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should have board approved policies on customerservices and the same are placed on its website.Suggested best practices for enhanced CustomerServiceOnline channels should always be kept functionalto achieve excellence. Channels of delivery ofcustomer service need to be well organized,properly maintained and closely monitored toensure customer delight.●Professional sales management are the mostimportant lever to enhance customer service. Bankshave to undertake a detailed study, in a practicalbranch context, to fine-tune their role definitionsand to further business-process re-engineering toincrease the available time for sales and servicein branches. In this context, empowering branchmanager leads to significant improvement in branchproductivity and customer service. Redesign of theBranch for the Next Generation thereby more spacehas to be allocated to customers, process need to bere-designed to reduce turn around time (TAT).●Best practice sales process requires that in the firstfew months the customer is signed up and trainedto use all alternate channels including internet, billpay, Point of Sale (POS) payments, ATMs, and otherconvenient and associated offerings.●This apart, simplicity of product portfolio makesthe sales process more efficient and branch staffmore productive. PSBs have to develop offeringsfor their wealth management advisory services fortheir customers, so that customer attrition can bearrested.●Attaining overhead efficiency by better decisionmaking may lead to more intense customer focusthroughout the organization. Even senior businessleaders may come closer to customers which holdparamount significance in customer-centricity inbanks.●Banks need to create lean processes throughcustomer-centric Business Process Re-engineering(BPR). Along with this, organization restructuring is●called for in order to align operating models to thebusiness imperatives. PSBs need to adopt a newstrategy for IT investments beyond Core Bankingsystem (CBS); so that needs can be customized tobusiness units.Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in theIndian banking system is fundamental to buildinga customer-centric organization. CRM systems linkcustomer data into a single and logical customerrepository. Banks can turn customer relationshipinto a key competitive advantage through strategicdevelopment across a broad spectrum. Efficientcustomer service and customer satisfaction shouldbe the primary objectives of the banks in its day today operations. Banks should be highly responsiveto the needs and satisfaction of its customers, andcommitted to the belief that all technology, processes,products and skills of its people must be leveragedfor delivering superior banking experience to theircustomers without fail.●Benchmarking Parameters : Disclosure about chargesand interest rates in terms of codes of commitment tocustomers under BCSBI, pro-active communicationabout new products and services, demonstratingand justifying trustworthiness before customersat all points of time, effective complaint resolutionsystem, convenient banking hours, professionalismof banks, well trained, courteous and friendly staff,faster service at branches, efficient processes,effective communication on developments, innovationin banks, no hard- selling of products that customers donot want- all these parameters should be ingrained inthe best practices of banks.●We need new generation banks to deal with newgeneration banking. The Next Generation Bankingis going to be full of business opportunities interms of volumes but tough on margins due to fiercecompetition. Gen Next Banks will have to providebasic banking services to their customers with speedand efficiency which is a minimum must. What willdifferentiate a winner from others will be the valuecreation for the customer.●special featureThe Journal of Indian Institute of Banking & Finance October - December 2011 25