OREANDA-NEWS. October 19, 2011. Jinan folks are tied to "Daguanyuan" whenever ICBC Shandong Jinan Daguanyuan Sub-Branch is mentioned. To Zhu Yuzhi, a resident born and raised in Jinan, ICBC Daguanyuan Sub-Branch is the bank she goes most often. In the beginning, she heard about the ICBC Daguanyuan Savings Office's story "Twenty Cents for Ten Thousand" from the newspaper. "It is true that the Sub-branch deserves its name", she said. "Over the course of more than a decade, I feel very comfortable every time I go there for my banking need", reported the press-centre of ICBC.

Sixteen years ago, ICBC Daguanyuan Sub-Branch was the first banking outlet in the country to launch "Smile Service" and "Good Service Slogan". The story of "Twenty Cents for Ten Thousand" spread all corners in the country, the linchpin of China's service industry. Sixteen years has passed, yet Daguanyuan Sub-Branch remains committed to deliver the best-quality and trustful services despite the great change in the demand of financial services from the general folks and service content. "Let customers satisfy", a simple service philosophy, is never outdated and has evolved through the years, supporting Daguanyuan Sub-Branch to change from a small savings office to a large sub-branch with more than RMB 5 billion of deposit from customers. After sixteen years of experience in looking for different ways to serve people, the dedication and innovation, the commitment to improve service quality, ICBC Daguanyuan Sub-Branch has been successful in turning itself into a modern "Daguanyuan of financial services".

Innovative Service to Handle Long Customer Queue
People are asking for more financial services in recent years. One major hurdle for banks is to handle the long line of customers queuing up at the counter for services. "We are like the other banks facing the same problem of letting customers to spend long hours in waiting", said President Xu Long of ICBC Daguanyuan Sub-Branch. "Banks are known for best-quality services. So a lot of customers come to bank, which means higher standard of services". Yet when the reporter visited Daguanyuan Sub-Branch on several occasions, no customers line up.

Daguanyuan Sub-Branch has a "secret weapon" to address the long queue of customers, an observation by the reporter has revealed. An example is the queuing machine of Daguanyuan Sub-Branch which is different from all others. Apart from the conventional functions of identifying the customers and calling out the numbers, this queuing machine has other functions for printing out second-generation ID card, for customers to schedule services. When a customer clicks the "personal banking services", a sub-menu comes out with different options such as cash service, non-cash service, one cash advance. The aim is to diversify services at a further step. Xu Long said: "A lot of banking services need to make a photocopy of the ID card. So our queuing machine provides a function to print out ID card automatically. Just this service enables customers to spend 1.5 minutes less on the queue. Through the schedule service, customers just need to arrange a time to print out the schedule No.. The outlet staff will call out the number at the specified time. This allows customers to choose their time instead of waiting at the queue."

Besides the intelligent queuing machine, Daguanyuan Sub-Branch also installs a system for customers to fill in form in advance. When a second-generation ID card is placed on the electronic machine, the customer information will be automatically displayed. Customers only click or tick against the related options. No need to spend time to fill in the form, no errors as well. Moreover, the machine is connected to the teller's computer. There is no need for the teller to enter the address, account name, account number or other complicated details, just verify and confirm, faster to complete the procedures. Each transaction saves one third of the time in processing, meaning 5 to 10 minutes less for customers to wait at the queue on average.

Each teller, duty manager, business manager and wealth management manager is equipped with an electronic calling system provided by Daguanyuan Sub-Branch for communication between front office and back office. A map of ICBC outlets around Jinan and a diagram on the peak flow is displayed from the customer viewpoint. Flexible service windows are set up, green service channel is opened, and financial service salon is available while customers are waiting. Every detail step is streamlined to shorten the queuing time of customers and help them relax. In service management, Daguanyuan Sub-Branch emphasizes "refined diversification". During banking hours, at least three duty managers are assigned to serve every customer walking into the outlet, providing information and encouraging customers to use self-service devices. The aim is to dynamically manage and balance the number of customers in each service area with significant improvement in service efficiency as a result.

Forge Brand by Trust Services
"Honesty & Trust" is the essence of ICBC corporate culture, also the key to provide best services. Sixteen years ago, Daguanyuan Sub-Branch spread its fame in all corners of the country by the "Twenty Cents for Ten Thousand" service. Yet, long-term trust is required to maintain the trailblazing reputation of the brand. "The recognition and satisfaction from customers is fundamental to honest services. We have to be responsible to the community, to the customers. Only then can we win the recognition from society, the admiration and respect from customers."

