MIS in the industry:
An interview with MBf Cards’s head of information technology
MBf Cards is the borrow liner company which issue and acquire credit cards. It has been in this business for more than 23 years.
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Alvin Chua on MIS: What are the types of Management Information System (MIS) used in MBf Cards, and in which areas has this system been used in the services provided by MBf Cards?
NM Jayabalan: For management information system, we are currently using our Multi Cards Management System (MCMS) which combining multiple card uses onto a single piece of plastic. This unique approach or system enables simplicity for the cardholders, a single program to manage for administration, and most important, collects data into a single database using one reporting tool. As well as the business intelligence tool called Cognos which is widely use in the market. The business intelligence is use to analyse report as well as produce report for management for decision making. It's also use by other department for their analysis cards we are using and the productivity of the cards as well as the productivity of the customers using our cards.
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Alvin Chua on MIS: Can you share with us the challenges you face in implementing the system?
NM Jayabalan: Main challenges we are facing is staff retention especially on the application side. In terms of staff internal application is the higher side.
Business requirement is a challenge because requirement by business people are always challenging. And delivering the services on time is also a challenge.
For example, they need to have a launch of campaign which used to be launch on 1 December. Now, the challenge is to deliver within the time frame. That is always a challenge.
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Alvin Chua on MIS: Have you seen any expected benefits yet? (The expected benefit based on the application, system, feedbacks..)
NM Jayabalan: In terms of the system we are using, we are seeing number of merchant is increasing because of the system is quite stable. The customer usage of cards are also increasing. This is good benefit because the more customer use our credit cards and more merchants need to MBF Cards service.
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Alvin Chua on MIS: What are the key areas of improvement required in the current MIS system?
NM Jayabalan: The system needs to be more parameterized and be more flexible. For example like launching a campaign takes one month to two month. If the system can be more flexible, we should be able to launch it within a month which refer to the time frame to the launching.
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Alvin Chua on MIS: What are the latest MIS technologies implemented in order to improve the quality of the business process?
NM Jayabalan: The area need improvement is the business intelligence tools which is using to generate reporting as well as analysing our customer base and merchant base.
The technology used such as software product acquire from Cognos which is Sunway technology use that to improve our analysis and decision making.
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Alvin Chua on MIS: Will MBf implement cloud technology?
NM Jayabalan: Cloud technology is still something new even though it has a lot of hyperbolic. We are not in the process of implementing it. We had evaluated but it not really apply to MBf Cards. The current data center infrastructures are located at Kuala Lumpur’s head quarter.
While cloud computing could help to distributed processing. It can help to save cost. So MBf Cards not plan to implementing it yet. Not in the pilot plan at all, maybe in the future.
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Last Words
Information technology always involving market and we need to keep in touch with the market. As we know the world is getting smaller. People use mobile can be done in finger tips. They do not need to go to the bank or utility bill company to pay their bill. Whereby, they can pay through online, through their mobile phone, mobile banking, and online banking. These are the technology MBf Cards keep on implementing as well as improving to remain competitive.
As we know all youngsters own mobile phone. Nowadays, people thrust the system and they thrust online banking, mobile banking. These are the things we need to capture the younger generation. These are technologies which MBf Cards need to use to keep in line with the needs of younger generation. MBf Cards send them the e-statement (monthly) instead of using physical copy. E-statement which can keep it in soft copy and print it whenever. This is also as go green purpose.
Unlike the one and two generation earlier, they want to see the physical thing, not thrust the internet and only want to see the bank book. MBf Cards 60% of Chinese customer base, most of them have being with MBf Cards for more than 10-15 years. So they are customers who like to see the physical statement.
Part 1
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