Fujitsu today announced that it will provide Shizuoka Bank with its Fujitsu Finance Solution Finplex Customer Contact Point Platform FrontSHIP, Fujitsu’s customer service platform for the finance industry. To be steadily phased in from October 2018, this solution will create new contact points with customers through digital channels and enhance customer experience.
This platform will enable Shizuoka Bank to improve the hub for front office in actual branches (the front-hub system), which has been implemented from May 2017, and to provide services equivalent to those provided through face-to-face channels, particularly in bank branches, through digital channels using smart devices. Services include the recommendation of financial products suited to individual users based on their characteristics and usage history, the provision of customer support using AI technology, and other services such as online applications. Moreover, by moving to a “customer-in” sales approach through the use of omni-channels, Shizuoka Bank will be able to provide attractive financial services regardless of location.
Using FrontSHIP, Fujitsu and Shizuoka Bank will bring about a shift from existing PC/Web-based banking to cutting-edge financial services using smart devices.
Background
Starting in April 2017, Shizuoka Bank has taken measures for its 13th Medium-term Business Plan “TSUNAGU,” adopting as its corporate vision the idea that “Shizugin” should become an “Innovative Bank” that will continue to create new value along with the region. In this plan, Shizuoka Bank lays out four basic strategies: reinforcing core businesses by focusing on regional economic growth, building a new business model for regional banks by developing and monetizing new business fields, reforming sales operations using retail channels and IT infrastructure, and helping to realize the dreams and increase the wealth of the region, customers, employees and shareholders.
As part of its strategy of “reforming sales operations using retail channels and IT infrastructure,” Shizuoka Bank has constructed the front-hub system for recommending financial products suited to specific customers and accepting applications from tablet devices used by external affairs officers since May 2017. Now, Fujitsu is providing Shizuoka Bank with FrontSHIP, contributing to this strategy’s further acceleration by conducting transactions regardless of location, and that go beyond the local region.
System Overview
With FrontSHIP, Shizuoka Bank will be able to provide recommendations of financial products and a variety of services through applications for smartphones and tablets through means including a number of APIs that will be developed, such as bank-owned open banking APIs. This will not only make it possible for Shizuoka Bank to provide attractive financial services regardless of location, but will also make it possible to roll out the sort of “customer-in” sales approach Shizuoka Bank has been aiming to create by promoting the use of omni-channels.
Scope of operations as the first step (planned for October 2018)
- “One to One” recommendation function that will promote financial products suited to a user’s characteristics and trends in their financial transactions.
- Online application for a variety of services
Plans for operations in step two and beyond
Fujitsu and Shizuoka Bank are considering a variety of options, including support for open banking APIs, collaboration with fintech services, expanded financial services consultation options using digital channels and AI, and acceleration of credit screening procedures using linked open data(1). In accordance with its strategy of lightening the load on branch locations, Shizuoka Bank aims to provide services with high customer satisfaction and convenience regardless of location, both through face-to-face and indirect channels.
