Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited has seamlessly migrated to Phoenix switch from CR2 Sparrow. As the largest and fastest growing international bank in Pakistan with 162 branches spread across 41 cities, the bank now has Phoenix as a transaction platform that enables the alternate distribution channels.
SCB, after acquiring Union Bank in Pakistan, had decided to move to a switch that can help it maintain a competitive advantage in the market. The bank had three options: 1) to outsource the ATM switching functions to EuroNet where most of the countries in the group had been going. 2) If switch was to be in-house, upgrade Sparrow to its latest version. 3) To implement Phoenix.
After a lengthy evaluation phase and due diligence, the bank selected Phoenix as the switch for consolidating its remote banking operations. Prior to the merger with Union Bank, SCB was using an older version of CR2’s Sparrow and Union was using Phoenix to drive its e- Banking services.
Besides serving as an ATM switch and an integrated delivery channel manager, the bank is benefiting from TPS’ comprehensive monitoring solution, CMS and reconciliation system. Switch migration of a large and complex bank like SCB, being a multi-pronged activity, was divided into several stages.
The biggest challenge encountered during the migration was to maintain continuity of the e-banking services at the Bank and existing alternate delivery channels. Phoenix ensured that the Bank’s customers do not face disruption in the services during the change from Sparrow to Phoenix. The smooth migration brought the alternate delivery channels of ex-Union and SCBPL together; creating one single real-time financial transaction processing system, and giving to the customers a single and unified view of the entire SCB’s alternate delivery channels.
Phoenix, implemented as a uni?ed ATM controller and a debit card switch, is acting as Debit CMS, Visa debit cards issuer, acquirer of Visa and MasterCard cards and ATM controller and the integrated channel manager. It’s scalable, modular design enabled the bank to integrate the ATM channel onto a single platform – and add various new services and delivery channels as and when required – while managing the ever-increasing transaction volumes.
Phoenix was selected over the options, each of which are world class solutions, because of the ?exibility it offers, the cost-effectiveness inherent to the local company, time to market the solutions and its functionalities.
Besides serving as an ATM switch and an integrated delivery channel manager, the bank is bene?ting from TPS’ comprehensive monitoring solution, CMS and reconciliation system. Switch migration of a large and complex bank like SCB, being a multi-pronged activity, was divided into several stages.
The biggest challenge encountered during the migration was to maintain continuity of the e-banking services at the Bank and existing alternate delivery channels. Phoenix ensured that the Bank’s customers do not face disruption in the services during the change from Sparrow to Phoenix. The smooth migration brought the alternate delivery channels of ex-Union and SCBPL together; creating one single real-time ?nancial transaction processing system, and giving to the customers a single and uni?ed view of the entire SCBPL’s alternate delivery channels.
Phoenix, implemented as a uni?ed ATM controller and a debit card switch, is acting as Debit CMS, Visa debit cards issuer, acquirer of Visa and MasterCard cards and ATM controller and the integrated channel manager. It’s scalable, modular design enabled the bank to integrate the ATM channel onto a single platform – and add various new services and delivery channels as and when required – while managing the ever-increasing transaction volumes.
