Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009 ANALIZA OPORTUNITÃÞII LANSÃRII NOILOR PRODUSE BANCARE Prof.univ.dr. Iuliana Cetinã 1 Lect.univ.dr. Viole

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1 Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009 ANALIZA OPORTUNITÃÞII LANSÃRII NOILOR PRODUSE BANCARE Prof.univ.dr. Iuliana Cetinã 1 Lect.univ.dr. Violeta Rãdulescu 2 1,2 Academia de Studii Economice Bucureºti, dmradulescu@yahoo.com Rezumat: Crearea de noi produse sau servicii este recunoscutã ca fiind o necesitate pentru dezvoltarea unei companii. Mai mult, datoritã schimbãrilor intervenite în sectorul bancar, introducerea de noi servicii a devenit pentru instituþii o condiþie pentru a rãmâne competitive. Instituþiile bancare care-ºi propun sã fie lideri într-un domeniu ar trebui sã aibã iniþiativa introducerii de noi servicii. În aceeaºi mãsurã, existã companii pentru care costul unui eventual eºec este prea mare ºi nu ºi-1 pot permite. Ele se limiteazã la a introduce în oferta lor produsele care au fost testate pe piaþã ºi au succes la consumatori. Aceastã opþiune în politica de marketing a firmei depinde de mai mulþi factori, cum ar fi misiunea organizaþiei, obiectivele propuse, mãrimea ºi resursele de care dispune ºi, nu în ultimul rând, natura noului serviciu propus. Cuvinte cheie: lansarea noilor produse financiare, gestionarea produselor actuale, eliminarea celor uzate moral. Abstract: The creation of new products and services is acknowledged as being a necessity for the development of a company. Furthermore, due to the changes occurred în the banking field, the introduction of new services became for institutions a condition to remain competitive. The banking institutions which intend to be leaders în a domain should take the initiative and introduce new services. în the same measure, there are companies for which the cost of a potential failure is too high and they cannot allow it. They limit to introduce în their offer the products that have been tested on the market and have success among the consumers. This option în the marketing policy of the firm depends on several factors, such as the mission of the organisation, the intended objectives, the dimension and the resources of which it disposes and last but not least the nature of the new proposed service. Key words: development of new financial services, management of existing products, product elimination. Clasificare JEL: O11; F16 72 Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009

2 ANALIZING THE RISK AND THE OPPORTUNITIES IN LAUNCHING THE NEW BANKING SERVICES Ph. D., Iuliana Cetinã 1, Professor Ph.D., Violeta Rãdulescu 2, Lecturer 1,2 Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Abstract: The creation of new products and services is acknowledged as being a necessity for the development of a company. Furthermore, due to the changes occurred in the banking field, the introduction of new services became for institutions a condition to remain competitive. The banking institutions which intend to be leaders in a domain should take the initiative and introduce new services. In the same measure, there are companies for which the cost of a potential failure is too high and they cannot allow it. They limit to introduce in their offer the products that have been tested on the market and have success among the consumers. This option in the marketing policy of the firm depends on several factors, such as the mission of the organisation, the intended objectives, the dimension and the resources of which it disposes and last but not least the nature of the new proposed service. Key words: development of new financial services, management of existing products, product elimination. Résumé: La création de nouveaux produits ou de services est reconnue comme une nécessité pour développer une entreprise. En outre, étant donné les changements dans le secteur bancaire, l introduction de nouveaux services est devenue pour les entreprises une condition sine qua non de rester compétitives. Les établissements bancaires qui visent à être des leaders dans un domaine devraient avoir l initiative d introduire de nouveaux services. De même, il y a des sociétés pour lesquelles le coût d un échec éventuel est trop élevé et elles ne peuvent pas se le permettre. Elles sont limitées dans leur tentative d introduire dans leur offre des produits qui ont été testés avec succès sur le marché et les consommateurs. Cette option Knowledge horizons Anul I, no. 2/2009 dans la politique marketing de l entreprise dépend de nombreux facteurs, tels que la mission de l organisation, les objectifs, la taille et les ressources disponibles et, surtout, la nature du nouveau service proposé. Mots-clés: lancement de nouveaux produits financiers, gestion des produits existants, élimination des produits obsolètes. Zusammenfassung: Die Einführung neuer Produkte oder Dienstleistungen ist als eine Notwendigkeit für die Entwicklung einer Gesellschaft anerkannt. Umso mehr, dank der Veränderungen, die im Bankzweig eingetreten sind, ist die Einführung neuer Dienstleistungen für die Einrichtungen eine Bedingung geworden, konkurrenzfähig zu bleiben. Die Bankinstitute, die sich vornehmen, die Führungsposition in einem Zweig zu haben, sollten die Initiative haben, neue Dienstleistungen einzuführen. Zugleich gibt es Gesellschaften, für die die Kosten eines eventuellen Misserfolgs zu groß sind und sie können sich ihn nicht leisten. Sie beschränken sich darauf, in ihren Angebot die Waren einzuführen, die schon auf dem Markt getestet worden sind und Erfolg bei den Verbrauchern haben. Diese Entscheidung in der Marketingpolitik der Firma hängt von mehreren Faktoren ab, wie zum Beispiel der Aufgabe der Organisation, den gesetzten Zielen, dem Ausmaß und der Ressourcen, über die sie verfügt und nicht letzten Endes der Natur der neu vorgeschlagenen Dienstleistung. Schlüsselwort: das Lancieren neuer Finanzprodukte, die Verwaltung aktueller Produkte, die Ausscheidung abgenutzter Produkte. JEL Classification: O11; F16 73

