Externally AllSafe Bank uses incentives to encourage customers to utilize online banking, which enables access to immediate account information, amortization schedules, and payment tools that encourage use of Web-based online payments for both bank and nonbank accounts. Customers also access information through calls to the Call Center, e-mail, and snail mail. Recently, the IT initiated an internal blog site that allows committee members, including the President, to communicate informally with employees.
Traditionally the IT function is given a relatively free hand to propose and substantiate IT budget and purchases. Over the years however there is a call for greater accountability and to stretch each dollar of investment. All new IT investments have to undergo stringent evaluation criteria and capped at no more than 5% of the previous year IT budget. However some of its existing IT/IS system were based and build on older technologies and platforms and seem unable to cope with growing user demands. A major multi-year tiered review and revamp is underway but any change looks set to take the incremental and gradual approach, frustrating some of the users and IT staff.