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My CRB & CCPP Journey ...
By Kenneth Ugwuanyi
I have had the rare privilege of pursuing both CRB and CCPP certifications at Retail Banking Academy and I quite understand when my friends and colleagues see that as an overkill . My experience with Retail Banking Academy stemmed from how easily confounded banking executives , including those in the C-suite , became once they assumed leadership roles in Retail Banking . The trend became so profound that most banking professionals in my clime perceive Retail Banking roles as punitive or the last frontier before being downsized in the ever-volatile industry . My curiosity led me to the discovery that the challenge was lack of a coherent body of knowledge for retail bankers to hone their skills . When I enrolled for Retail Banking I after being introduced to the Academy by a senior colleague , it became evident to me how dangerously unequipped so many retail bankers are for the job they do daily . This reinforced one of the most poignant statements in the objectives of RBA , where it aims to make Retail Banking a profession like accounting or law .
My introduction to ethical selling , customer service and customer relationship management , channels , risk and financial management concepts among other topics as they relate to retail banking was an instant hit . I got hooked instantly . The engagement in the students ’ forums was quite exiting and brought together perspectives from diverse climes and backgrounds .
I applied a product management concept l learned in articulating a strategy that was adopted by my bank in a groupwide product audit and rationalisation . The respect I enjoyed from my superiors and peers started soaring beyond my expectations , and there and then I made up my mind to certify as a Retail Banker . The curriculum was so relevant and compelling that I decided to put on hold my desire to understand cards and payments , both of which are very important factors in my line of business , and indeed my original intent for enrolling onto the CRB programme .
In 2015 I earned my CRB certification . However , the retail banking space was evolving rapidly in my own view . In my estimation , technology was reshaping business and customer engagement models . I became more convinced that the emergence of new technologies and the breath-taking convergence of payments , mobility and social media required a new approach , a new thought process and a new skill set .
Understanding cards and payments at a much deeper level became an imperative .
It has , as I expected , been an exhilarating journey and one of the best decisions I have ever taken .
The cards and payments landscape is changing at such dizzying speed that developing the required depth of knowledge will be an indispensable tool any retail banker will require to remain ahead of the curve . I will mention just a few of those changes under the following headings :
• Disruptive Events
• Technology
• Regulation
• Customer Engagement Models