Banco de Bogotá has been using the software solutions of Fidelity Information Services (Fidelity), a division of Fidelity National Financial, since 1988. Based in Bogotá, Colombia, Banco de Bogotá chose Fidelity's solutions because the flexibility of the applications enabled them to offer a wide range of products to meet the bank's changes and government requirements in a short time frame, and with much less effort than with their previous applications. Initially, the bank installed Fidelity's Financial Management System, Integrated Monetary Processing and Control System (IMPACS), and Savings/Time Deposit System. Later, they implemented Fidelity's Commercial Loans System, Information Management System, and Asset/Liability Management System.
In 1992, Banco de Bogotá acquired another banking institution with 96 branches, and the merger was successfully completed in a short period of time. One key factor in the success was the use of Fidelity applications, which helped make the conversion process timely and efficient. Martha Vazquez, the manager of Banco de Bogotá's electronic services who oversaw the merger process, said, “Defining the products was an easy and quick task, thanks to the parameterization facilities; besides, the multibanking feature of the software allowed us to run as two separate banks - general ledger, etc. - up to the formal merging time.”
In a second wave of conversions, starting in 1994, Banco de Bogotá implemented Transaction System with 16 team members. The implementation of Transaction System has allowed the bank to improve the quality of online services by offering new services not only in the branches, but also through an extensive network of ATMs, POSes and Servilinea, which is the audio-response system. One key element in the implementation was the development of an interface between the old system and Transaction System so that, during the five months spent in the conversion, the critical account information was kept in sync between the two systems, providing customers a consistent service level in any branch or bank interface. Hernando Prieto, manager of analysis and development, said, "Transaction System enabled a real device-independent environment, with a unique standard to develop new transactions for every application and interface. It allowed us to develop new transactions very easily for both the branches and the alternate delivery methods, and later maintenance has been quite simple."
By the end of 1995, Transaction System was processing 200,000 transactions per day in a 9121-411 with VSE 1.3.5, with sub-second response time. The availability and responsiveness of the system is encouraging the bank’s customers to use alternative delivery methods, thus lowering the workload on the branches. Augusto Barrera, systems vice president, said, "We started offering a bunch of additional services in the branch that were not allowed with the previous system, and then creative services through the other interfaces. Considering the services and reliability, availability and serviceability of the system that we implemented, we are proud to have one of the best online services in Colombia."
In November 1995, the bank started the installation of the new Customer Information System with a group of nine bank staff and two Fidelity consultants. Customer Information System will be initially used through the 3270 access capacity, and in the second phase through the PC graphical user interface (GUI) under Windows/NT. This will allow the bank to integrate client/server applications for customer service and information service while having a smooth transition from 3270 to GUI access.
Banco de Bogotá, with assets of approximately $1 billion in 1996, is one of the leading banks in Colombia. The bank has 260 branches, all of them working online, using satellite links in remote locations to cover the whole national territory.
This article appeared in the June 1996 issue of Fidelity's client newsletter.