FNB awarded winning innovators over R 6.5 million and a radical educational experience to Silicon Valley in the USA at the annual FNB Innovators event.
Each year FNBers are encouraged to create game-changing innovations that contribute to the growing banking ecosystem. “This radical way of thinking is necessary as it drives our business and people forward. As a bank, we constantly encourage our employees to think out of the box and to look at creating winning solutions that touch on our values of efficiency, effectiveness, innovation and novelty,” says Yolande Steyn, Head of FNB Innovators
The winning innovation was awarded to FNB Premier for creating a KYC remediation system which offers a streamlined and efficient business process for both individuals and business customers. The runner-up was the FNB Points of Presence team which designed and implemented FNB’s customer-centric modular branch which was launched in May this year.
“The need to teach, learn and share within a collaborative environment is important.” Steyn adds that “Innovation at FNB is a process and needs to be meaningful. It contributes and builds on our ecosystem, which ultimately helps add to the overall customer experience. We believe that ideas grow best when shared – ideas thrive in the collaborative environment which enables all aspects of the innovation process.”
Launched in 2004 and with over 9000 implemented innovations to date, the programme was created to enable innovation and to encourage FNBers to actively engage in the innovation process. This internal employee programme has not only transformed the financial services landscape but also changed the way banking is seen and done in Africa.
Being responsive to the shifting economy and global trends will help create and design innovation best practices that will disrupt and influence the market. Recently, FNB was honoured at the 2016 African FinTech awards by walking away with the coveted title of “Most Innovative Bank in Africa”. “This award is indicative that we continue to look at new ways of driving innovation and also demonstrates our ongoing commitment in ensuring that our customers are at the centre of all of our innovations,” explains Steyn.
Innovation enables entrepreneurship, the creation of new ideas and continuous learning. “Innovation is a continuous process and helps leverage best practices within any organisation. It needs to revolve around customers and needs to be executed correctly.With the right platforms, people and solutions, innovation can be seen as an enabler, helping and encouraging proactive change and advancement in the organisations and communities in which it serves,” concludes Steyn.
