GB00_erste lage_E - Erste Group

Harmonisation of EDP
systems enhances efficiency
Marketing
In March 2000, Erste Bank in co-operation with the savings bank sector adopted a joint approach
to marketing planning which streamlines all related activities behind a single brand. The pooling
of marketing budgets generates synergy effects and opens up new potential for cost-saving. As
of 1 January 2001, Erste Bank assumed responsibility for the marketing activities of the entire
savings bank sector.
These measures are aimed at a unified market appearance signalling a strong brand and,
backed up by the entire savings bank sector, high competence as a partner in all finance-related
business.
Based on intensive co-operation in target group and product marketing and backed up by the
new e-business service unit, Erste Bank successfully consolidated its role as lead bank within
the savings bank sector and established itself as the principal production task force for marketing
and communication activities for the savings banks sector.
Organisation & IT
In organisation and information technology, the focal point of efforts has recently been on unifying
the two different information technology systems still in use within the Bank—a feature that
dates back to the time of the merger of Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse with GiroCredit. Under
a project named “easd+”, all EDP applications of Erste Bank and the savings banks sector in
general will now be harmonised and consolidated. Total project costs of easd+ amount to about
EUR 0.2 billion, 17% of which will be contributed by the savings banks.
The project, which is being conducted by SPARDAT Sparkassen-Datendienst Ges.m.b.H. (a
72.8% subsidiary of Erste Bank), was taken up in 1999 and is to be concluded by July 2002.
Efforts to standardise IT systems are also being made outside of Austria in the foreign subsidiaries
of Erste Bank. A new, integrated banking system known as “Symbols” was implemented in
Erste Bank Hungary Rt. in 2000 and starting in 2001 will now be transposed to the merged Croatian
subsidiaries as well as Česká spořitelna, a.s., where the implementation is to be concluded
by 2003.
Erste Bank is preparing for the introduction of euro notes and coins and the conversion of all
business transactions, accounts and cash assets to the new currency by 1 January 2002. This
project, which poses a major challenge for Erste Bank as a leading retail bank in Austria, adheres
to the motto “Erlebnis Bargeld” or the cash experience, which seeks to highlight the exciting nature
of the changeover. To ease the transition, Erste Bank offers its customers consultation and
support with regard to system conversion and the introduction of the euro notes and coins.
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