| "3315 IS MY DREAM": ANDANI ALHASSAN DECLARES | | | | which my organisation should excel. Top |
| | | | management and staff have all understood the |
| | | | vision of excellence. It is clear and in a |
| | | | brief statement which is impossible to |
| "Considering the total profitability of the | | | | misinterpret (3315). I have clarified the |
| Ghanaian banking industry, level of services | | | | message, pushed it forward. Do you want to |
| delivered, the people in the banking sector | | | | hear that all have cuddled it like 'father |
| and customer demand in recent times I have | | | | and son'? |
| realised I have an achievable dream. A | | | | |
| reverie to raise my business from its present | | | | Mr Andani, what about the outside influences, |
| position in terms of profitability and | | | | especially now that new banks are rushing |
| service delivery to the bank of choice in | | | | into the Ghanaian market? |
| Ghana. I want to push my bank into the | | | | |
| prestigious 3rd best in 3 years (call it 3 in | | | | I know the factors in the external |
| 3 or 33). And by the end of 5 years, my bank | | | | environment which call for a strategic |
| will become the premier bank in Ghana (call | | | | response from my business. I have grouped |
| that 1 in 5 or 15)". Ishalahu. | | | | them under main headings and responsibilities |
| | | | and had assigned it to capable and reliable |
| "I have the team, we understand the processes | | | | champions and teams. My outsourced staffs are |
| and make them seamless; we know the | | | | aware that their inputs are as equally |
| customers, and have what it takes to exceed | | | | important as my input at the top; I say I am |
| their expectations; we stand to provide | | | | making it in 3315. |
| exceptional stakeholder value and will | | | | |
| deliver the dream of 3315 by being a customer | | | | I have benchmark my bank against the so |
| centric bank- This is my dream". | | | | called big competitors as far as I can. |
| | | | Presently I have what they have and even |
| These were the words of Mr. Alhassan Andani, | | | | better: The products; its price; its |
| a distinguished Ghanaian Chief Executive of a | | | | availability; the customer service; the |
| fast growing bank in Ghana. This came up as a | | | | policy for continuous improvement; minimum |
| result of a recent face to face chat I had | | | | cost of operation and the market share. |
| with him to find out his challenges of | | | | |
| managing a world class business. | | | | I am matching competitors in these areas, and |
| | | | sometimes better than them. Most importantly |
| I asked him first, what in his opinion a | | | | we are not limited to this country only we |
| world class organization is. | | | | have the backing of the biggest bank in |
| | | | Africa. |
| He said "A definition of the concept 'World | | | | |
| class' would be a mouth full. However, for | | | | To put it more minimally, from the analyses |
| convenience I would say a world class company | | | | of the external environment, the core |
| should be able to compete with any other | | | | business of the organisation, and the |
| organisation in its chosen markets and that | | | | standing of competitors, I have identified I |
| it aspires to world-beating standards in | | | | have the core capabilities which will enable |
| everything it does. It embraces the practice | | | | me to compete in world markets. My |
| of and excellence in techniques such as total | | | | institutions core capabilities include our; |
| quality management, continuous improvement, | | | | |
| customer service, international benchmarking, | | | | * product knowledge / service skills |
| flexible working and training." | | | | |
| | | | * marketing skills |
| My follow up question to Andani was, how | | | | |
| would you do this with 4 branches nationwide? | | | | * innovation / research capacity |
| | | | |
| "We shall begin by providing 'out of the | | | | * financial planning and control |
| world services' to our customers, we shall | | | | |
| heal all impaired relationships, we shall | | | | * human resource capabilities (including |
| engrave an indelible positive defining moment | | | | Inspiration, motivation and involving the |
| in the minds of all our customers, and will | | | | skilled people with the right attitude and |
| provide the products and services that will | | | | knowledge). |
| dazzle our customers and in a manner that | | | | |
| achieve exceptional stakeholder value. Watch | | | | He concluded that nothing inspires and |
| the market by end of 3315 and you will | | | | motivates like success itself. I am inspired |
| understand me better". | | | | so are my people and we promise our customers |
| | | | and potential customers of exceptional and |
| Will your competitors be that friendly to you | | | | stellar services. |
| to overtake them? | | | | |
| | | | My employees are kept fully informed of the |
| "I have said over and again that the dream is | | | | organisation's progress. By adopting simple |
| 3315 and nothing more than 3315." | | | | measurement techniques, results are |
| | | | communicated to employees on a regular basis |
| How would you achieve this herculean task of | | | | - Progress reports so far has been |
| 3rd best in 3 years and 1st in 5 years when | | | | encouraging. |
| there are tiger and stochastic competitors on | | | | |
| the Ghanaian banking market? | | | | I will encourage the customers, substantive |
| | | | and potential to feel more confident dealing |
| "It is very simple. I have determined the | | | | with my bank and promise them a memorable |
| core business of my organisation - that at | | | | relationship. |