Change as an engine of growth

During the holidays I was able, like I hope, many of you, to enjoy a few beach days to relax, recharge and just watch the cerulean surf at Maracas Bay. “Life is flux” the ancient philosopher Heraclitus’ acknowledged in 500 BC. Accepting the need to constantly evolve, not with resignation or resistance, but with acceptance and vigour has always been our mantra at the RBL Information Technology team. Dedicated to providing state-of-the-art service to colleagues and clients, the team consistently rose to the exponential increase in the demand for online banking services in 2020. Challenge accepted in the year of Corona.

Although we have entered a new year, with renewed hope as Coronavirus vaccines are rolled-out in the US, Canada, UK and China, many industries have realised that we cannot return to the traditional face-to-face way of doing business. The new normal demands that secure, affordable, convenient and efficient e-banking services continually to evolve. Change has actually become “an engine of progress”. As the US Author, Virginia Woolf famously wrote, “A self that goes on changing is a self that goes on living.”

Over several decades the global financial industry began developing modern software applications, platforms and security systems to capitalise on the relentless increase in demand for e-products. These offerings are now essential not only to our financial, but also our physiological health. Yet for many it’s has been a struggle to make the transition to online banking. Therefore, it is also integral for the institutions to reach out and communicate, inform and educate customers and staff across a variety of channels: whether via traditional media or tutorial videos posted on social media or the website, specialised call centres where customer representatives are trained and ready to answer key questions or via (socially distanced) face-to-face in-branch services. It is vital that customers, especially, senior citizens and frontline care workers, can self-isolate and still pay utility bills, top up mobile phones, deposit and transfer funds. At RBL, this suite of products and services include: RepublicOnline to pay bills and manage costs, RepublicMobile for banking on the go, Yooz Top Up/Bill Pay where you can top up your phone or that of a friends’ and pay utility bills for free. There is also Easi Change where your change adds up and Express Deposit for secure deposits and bill payments. The Republic Bank OneCard Visa Debit provides an additional layer of security for your transactions with the inclusion of chip and PIN technology and allows you to conduct contactless transactions at any Point of Sale terminal or ATM. Should your card be captured at an ATM, misplaced, lost or stolen, please contact the LINX hotline at 624-7055.

My friends and family often asked me what is my resolution for the new year and my reply is simple: I won’t fear the change these months will bring my way, I choose to embrace it.