Banamex: Delivering Training And messages Via Satellite

Banamex executives at the Mexico subsidiary of Citibank wanted to provide better services to its employees and customers. Connecting 1,300 branches across Mexico in a cost-effective manner, however, was a challenge for directors seeking a seamless connection for distributing a diverse array of information throughout the bank’s branches. Once the decision was made to incorporate a satellite-enabled platform, executives moved forward with a 10-month implementation plan. Satellite Store Link, a Mexico City-based company which designs, installs and operates satellite-based music and messaging systems, chose Gardena, Calif.-based Antex Electronics Corp., a developer of satellite and Internet communications products, to provide this custom network. Today, Banamex is delivering demographic specific music and messages to its customers, as well as training information to its employees. Jorge Fuentes Aguilar, Subdirector of Banamex, recently spoke with Satellite Business Solutions Editor Nick Mitsis and relayed why the switch was made and how successful this decision was for the financial institution.

Jorge Fuentes Aguilar
Subdirector,
Banamex

PROBLEM:
A Need To Provide Stronger Customer Service And More Efficient Employee Training

Customizing messages for retail distribution is becoming increasingly important as businesses reach out to their customers in creating a more informative and welcoming environment. Likewise, more businesses are finding that investing in a system that allows for demographic specific messages and employee training offers an operational benefit to executives in charge of such administrative tasks.

“We wanted to provide better service for our customers and specialized training for our employees that can be controlled on the state, divisions and organizational levels,” says Aguilar. “Even though our branches were connected via a terrestrial infrastructure, we needed to find a platform that was more secure and more reliable for our business.”

SOLUTION:
Change From A Terrestrial Network Delivery Platform To Satellite

While many messaging systems use either telephone systems or the Internet to transmit and receive information, infrastructure challenges throughout the country necessitated that Banamex employ a satellite transmission system to ensure the integrity of its communications where phone an Internet systems are not reliable.

After installing the network—roughly 200 branches per month through a 10-month implementation schedule—Banamex executives began distributing training information. “This system has reduced our employee training costs. Rather than having employees travel to central or regional training facilities and incurring all the expanses associated with that travel, employees can now be trained through this system in their own offices,” adds Aguilar.

Though Aguilar would not disclose the initial investment for the system, he did say that integrating this platform allowed them to expand and disseminate these services for one-third of the cost from other network platforms. The SSL solution manages the network and content distribution for Banamex services via the custom Antex uplink and a network of Antex satellite receivers to handle program scheduling for each location.

In addition to training, the Banamex system also disseminates music and bank advertisements to the customers in each branch. Future applications will include advanced customer-specific information regarding bank services such as loans, savings options and money management packages.