Product Strategy for HSBC Bank - Case Study Example

 Introduction HSBC is one of the largest banking and financial services organisations in the world, with a market capitalisation of US$198billion at 31 December 2007. Headquartered in London, it operates through long-established businesses and has an international network of over 10,000 offices in 83 countries and territories in five geographical regions: Europe; Hong Kong; Rest of Asia-Pacific, including the Middle East and Africa; North America and Latin America. Through its international network linked by advanced technology, including a rapidly growing e-commerce capability, HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services: personal, commercial, corporate, investment and private banking; trade services; cash management; treasury and capital markets services; insurance; consumer and business finance; pension and investment and management; trustee services; and securities and custody services. http://www.banking.hsbc.co.jp/jp/shared/pdf/2004_i_strategy.pdf Product Strategy HSBC serves 128 million individual and self-employed customers with financial services in 83 countries and territories. It provides its customers with a wide range of banking and other financial services, selected to complement its strategy in each market. Where HSBC enjoys large scale – or, in the case of emerging markets, where scale can be built – it offer a full range of personal financial products. In other markets, it participates more selectively, meeting the needs of customers with strong international connections. Sometimes it innovates and at other times, it relaunches some products as per the need of the market. HSBC has adopted a unified brand, using HSBC and its hexagon symbol nearly everywhere it operates, with the aim of enhancing recognition of the Group and its values by customers, shareholders and staff throughout the world. The branding initiative allowed HSBC to develop new services and products on a worldwide scale, all bearing the Group’s identity. Since 2002, the HSBC identity has carried the strap line ‘the world’s local bank’ emphasising the Group’s experience and understanding of a great variety of markets and cultures. HSBC follows the Product Invention Strategy(Kotler,422) . This means that either it develops new products or reintroduces earlier product forms and promotion does not change. It could be diagramatically represented as follows: Five International Product and Promotion Strategies Do not change promotion Straight Extension Product Adaptation Product Invention Adapt Promotion Communication Adaptation Dual Adaptation Product Invention Do Not change Adapt Product Develop New Product Managing for Growth Strategy: This strategy provides HSBC with a blueprint for organic growth and development. This strategy was launched in 2003 and would continue up to 2008. The plan aims at guiding the Group to achieve management’s vision to be the world’s leading financial services company. The company has identified global pillars namely customers, brand, employees, corporate culture, global distribution, technology and process and the organisation. and has made policies to strengthen each of its pillar. The responsibility for delivery of objectives lies with country managers, and heads of customer groups and global businesses under the direction of Group and regional head offices. This strategy has actually incorporated all the areas where an organisation can falter. (http://www.investis.com/reports/hsbc_ar_2006_en/report.php) Its strategy of Managing for Value’ emphasised the Group’s unique balance of business and earnings between the older, mature economies and the faster-growing emerging markets. In 2002, HSBC acquired and recapitulated Grupo Financiero Bital in Mexico and in 2006 purchased Grupo Banistmo. Based in Panama, Grupo Banistmo, was the leading banking group in Central America and gave HSBC access to new markets, with offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Despite its adventures overseas, HSBC still has a clear focus on its place of birth. The branch network in China expanded to 62 outlets by the start of 2008, and new products and services were provided to the growing customer base. In April 2007 HSBC announced the formation of a locally incorporated bank – HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited – and in the same year received permission to become the first international bank to establish a bank in rural China. HSBC has also built up a network of strategic partners in the region, taking significant stakes in Bank of Shanghai (2001), Ping An Insurance Company of China (2002), and Bank of Communications. These acquisitions and branches have strengthened its position in emerging markets. HSBC has implemented a range of energy-saving IT initiatives across its 10,000 offices, with the target of reducing power consumption .The bank has implemented desktop software across its international operations that switches-off of machines at night. The bank’s operations in Asia-Pacific have installed energy-smart software on new computers, including features such as shutting down machines when left idle. LCD flat-screen monitors are being used which reduced CO2 emissions. In India, the bank has developed eco rooms which allow staff to work outside of office hours. The rooms are self-contained and supported by standalone air conditioners with data connectivity, where staff can work without starting the central cooling systems.