Case Study: Two Big BanksÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ї Broken Back Office

Case Study: Two Big BanksÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ї Broken Back Office

Problem Definition:

As Megan, after the merger of two banks, Vice Chairman of Global Capital Markets and the manager of Operations department come from another bank; Vice Chairman of Client Management-Max, Sam and I come from my prior bank. Sam used to be the manager of Operations department in my bank, but now he is only the manager of New York office and under the leadership of the manager of Operation department from another bank now. IÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їm denied of support from my boss-Vice Chairman. He selects his companyÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs back office system as the new system after the merger of two banks.

I think the most difficult problem is between me and my boss-Vice Chairman of Global Markets. Recently, IÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їm facing more and more customers complaining about our system, my salespeople are discouraged and there is no growth of my profitability. The main reason is that there are some problems with new bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs back officeÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs system, it cannot satisfy with customersÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ї needs; employees from my bank are not familiar with this new system. My boss thought that his bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs system which is global and less-automated is much better than my bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs system, however, he ignores that his bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs system may be too superior to be well run in my bank now. It needs some periods for my bank to get used to it. He doesnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt want to change the system and he thinks that his system is good. So he thinks that all the problems are due to my department and SamÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs team. He thinks that the employees from my bank should get used to this new system rather than being discouraged by the system. I guess I still can be the manager of FX department after the merger, because the Vice Chairman is impressed with my performance, so he will not fire me now, but if I still cannot fix the problem, he probably will fire all the employees who come from my prior bank and use the employees of his bank who are familiar with his back office system. WhatÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs more, if the customers still complain and the profitability cannot grow in the future or even deteriorates, I cannot fix the problem and still ask his help, he has to fire me in order to ask me to take all the responsibilities of new bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs problems, because he has to explain to the CEO.

The second problem is between me and Sam. I can understand SamÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs feeling now. Sam is the person who works hard and diligently but difficult to fit into a new working circumstance and he resists to change the new system. His attitude will largely influence the morale of his team. One thing is that SamÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs position is lower than he used to be and he doesnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt like this new system. Another thing is because my bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs system is all automated and regional; the new system needs more people to be involved in it, so Sam and his team havenÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt gotten used to this new system yet, they become more and more despondent every day. He and I used to work together very well, he was a 20-year veteran of my bank and contributed a lot to my bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs back office system, I can image that he really doesnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt want to use a new system. Sam as a veteran with back office system, itÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs normal that he is reluctant to change his system and he is also difficult to get along with his new boss-manager of operations department; he is worried about his place. I may not be fired because of my abilities and my performance, but itÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs probably that his boss will fire him; operations department almost come from another bank except his team coming from my prior bank. If he still can not be able to use this new system, his boss will definitely consider change his place. He talks to me because he wants me to help him, if my team can work well with the new system, which can help Sam keep his job. He is also worried that I want to keep my job so that I may lay the blame on him, I may tell my boss that Sam is not capable to use this new system, which makes my salespeople couldnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt work with customersÐ'ÐŽÐ'Ї needs. For me, I donÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt want Sam to be fired because of our friendship but if I couldnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt be able to keep my job, I couldnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt help Sam at all. If Sam and I both want to keep our job, what we must do is that Sam and his team must try to use this new system and cooperate with back office staff in operations department. If the system works well, my salespeople can explain to the customers and try to sooth their angers.

The third problem is between me and Max-Vice Chairman of Client Management. Max is in the same position with my boss and he is also from my prior bank. I should spend time communicating with client managers. I know the importance of the relationship my department with client managers. But I must let my boss also realize the importance. ItÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs unwise to discuss with Max and make decisions without my bossÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs participation due to we both come from the same bank and MaxÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs historical rivalry with my boss. This may be a reason that my boss doesnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt want to help me. He prefers to focus on the operations department whose manager comes from the same bank with him. If this situation becomes worse, it will influence the relationship between Max and my boss and the entire bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs business.

Solution:

I have to understand the way of working of my boss and change my way in solving problems, for example, in todayÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs problem, I shouldnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt have asked my boss to apologize. What he wants to know is the result rather than he needs to deal with such mistake. He doesnÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їt want to hire a people who cannot fix such a small mistake. I should talk to the manager of operations department first; itÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs his new operations person making such mistake. All the employees who come from my prior bank have to learn the company culture of my bossÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs bank and try to mix my bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs culture with his bankÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs culture. I need spend more time communicate with my boss and tell him my ideas and my concerns, which can help me gain more trust from him and let him know whatÐ'ÐŽÐ'Їs problem