SECURING THE BANK
powered digitally led innovative solutions to provide opti-
mised customer experiences and reduce risk across our To ensure seamless service, the IT Group engaged the ser-
entire solution landscape. In the last five years, the IT Group vices of Deloitte in setting up a Cyber-Intelligence Centre to
has revamped, upgraded and upscaled the Bank’s technol- act as a Security Operations Centre charged with surveying
ogy infrastructure in readiness for the future. We have also the IT landscape and checkmating security threats before
implemented effective and proactive platform monitoring they caused harm to our information technology assets.
and management systems that have resulted in improved We have also concluded several standards and certifica-
uptime and availability of our platforms. tions, including:
In 2017, we reinforced our operational stability while ensur- • PCIDSS Certification: The global standard for card and
ing the Bank’s security as we conducted our daily activities. payment security.
In addition, we implemented key projects that set the foun-
dation for our digital banking and Finnotech strategies to • ISO27001 Certification: The standard for Information
grow the Bank. Security.
• ISO 22301 Certification: The standard for Business
Projects and initiatives executed during the year were fo-
cused on facilitating innovative and sustainable banking Continuity Management.
services in the current economy and underpinning sus- • Implementation of two-factor authentication and
tained business growth. A combination of several vibrant other security capabilities on our payment platforms
teams in the Group executed these projects in line with the to enhance transaction security and boost confidence
overall objectives, thereby supporting our transformation in our digital platforms.
journey.
In securing tomorrow, the activities of the IT Group were fo-
cused on the objectives of creating and enhancing innova- GROWING THE BANK
tive and sustainable banking processes across the following
areas. In order to accelerate growth, it is essential to gain the trust
of our business partners through ongoing operational ex-
cellence. In alignment with overall business strategies and
vision, the IT Group executed strategic investments that
STABILISING OPERATIONS are achieving desired business results and revealing new
opportunities to increase business value.
We have been able to improve platform uptime and avail-
ability with the deployment of proactive modular monitor- We also improved ties with our strategic customers by pro-
ing tools which have enhanced customer experience, re- viding technology solutions that help improve their banking
sulting in an increased share of the customer’s wallet. Some experience, thereby further strengthening their loyalty to
key initiatives implemented to drive operational stability on our brand. The provision of bespoke solutions to some of
all platforms were: our key corporate customers are examples of initiatives in

• Implementation of the Enterprise Service Bus (ESB). this space.
This has reduced the cost and difficulty of point-to- A robust collection portal, Access Collect, was also built and
point integration for our application portfolio. It also deployed. This has enhanced and simplified our collection
allows incremental adoption and data transformation process, providing a more convenient and friendly collec-
across the years. This has led to faster integration with tions experience for our customers.
ancillary applications and publishing of secured Appli-
cation Programming Interface for both internal and ex- We have used our USSD Platform *901# and other digital
ternal solutions ecosystem collaborations. channels to drive our salary-linked micro loan product, Pay
Day Loan. In alliance with strategic partners, we were able to
• Improved integration with third party payment part- extend this loan product to a wider range of customers by
ners and processors. leveraging innovative solutions integration and ecosystem

• Rollout of a highly stable collection platform to drive collaboration.
electronic collections and improve customer payment The launch of the Bank’s flagship Omni-Channel solution
and vendor fulfilment experience. in December 2017 revolutionised the way we serve our
customers, by providing a unified and seamless customer
These initiatives ensured above 98% uptime across the
Bank’s channel applications and platforms. experience across mobile and internet banking platforms.
This will be extended to Automated Teller Machines in 2018.

40 Access BAnk Plc
Annual Report & Accounts 2017