(Green IT Strategy) Strategic focus In mature markets, it is determined to focus on areas where it can build on its unique global franchise, so as to benefit from the long-term trend of increasing international connectivity. It has international customer bases across many of its businesses, from the largest corporate, through to small or medium-sized enterprises, to the internationally mobile mass affluent and other personal customers with specific international requirements. It has developed a clear approach, which is enabling its business to focus strongly on these groups’ customers now and in the years ahead. HSBC offers a number of innovative products targeted at emerging markets. Mexican migrants working in the US can use a free money transfer product called ‘Easy Send’ to send funds back to their families in Mexico. It has launched FastCheque and FastClick to enable nonresident Indians to transfer funds from their HSBC accounts overseas to HSBC accounts in India. These products are now offered in the United Arab Emirates. Today, HSBC supplies a cost- effective and user-friendly e-banking service via the Internet. Personal services provided by e-banking comprise check account balances, the payment of bills, transferring money to local or overseas HSBC accounts, and the updating of personal details (www.hsbc.com/2006 cr report). Customer Centric Innovation In 2006 in the UK, HSBC launched a ‘Business Direct’ proposition (http://www.hsbc.com/1/PA_1_1_S5/content/assets/csr/2006_hsbc_cr_report) which offers free banking for customers who do all their banking online or over the telephone. This initiative has been very successful, attracting about 20 per cent of new customers who switched banks during the year. HSBC Premier is designed for mass-affluent customers who are often internationally mobile. HSBC knows its customers are busy, want everything quickly and do not have time to go to the bank during banking hours. Therefore, it has converted some of the branches into Day & Night Banking centers. In November 2006, HSBC became the first financial services organisation in Hong Kong to offer Braille statements in English for visually impaired customers. In Hong Kong, senior citizens or recipients of government disability allowances are exempted from fees applicable to all stand-alone accounts. Insurance is an integral part of the new HSBC Premier proposition and HSBC uses the world-class ‘Future of Retirement’ to design innovative new products and services. It launched first environmentally friendly motor and house insurance in Brazil and, in Mexico, it developed an innovative new motor insurance product. Carbon Finance Strategy Its Carbon Finance Strategy advises clients on the implications of climate change, and helps them to understand the challenges and opportunities of creating a lower carbon economy. This seeks to develop opportunities to work with clients to promote clean energy generation, and efficient and renewable energy technology. Its strategy focuses on low-carbon technologies that are technically and commercially viable, i.e. wind, solar, energy and transport efficiency, landfill methane gas capture, and geothermal energy. In 2004, it published policies for the Forest Land and Forest Products, Freshwater Infrastructure and Chemicals sectors. (http://www.hsbc.com/1/PA_1_1_S5/content/assets/investor_relations/hsbc2007ar0.p Analysis Of Strategy HSBC has successfully implemented a stringent corporate branding strategy. It employs the same common expression throughout the globe with a simple advertising strategy based on the slogan "The world's local bank". This creative platform enables the corporation to bridge between many cultural differences, and to portray many faces of the same strategy. HSBC has acquired a number of companies, replacing local brands with the global HSBC name and symbol. The Midlands re-branding was carried out in stages over a period. One prominent member of the group to thus far escape the global branding is First Direct as it has built considerable brand equity in its niche market. Geographic diversity also brings has advantages, such as protection against regional economic downturns. A company relying too heavily on continued economic growth within one region may experience problems in a serious recession. For example, during the Asian economic downturn of 1997, banks that had grown their business primarily in Asia incurred high levels of bad debt and declining business volumes. However, prior to 1997 HSBC had diversified out of Asia into markets in Europe and the Americas mitigating what could otherwise have become a potential weakness. It was this regional diversification that served it so well during the recent Asian downturn. Business from Europe, the Americas and Middle East allowed HSBC to ride out the leaner years in Asia far better than some of its immediate Asia based competitors. Regional diversification has also brought additional advantages to HSBC. The Bank's business has often been characterised as international and yet local. By following a strategy of acquisition HSBC has been careful to absorb businesses deeply rooted in their local markets. That means businesses employing local staffs that understand the dynamics of their local market and how to get things done. There is immense intellectual strength in this cultural diversity. Where things work well in one market, HSBC is by its international nature able to transport these as best practice into its broader markets. SWOT Analysis Strengths Size : The juggernaut strategy is based upon size: companies that control