After opening new business centers in some of the country’s most progressive areas recently, the Rizal Commercial and Banking corp. (RCBC) will be opening 13 new branches and business centers in the second semester of 2007.
Over the past three months, RCBC opened new full service business centers in Bacolod, Toledo, Cebu, Palawan and Angeles City, Pampanga.
“We would like to show our customers just how serious we are in wanting to reach out to them by giving them more access to the bank and its wide array of products and services,” RCBC executive vice president and retail banking head Ismael Sandig said.
The commercial bank of the Yuchengco group has 296 business centers, 180 of which are under the universal bank while the rest are with RCBC Savings Bank.
“The senior management’s commitment is to put up at least 15 new business centers this year, including those that we have already opened. Add to that number our five extension offices, which we intend to convert into full service branches later this year,” Sandig revealed.
Among the areas wherein RCBC branches are expected to soon rise include Balanga, Bataan, Zamboanga, the Damosa Gateway in Davao, Ilagan, Isabela and the Cebu Business Park.
More than just building new structures, however, Sandig is undertaking a major culture change program among his branch personnel.
“Our business managers are now being challenged to become more like entrepreneurs. We (management) would like them to adopt a culture of having ownership of the business, instead of just being officers of the bank tasked to manage it,” Sandig said.
Aside from the traditional brick and mortar, the bank is looking at expanding its network by putting more automated teller machines (ATMs) on stream. The bank presently has a total of 215 ATM units, while the savings bank has about 70 more.
During RCBC’s recent stockholders’ meeting, it was revealed by senior management that their goal is to install 60 new ATMs within their first year in the bank and bring that total to 200 by the time they reach their third year.
Sandig is confident the tough goal is achievable.