In day-to-day operation, Daguanyuan Sub-Branch sticks to "Honesty & Trust". The banking fee is a key concern of the general folks, so the Sub-Branch explains each item of banking fee in details. On the service desk of duty manager is a little brochure Intermediary Service Fee Schedule which lists out the fees on every charged service for customer reference. Notices are given on the wall to explain common charged services. Tellers remind the customers in case of any service that a fee is collected. "Our 'Explain Brochure' of Fees is a concern of general folks who use it to look up the fees whenever necessary. We explain in case they don't understand", said the duty manager Yu Lianbo. "With the passage of time, we establish our trust in the mind of the customers. In the eyes of everybody, to deposit or draw money at Daguanyuan Sub-Branch carries no worry, transparent, no single cent is spent wrongly."

Over the past few years, more and more customers use the wealth management service of Daguanyuan Sub-Branch as they are getting enthusiastic to invest and create wealth. In light of this, Daguanyuan Sub-Branch recommends applicable products according to the risk appetite of the customers, who are very pleased with the service. In May 2008, the Financial Analyst of Daguanyuan Sub-Branch designed a wealth management plan for a customer who wished to invest, based on the then current economic conditions. In just 6 months the customer doubled the return. At the end of 2008, the customer wished to buy RMB 300,000 of equity fund. Again, the Financial Analyst, taking into consideration the then current trend of stock market and risk tolerance of the customer, analyzed in detail the expected return objectively and drew up a wealth management plan for steady investment. In the end, the customer managed to avert risk amid the stock market crash and add 8% to the value. Although this meant less income to Daguanyuan Sub-Branch from this business, the honest service has earned high applause from the customer.

Win Customers by Heartfelt Services
At Daguanyuan Sub-Branch, the mission is "Customer First" - providing warm services to customers whenever needed most. Xu Long said: "Daguanyuan Sub-Branch never avoids, nor makes excuses on the questions reflected by the customers. We always look for viable solutions from the perspective of customers. The Sub-Branch establishes rules to hold staff accountable for handling customer enquiries, settle and reply customer complaints before the deadline. All staff get together in case of major incident, each employee is charged with full responsibility on his/her job, all departments coordinate on business matters outside the scope, business matters that can be settled are immediately handled, every solution is sought to address business matters that cannot be settled easily."

Duty manager Yu Lianbo related an event. In May last year, Mr. Zhu, a Jinan resident, found the RMB 5,300 treasury bonds bought in 1993 when he renovated his house. He carelessly stuffed the treasury bonds into the radiator crack. When he found out, the treasury bond was destroyed beyond recognition. Mr. Zhu went to 10+ banks to redeem the bonds, but the answer was "No". At the last resort, Mr. Zhu came to Daguanyuan Sub-Branch. Once the situation was clarified, Yu Lianbo immediately called up People's Bank of China. Yu Lianbo ran between different departments to check and coordinate. In the end, Mr. Zhu's bonds were successfully redeemed.

The above story is only one among many in Daguanyuan Sub-Branch. Just flipping through the pages of the thick visitor book of the Sub-Branch, there was a story about Madam Deng. She held a certificate of deposit of RMB 18.42 issued by "ICBC Jinan Third Transportation Company Savings Office" in 1994. Due to outlet change, businesses of this Savings Office have been consolidated in later 4 outlets. Daguanyuan Sub-Branch checked each transaction and finally found out the detail accounts. Together with interest, Madam Deng finally received RMB 29.61.

Daguanyuan Sub-Branch fulfills its service pledge while increasing its business volume and job difficulty without sacrificing existing efficiency. As a result, during these sixteen years, many Jinan folks are getting used to going to Daguanyuan Sub-Branch in case of any difficulty in banking. The business experience and meticulous, highly efficient service attitude accumulated over the years enable Daguanyuan Sub-Branch to handle with ease all kinds of "difficult and complicated" financial services. Many staff of the Sub-Branch are coined as "Experienced Chinese Medical Doctor of Financial Services".

"If someone incessantly tries to practice, he must be successful". Xu Long said: Judging from our experience in Daguanyuan Sub-Branch, once you are committed to be a "Service Bank", "Operate the Customer" instead of "Operate the product", you have all the customers if you provide all the services. Business development naturally falls in place. In the first half of 2011, balance of deposit and loan in Daguanyuan Sub-Branch were RMB 5.404 billion and RMB 3.672 billion respectively, posting a profit of RMB 130 million after provision. All business indexes maintain fast growth in consecutive years. Daguanyuan Sub-Branch is now well-positioned to better compete in the market.