large market shares usually outperform the average industry return (Westwood). HSBC has been doing that in the emerging markets. Hexagon is the foundation of HSBC’s strategy to deliver innovative services via Information Technology. Hexagon is focused on business customers engaged in intercontinental trade and high-end retail customers who use global banks to mange their personal global finances. Successful multi-domestic strategy combined with global branding. Successful management structure, valued and valuable employees. . HSBC is the "Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation" and it has 140 years of experience in China. Since China is the place to be nowadays for businesses and banks, HSBC benefits for being both an old Chinese company and trusted by the Chinese people. . HSBC is primarily listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges, which saves the company much grief in complying with new American laws. Many companies have chosen to list on foreign exchanges other than America because of the expensive new regulations. Weaknesses Larger Size of the organisation. Branding: While it is certainly a global company, HSBC came late to the game on deciding to perform an integrated marketing strategy and capitalize on its global brand. Because it had set up so many different banks in different countries at different times over a hundred year period, it set them up under different names-- Hong Kong Bank of Canada, British Bank of the Middle East, HSBC Banco Roberts. Not even all of these banks, prior to 1998, carried the HSBC logo. In 1998, they were all branded together, but the previous lack of branding and the name changes may have hurt HSBC in brand recognition. Customers may have thought that HSBC was taking over their local bank and not realized that HSBC had already been serving them for decades. In any case, the re-branding was an overdue move that should have occurred before 1998. Threats HSBC’s development of emerging markets provides increased vulnerability to external factors that are more likely to occur than in developed markets such as: currency instability, financial market instability, adverse government intervention and steeper economic downturns.. Employees striking. In 2005, British employees held a strike involving 1,500 workers at HSBC branches in London. At its annual meeting, striking workers stood outside, handing out bags of nuts and saying that they are paid "peanuts" while HSBC experiences record profits. Strikes such as this, especially in union-conscious Europe, are bad for image reasons and HSBC needs to take action to ensure that its workers are happy just as its customers are. (HSBC Strike) Email viruses. Last year, HSBC Group's CEO announced that HSBC received tens of thousands of email viruses a day and must spend great amounts of money to prevent these from causing systemwide damage. As most banking is done on computers, even one virus could cripple HSBC. On their worst day in 2004, the bank received 100,000 attacks. (International bank HSBC deluged by viruses) Identity theft. HSBC has to remain on the front lines of security and protect its customers, at the same time reassuring them that online banking is safe. In August 2006, HSBC was accused, despite its claimed airtight security, of having left its online customers open to a security glitch for two years without fixing. Researchers at Cambridge University claimed that any HSBC account could be broken into within nine attempts. Opportunities HSBC stated aim is to be the World’s Leading Financial Services company This requires HSBC to transform itself from a global bank to a more diversified global financial services company The challenge will be to do this while increasing shareholder return, and maintaining its already low cost base. Current directions, which could be expanded, include greater diversification into equity products, which is currently being pursued via HSBC Merrill Lynch, increased presence in insurance and card products. Answer 2 Along with the globalisation comes the need to interact, communicate and network with partners, vendors, suppliers, outsourcers and others from around the world. Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. It not only involves how people perceive themselves, but how they perceive others. Those perceptions affect their interactions. It is assumed that challenges on multicultural teams arise from differing styles of communication. But other factors are direct versus indirect communication, which create barriers to effective teamwork by reducing information sharing, creating interpersonal conflict, or both. Authority, in some cultures means that, people are treated differently according to their status in an organization. Cultures differ enormously when it comes to decision making particularly, how quickly decisions should be made and how much analysis is required beforehand. An organization’s success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize the benefits. When organizations actively assess their workplace diversity issues, diverse set of skills and experience, variety of viewpoints and more effective execution of policies are done. Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace - Diversity training alone is not sufficient for organization’s diversity management plan. A strategy must be created and implemented to create a culture of diversity that permeates every department and function of the organization Assessment of diversity in the workplace - Top companies make assessing and evaluating their diversity process an integral part of their management system. A customizable employee satisfaction survey can accomplish this assessment for a company efficiently and conveniently. It can help management team determine which challenges and obstacles to diversity are present in your workplace and which policies need to be added or eliminated. Reassessment can then determine the success of you diversity in the workplace plan implementation Development of diversity in the workplace plan - The plan must be comprehensive, attainable and measurable. An organization must decide what changes need to be made and a timeline for that change to be attained Implementation of diversity in the workplace plan - The personal commitment of executive and managerial teams is a must. Leaders and managers within organizations must incorporate diversity policies into every aspect of the organization’s function and purpose. Attitudes toward diversity originate at the top and filter downward. Management cooperation and participation is required to create a culture conducive to it. At HSBC, Diversity is viewed as a fundamental business objective. At the core of who we are as a company is a belief that leveraging different points of view is at the heart of our success to deliver a world-class brand and provide superior customer service. It is proud of its Diversity and Employment Equity accomplishments, and look forward to further enhancing practices to have continuing success in implementing strategies. Diversity at HSBC is not only about gender, culture, race or age but also about open mindedness and creating balance in the team. The bank recruits right people for jobs in order to take advantage of their skills and perspectives. HSBC has one of the most diverse boards of Directors. There is a special feeling of empathy for the disabled, which is visible in the company’s initiatives. Training forms one part of the implementation of HSBC Bank's diversity strategy and although there are a number of specialist training events that concentrate solely on the issues of diversity, its mainstream training and development events incorporate diversity as a matter of course. Its specialist training materials and events include Diversity Awareness Training It is designed specifically to help managers and supervisors at all levels to understand the business benefits of serving a diverse community, as well as the impact of their behaviour on others. The training encourages cultural competence and incorporates an overview of legislation currently in force. Trainers with disability experience, many with disabilities themselves, impart disability awareness training. It concentrates on providing managers and supervisors with an overview of the issues and concerns of people with disabilities. Recognising that one size does not fit all, it aims to help them to support people in the bank who become disabled during their working life, as well as to promote the recruitment and development of people with disabilities. Video-based, mandatory viewing for every employee in the bank challenges individuals to look at themselves and understand how their personal experiences inform their frame of reference when communicating with others. Equal opportunity CD Rom is an active learning resource for any employee to increase their knowledge of various sectors of the community. Leap library is a resource library of videos, books and audiocassettes with a dedicated diversity section. The material in LEAP is free of charge to all employees and includes information and material on women's development, disability, cultural awareness, race issues and other diversity topics.:(Training and education programmes) Within a global organisation, cultural diversity is widely recognised as being of high importance. Employing a diverse workforce can create opportunity, innovation and competitiveness. Equally as important, yet much less well discussed, is the effect of national cultures within global organisations. Each national culture has individual traits, which when identified, can be used to provide methodology guidance. By choosing two offices in a region, different cultures could be experienced at first hand. Asking staff about any perceived cultural differences and their effect on management methods and attitudes towards the intranet would provide an interesting additional perspective to the management of the global intranet. At HSBC, the annual “President’s Award is a prestigious appointment granted to employees who have contributed in a significant way to HSBC Canada’s success. One award winner is selected based on special nomination category – exemplifying Valuing Diversity. This is where an employee actively promotes and practices HSBC’s valuing diversity principles and policies either within the workplace or in their communities. hsbc-ca International Services Toronto organized a culture celebration of all the nationalities that form their team. Throughout a week of educational “journeys” employees enjoyed presentations on Asian, Mediterranean and South American countries. Via pictures, video, food and traditional clothing, employees traveled through these countries and learned about them. At HSBC, Diversity is viewed as a fundamental business objective. At the core of who we are as a company is a belief that leveraging different points of view is at the heart of our success to deliver a world class brand and provide superior customer service. We are proud of our Diversity and Employment Equity accomplishments, and