As the digital banking landscape evolves, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) is making strides by transitioning to the Finacle core banking system. Finacle, developed by EdgeVerve Systems, a subsidiary of Infosys, is a comprehensive and powerful banking solution designed to streamline banking operations and offer a seamless digital experience for customers. Despite its potential benefits, GTBank’s transition to Finacle has not been without challenges, leading to temporary disruptions for customers.
Introduction to Finacle
Finacle is a widely-used core banking platform known for its ability to handle retail, corporate, and universal banking functions. It offers a range of banking services, including payments, lending, and deposits, enabling banks to automate key operations and meet growing customer demands in today’s digital economy.
Owned by Infosys, a global leader in IT and digital transformation, Finacle is trusted by numerous financial institutions across the world, providing cutting-edge solutions for digital banking, customer engagement, and mobile banking. The software can be deployed in a variety of ways, including cloud-based or on-premise, giving banks flexibility in managing their infrastructure.
How Finacle is Deployed in the Banking System
Finacle’s deployment involves the integration of the system with the bank’s existing infrastructure. The transition is typically modular, meaning banks can select specific features to deploy first, such as retail or internet banking, rather than implementing the entire system at once. For a major institution like GTBank, which handles millions of transactions daily, the deployment process must be carefully managed to avoid service interruptions.
The timeline for deploying Finacle can range from 6 to 12 months depending on the complexity of the bank’s legacy systems, customization needs, and the scale of operations. For GTBank, this transition could take closer to a year due to the size of its customer base and the vast amount of data that needs to be migrated.
Challenges GTBank Faces in Deploying Finacle
While Finacle offers numerous advantages, GTBank customers have faced some significant challenges during its deployment phase. Here are the key challenges that have affected the bank and its users:
1. Data Migration Issues
One of the most critical aspects of deploying Finacle is migrating existing data from GTBank’s old system to the new core banking platform. With millions of accounts and transactions to handle, this process is both time-consuming and prone to errors. Any discrepancies or loss of data during migration can result in customers experiencing transaction failures, account balance errors, or delays in accessing their funds.
2. Network Downtime and Service Disruptions
During the transition, customers have reported instances of network downtime where they are unable to access their accounts through online banking, mobile apps, or even ATMs. Service disruptions often occur when a new system like Finacle is being integrated, as the bank’s IT infrastructure is temporarily taken offline for updates. This has caused inconvenience, particularly for customers who rely heavily on digital banking services.
3. Sluggish Performance
As GTBank continues to integrate Finacle, some customers have reported slow processing times when making transactions or accessing banking services. This could be due to the complexities involved in linking Finacle to GTBank’s existing systems or technical issues that arise during early-stage deployment. For many, this has translated into frustration, as transactions that were previously instant are now taking longer to process.
4. Staff Training and Adaptation
The shift to Finacle requires significant training for GTBank’s staff. Ensuring that employees are proficient in using the new system is vital to minimizing errors and maintaining a smooth operation. However, during the initial stages, the learning curve for employees can lead to delays in responding to customer inquiries or processing transactions efficiently. This challenge has also contributed to customer service delays.
5. Customer Communication Issues
One of the major challenges reported by GTBank customers is a lack of communication from the bank regarding ongoing issues and updates about the Finacle deployment. While the bank works behind the scenes to fix problems, customers are often left in the dark about the reasons behind failed transactions or network downtimes. This has led to growing frustration, especially for businesses and individuals who depend on real-time banking services.
6. Complex Customization Needs
GTBank operates in a highly competitive and regulated environment, which requires the Finacle system to be customized to meet local regulations and the bank’s specific operational needs. Customizing Finacle to fit the bank’s unique requirements can be a daunting process and is likely contributing to the delays in achieving a fully functional system. This includes ensuring the system is compliant with Nigerian financial regulations and security protocols.
Duration and Deployment Timeline
The full deployment of the Finacle core banking system is expected to take 6 to 12 months, depending on the extent of customization and integration needed. GTBank’s scale and complexity may push this timeline closer to the upper limit, as the bank ensures that every aspect of the system is thoroughly tested before going live. During this period, customers may continue to face intermittent service disruptions until the system is fully optimized.
Conclusion
While GTBank’s transition to Finacle promises to bring long-term benefits, such as improved digital banking services and operational efficiency, the short-term challenges have left many customers dissatisfied. Problems like data migration, service downtime, and slow transaction speeds are typical during large-scale system upgrades, but better communication from the bank could help mitigate some of the frustrations customers are facing. As Finacle is gradually deployed, GTBank will need to work hard to restore customer confidence and ensure a seamless banking experience.