Message from CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board
CEO and Chairman
of the Executive Board
Dear colleagues and friends,
Last year we made a few very important steps on the way to implementing the bank’s development strategy. We continue moving, though a bit slower than anticipated, towards the achievement of our principal goals — become a client-focused company, build up industrial systems and processes, raise operations efficiency. We still have a long way to go — but the changes that take place at the bank have become visible. They are visible for our clients, our shareholders, and our employees. I’d like to outline a number of important achievements of 2012.
First of all, we have come close to solving the problem of queues. This is the problem that the bank was unable to solve over dozens of years and that was the greatest source of dissatisfaction of our clients. In 2012 we achieved an important result: 90% of our clients at 90% of our offices do not spend in queues more than 10 minutes. This is not the reason to stop, however: We need to ensure that this achievement becomes a norm at all our offices.
We have also made a considerable progress in streamlining our operations with small businesses. We have actively developed our cooperation with business associations and alliances in various sectors of economy. We launched a unique Business Environment project aimed at promoting cooperation with business people. Our flagship product — unsecured loan Trust — is in great demand today.
Last year witnessed successful implementation of the reformatting programme: Today, 35% of our customer service outlets (CSO) meet high standards of comfort and quality service. The reformatting process develops faster than anticipated. In the first place, we reformat our CSOs located in large cities where we derive most income from our business. At the same time, our goal is to provide comfortable service to every client wherever he or she resides. Therefore, in 2013 we plan to introduce new formats designed to develop effective solutions for specific business objectives.
It has already become evident that quality changes in our team is the most crucial transformation we are going through now. We realize that we will not be able to achieve our goals for 2013 and beyond without integrated and efficient teamwork.
A team is made up of its players. Therefore, realizing everyone’s human potential becomes a critical task. Another critical goal for 2013 is a comprehensive development of HR initiatives. We plan to introduce asingle professional resource management cycle at all divisions of the bank, which will ensure that our HR management system becomes really deep and sustainable.
Career planning is another important objective. It includes determining key professional competencies for every line of business, developing personal development plans including career growth. Ultimately, it will result in creating a succession pool for every position including Board members.
We continue developing our training system — now on the basis of our Corporate University. It’s well known that it takes 5% talent and 95% insistency to become a master in your profession. In 2013 we’ll invest considerable funds in our mass training system for all our key professions.
Health care is another important line of HR development. We’ll focus primarily on preventive measures. We have expanded the number of offices included in the Corporate Doctor programme. In addition, based on comprehensive medical examination every employee will receive a Health Passport containing specific advice on future behavior.
We have determined key lines of the bank development for 2013. To ensure continuous effective operation, we need to change the fundamental principles of our activity. Our focus on products and services will need to be replaced with a comprehensive approach to every client segment. This is a complex and trooublesome transformation that will require further development of client relationships based on investigating their needs and preferences.
We still need to identify what we are for every segment in terms of client service, and to implement the findings. The following principles must become our 2013 motto:
- Quality;
- Reliability;
- Commitment to result;
- Efficiency in everything we do.
In fact, last year we completed creating the foundation for our future development. The next stage must be completed ahead of or abreast with today’s leaders in an entire range of key technological developments. Those will be the target objectives of our new development strategy till 2019 that we are working on now.
Herman Gref
CEO and Chairman of the Management Board