Banks keep feeding IT companies
While the large banks have paired up - Pekao chose the U.S.'s Alltel for its $40 million contract for new computer systems and Bank Zachodni said two weeks ago it would go with Sanchez Computers - a host of small and medium-sized banks still must refurbish their systems, industry executives said. At the same time, the large banks will continue to expand and update their technology, shifting even more business to their chosen computer providers. And there is still one large, eligible contract out there, computer executives said.
"There is only one bank left that still has not chosen its information strategy," said Aleksander Lesz, president of Softbank, a company that supplies software to the banking industry. "This is Bank Gospodarki Zywnosciowej (BGZ)."
With its string of 971 cooperatives across the nation, replacing BGZ's core computer system and hooking its branches onto one network would be a significant undertaking. Although, none of the executives interviewed could put a price tag on the work, and the bank, however, has not even issued a tender yet.
Most of the other significant contracts have been won. Pekao and its three regional banks decided in July to go with software called Systematic, produced by Alltel and installed by Softbank. Softbank also won over Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Panstwowy (PKO BP), BIG Bank Gdanski and Powszechny Bank Gospodarczy (PBG).
The other successful contender in the info tech game is Sanchez Computers, which along with winning the tender for Zachodni, also managed to snag contracts with Bank Przemyslowo-Handlowy (BPH), Powszechny Bank Kredytowy (PBK), Kredyt Bank PBI and Bank Handlowy's retail arm, Handlobank. U.K.-based software company Fiserv successfully installed its system in Bank Slaski's 205 branches and BIG BG's new retail arm is still to be opened.
While most of the big deals have been done, industry executives said that they do not expect the banking sector's importance to their business to diminish anytime soon. Computer and software companies along with systems integrators have fed off of banks for about two years now, but executives said that the industry will continue to need new equipment and software as the institutions expand their branch networks, offer more products and generally grow.
"Core banking systems are only a basis," said Maciej Markowski, public relations director at Andersen Consulting, which installed its managerial information system at PBG. "There is room for other products."
The smaller banks will also need to rework their systems to become more competitive. "According to our estimates there are at least 35 small and medium-size banks who still are potential customers for our new product, Diamond," Lesz said.
Some of the other areas that will continue to suck up new technology are ATMs, call centers and electronic banking. "Right now there are about 3,000 ATMs in Poland," Lesz said. "And the lowest amount required is twice as much."
"There is only one bank left that still has not chosen its information strategy," said Aleksander Lesz, president of Softbank, a company that supplies software to the banking industry. "This is Bank Gospodarki Zywnosciowej (BGZ)."
With its string of 971 cooperatives across the nation, replacing BGZ's core computer system and hooking its branches onto one network would be a significant undertaking. Although, none of the executives interviewed could put a price tag on the work, and the bank, however, has not even issued a tender yet.
Most of the other significant contracts have been won. Pekao and its three regional banks decided in July to go with software called Systematic, produced by Alltel and installed by Softbank. Softbank also won over Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Panstwowy (PKO BP), BIG Bank Gdanski and Powszechny Bank Gospodarczy (PBG).
The other successful contender in the info tech game is Sanchez Computers, which along with winning the tender for Zachodni, also managed to snag contracts with Bank Przemyslowo-Handlowy (BPH), Powszechny Bank Kredytowy (PBK), Kredyt Bank PBI and Bank Handlowy's retail arm, Handlobank. U.K.-based software company Fiserv successfully installed its system in Bank Slaski's 205 branches and BIG BG's new retail arm is still to be opened.
While most of the big deals have been done, industry executives said that they do not expect the banking sector's importance to their business to diminish anytime soon. Computer and software companies along with systems integrators have fed off of banks for about two years now, but executives said that the industry will continue to need new equipment and software as the institutions expand their branch networks, offer more products and generally grow.
"Core banking systems are only a basis," said Maciej Markowski, public relations director at Andersen Consulting, which installed its managerial information system at PBG. "There is room for other products."
The smaller banks will also need to rework their systems to become more competitive. "According to our estimates there are at least 35 small and medium-size banks who still are potential customers for our new product, Diamond," Lesz said.
Some of the other areas that will continue to suck up new technology are ATMs, call centers and electronic banking. "Right now there are about 3,000 ATMs in Poland," Lesz said. "And the lowest amount required is twice as much."
