Investing in change  

Michael T. Cerasoli

Corporate Systems Analyst

(516)795-5039                                                                                            

 

         In this highly dynamic international environment, banks and financial services are throwing away their old models of doing business and embracing a new set of objectives. For companies in developed nations, the following goals are top priorities. 

 

Reduce and Control Costs. Cost reduction and control have become watchwords in today's highly competitive financial sector. Companies acquiring other firms have developed cost reduction to a science that eliminates duplications in branch offices, labor force, and capital equipment. These players rely on cost control to stay competitive with their rapidly growing rivals.  Since banks and financial services make extensive investments in information technology (IT), cost reduction and control often fall heavily on the shoulders of IT managers. Companies are asking their IT staffs to significantly reduce the cost of maintaining existing systems through numerous consolidation processes. At the same time, they are demanding new applications and higher service levels at lower prices. 

 

Improve Profitability. On the other end of the balance sheet, companies are seeking ways to add even a fraction of a point to their margins. That fraction could make it possible to offer more competitive mortgage rates, maintain a high market capitalization, or fend off a takeover attempt. To improve profitability, corporate executives are asking IT managers to give them up-to-the-minute analyses that show what each line of business brings to the bottom line. These analyses must be flexible enough to summarize profitability at a glance, then offer detailed breakouts by line of business, geographical region, and time frame. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deliver Excellent Service. Today's customers know they have nearly infinite product options from which to choose, and show little loyalty if another institution makes them a better offer. In such an environment, customer service is the key to retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. That means reducing times for loan approvals or credit limit increases, offering rapid responses to customer queries 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, and delivering services through new channels such as automated voice response and the Internet.  Such new and improved customer services put an especially heavy burden on IT departments. They struggle to consolidate and cleanse inconsistent data that is often scattered across several departments, then deliver it with subsecond response times across systems that must never fail. At the same time, they are having to evaluate e-business technology for the new delivery channels that, in many cases, are still in their infancy. What's more, the entire process must take place within a "do more with less" budgetary climate. 

 

Enhance Customer Relationships. Beyond delighting their customers, today's financial services companies have learned they must know those customers intimately. They need systems that can identify their most profitable customers, show which products and services each customer uses or needs, and record all the details of their interactions with the company. Armed with this information, service representatives can offer personalized service and cross-sell customers on products they need but may not have been aware of. However, all this requires new systems from the IT department. As Richard Duvall, IT Director for United Kingdom-based observes, "If cross-selling of products is to develop to its full potential, then access to in-depth data for a customer is paramount." 

 

Accommodate Rapid Growth. While the above objectives are important ones for all banks and financial services, companies in developing nations must give top priority to accommodating rapid growth. These companies are opening tens of thousands of new accounts every month, starting new branches on a weekly basis, and experiencing a dramatic increase in transaction growth rates. To meet this wave of demand, they are asking their IT departments to establish communications infrastructures and implement automated systems where they previously did not exit - and do so overnight. These systems must perform flawlessly with little or no supervision. 

 

This is where I come in!  With experience in systems integrations, operations, and development, I can start to evaluate your environments and determine effective workflow solutions.  I can do this by providing knowledge of corporate networks and operations towards improving on existing architectures and applications, and migrating towards new technologies where needed.  

 

 

 

The outcome:  A stronger and tighter corporate model that is adaptable and expandable.                                                  Corporate systems analysis is a full-time job.  A person is needed to completely focus on an environments workflow, from both a business and a technical standpoint.  They should be versed in company strategies as well as hands-on technology.  Very importantly the person should also have work experience in different work environments, having to deal with various departments effectively.  An well-thought out implementation of security to maintain a systems integrity.  This person serves as the liason between information systems and the environments that use them.  Please consider hiring me as your corporate systems analyst to assist in projects, evaluations and research, and keep track of your corporate infrastructure.  I can work with your CIO, network engineers, developers, database administrators, and departments towards achieving your goals.  I have served as an advisor in many situations, such as reorganization of IS infrastructures and development projects. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What have I been doing?  Well, a lot of hands-on work and a lot of research.  I have worked at several large companies and have been exposed to a lot of various technologies.  AS/400, UNIX, Novell/NT, Databases like DB2, SQLServer, Oracle, Informix, to only name a few.  I’ve supported large user environments in administrations of systems and corporate applications.  I have worked in agressive environments, for example, supporting trading floors in New York City (I am also a licensed stockbroker - Series 7 and 63 certified).

 

What I can do for you!  Streamline your business with collaborative computing. You already use word processors and spreadsheets to make your employees more productive as individuals. Now, systems offers collaborative software that can make them more productive as workgroups and departments. For example, Lotus Domino combines functions such as e-mail, document management, calendaring and scheduling, and other groupware facilities to let employees work together more effectively over corporate networks and the Internet. Businesses that use Domino are reaping incredible returns on investment, faster turnaround times, and improved customer satisfaction.