look forward to further enhancing practices to have continuing success in implementing our strategies. (http://www.hsbc.ca/1/PA_1_1_S5/content/canada2/assets/pdf/diversity_report_en.) Answer 3 Strategy Recommendations for future. In todays fast changing commercial world, quality service is the main goal for most business organizations, and customer satisfaction is one of their main concerns. An effective CRM could be able to help a company to compete in the market, acquire potential customers, retain profitable customers, lower operational costs and finally yield a profit. Certain techniques to improve are given below: Technology And Infrastructure Enhancement As technology and infrastructure are developing very fast nowadays, it is suggested that HSBC could try to overcome technical problems to provide more interactive and integrated services and information for its customers. Increasing the customer growth rate, retention rate and satisfaction rate are justifications for investment. As customers are innovative and demanding to drive on organizational change, online interactive communication service provides real time services and one-stop-shop in e-personal banking so that customers could be able to handle their financial issues at anyplace, anytime. But at the same time the security of customers’ should be given prime importance and online frauds should be checked. Focus on emerging markets where it has clear competitive position. It should make expansion in sub Saharan Africa through a representative office (Onkvisit, 491). It should also expand in the A and B+ cities of India, when the market starts to open up. Data Mining Service A bank would be able to acquire the useful data and analyze it for internal use. However, this data could also be generated as a financial report for customer use; it provides insight into and advice about customer’s financial status and investment choices. Treat Household Customer As A Whole Some customers have social status and affiliations in family and society, so they can affect others choices and preferences by acting as an opinion leader. Thus it is suggested that HSBC should treat household customers as a whole, targeting and segmenting by household entity instead of by one single customer. The focus should be on strengthening the HSBC Finance business, paying particular attention to the core consumer lending and cards businesses in order to preserve the long-term value of the platform. It should continue to evaluate its product set and make adjustments in product type and qualification criteria, consistent with its desired risk profile. It should position the business so that when the economic environment improves, it will be well positioned Identity theft. With a trillion dollars in managed assets, taking over HSBC is a Cracker’s dream. HSBC has to remain on the front lines of security and protect its customers; at the same time reassuring them that online banking is safe. In August 2006, HSBC was accused, despite its claimed airtight security, of having left its online customers open to a security glitch for two years without fixing. Researchers at Cambridge University claimed that any HSBC account could be broken. Developing initiatives to support the recruitment, promotion, development and retention of women into the middle & other management category, and senior management roles. Enhancing their self-identification survey processes. Developing new strategies to meet recruitment goals for People with Disabilities with current realignment of recruiters into a national team. It is a challenge to execute their growth strategy while reinforcing their culture and values. As the senior roles become more complex, there is a need to refine their capability framework to improve the basis for talent identification and learning programmes. The globally consistent talent nomination criteria and instructions are subject to local interpretation, so cross-cultural differences and social dynamics may impact the consistency of talent management process. So psychometric assessment and outside expert evaluation by a vendor should be used for senior manager positions. List Of References Onkvisit, Shaw (1998),International Marketing, Prentice Hall, , 3rd edition Kotler P, (1995), Principles of Marketing, Prentice Hall,8th edition Green IT Strategies http://www.environmentalleader.com/2007/07/11/hsbc-details-green-it-strategies/ July 11,2007 HSBC Strike ,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/business/4585219.stm Training and education programmes http://www.ukpersonal.hsbc.co.uk/hsbc/diversity/training-and-education-programmes ZDNet "HSBC accused of 'scandalous' security glitch" http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39280707,00.htm http://www.investis.com/reports/hsbc_ar_2006_en/html/basket.php?mode=downloadhhttp://www.hdfcbank.com/ http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/about-hsbc http://www.hsbc.com/1/PA_1_1_S5/content/assets/csr/2006_hsbc_cr_report (http://www.hsbc.com/1/PA_1_1_S5/content/assets/investor_relations/hsbc2007ar0.p Westwood, John, P., and Holland, Christopher, P., Size and Strategy in Global Banking http://www.wmrc.com/businessbriefing/pdf/Globalbanking2001/ HSBC Strike,http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/business/4585219.stm CNet "International bank HSBC deluged by viruses" http://news.com.com/International+bank+HSBC+deluged+by+viruses/2100-7349_3-5655520.html http://www.hsbc.ca/1/PA_1_1_S5/content/canada2/assets/pdf/diversity_report_en.pdf Read More