3 1. Introducere Produsul este, fãrã îndoialã, componenta principalã a mixului de marketing. Oricât de competitiv ar fi preþul, de eficientã distribuþia sau de inspiratã promovarea, dacã produsul nu întruneºte calitãþile cerute de piaþã, organizaþia nu va avea succes pe termen lung. Cu atât mai mult în cazul produselor financiare, gradul ridicat de intangibilitate are drept consecinþã dificultatea izolãrii serviciului de preþul ºi de modul sãu de distribuþie. Bãncile trebuie sã asigure anumite aspecte legate de tangibilitatea serviciilor oferite, astfel încât ele sã poatã fi efectiv vândute. Bãncile trebuie sã utilizeze elementele marketingului care sã le permitã promovarea acestor servicii. Ca rezultat, oricãrui serviciu sau oricãrei grupe de servicii trebuie sã i se ataºeze caracteristici tangibile care pot fi utilizate în marketing. De asemenea, o bancã va crea produse dintr-un întreg portofoliu de servicii. De exemplu, bãncile vor vorbi despre produsele lor: credite, investiþii, economii. Acesta este un element obiºnuit în industria serviciilor financiar-bancare. De fapt, s-a menþionat mai înainte cã ceea ce oferã bãncile consumatorilor sunt serviciile. în acest caz, totalitatea acestor servicii constituie oferta pe piaþã a respectivei instituþii. De exemplu, cardul VISA GOLD este produsul tangibil care este accesibil clientului, iar serviciul reprezintã totalitatea beneficiilor asociate unui astfel de cârd, de exemplu: limite de credit mai mari, statutul de client preferenþial, posibile beneficii de utilizare, transferuri de fonduri. În instituþia bancarã, noþiunile de produs ºi serviciu au devenit interdependente ºi interschimbabile, fiind utilizate pentru a descrie ceea ce este oferit consumatorului. 2. Tipologia serviciilor bancare Multe dintre serviciile oferite implicã deopotrivã banca ºi clientul, întrucât existã formulare de completat, numerar de depus ºi de retras. Unele produse, datoritã naturii lor, vor avea nevoie de prezenþa personalului bãncii. Ca rezultat al necesitãþii consolidãrii acestor relaþii, devine din ce în ce mai evident pentru bãnci faptul cã fiecare are rolul sãu de jucat, iar calitatea serviciului acordat trebuie sã fie Ia cel mai înalt standard pentru asigurarea continuitãþii relaþiilor, în continuare vom vedea necesitãþile clienþilor ºi calitãþile serviciilor, ca ºi importanþa lor pentru bancã. Organizaþiile ºi angajaþii lor trebuie sã fie capabili sã rãspundã acestor schimbãri ºi sã asigure serviciile ºi produsele de care clienþii au nevoie ºi pe care le doresc. În general, bãncile oferã douã tipuri de servicii clienþilor lor: tranzacþii singulare ºi servicii cu caracter de continuitate. Tranzacþiile singulare se constituie atunci când clientul vine la bancã, cumpãrã serviciul, ulterior neavând alt contact (de exemplu, cumpãrarea valutei sau încasarea unui cec în valutã). Aceste servicii singulare trebuie sã fie vândute clientului ori de câte ori acesta are nevoie. Serviciile cu caracter de continuitate apar în cazul în care clientul are o relaþie de duratã cu banca (de exemplu, un client care deschide un depozit la termen). Departamentul de marketing trebuie sã adopte o strategie care sã-1 încurajeze pe client ca, pe baza relaþiei cu banca, sã apeleze în mod natural ºi la tranzacþii singulare. Aceasta ar trebui sã ajute la mãrirea volumului tranzacþiei cu cheltuieli cât mai reduse ºi efort mic. Oricum, pentru o bancã toþi clienþii sunt importanþi, chiar dacã o viziteazã o datã sau de mai multe ori. Orice client trebuie sã aibã un sentiment de satisfacþie care, în ultimã instanþã, ar putea sã-1 conducã la folosirea mai multor servicii ºi, dacã o face, el ar putea deveni client fidel pe termen lung. Totodatã, trebuie sã avem în vedere cã serviciile bancare se adreseazã persoanelor fizice, dar diferenþiat tinerilor, elevilor, studenþilor, muncitorilor, pensionarilor; societãþilor comerciale, dar diferenþiat întreprinderilor mici ºi mijlocii, marilor fabrici ºi uzine, societãþilor transnaþionale, societãþilor de comerþ; altor bãnci; sunt bãnci ale bãncilor (en gros), sunt bãnci care oferã servicii de colaborare cu bãnci similare, operaþii de mandat, în numele altor bãnci, în România spre exemplu, Banca Transilvania emite cecuri Tomas Cook; societãþilor financiare, în cadrul acestora fiind societãþile de brokeraj (în România, înjur de de bãnci deservesc societãþi de valori mobiliare), societãþilor de asigurare (multe bãnci au propriile lor societãþi de asigurãri ºi impun clienþilor lor sã-ºi asigure la acestea creditele sau bunurile date în gaj - ASIT, OMNIASIG, AGRAS), societãþilor de leasing etc; - statului, precum colectarea taxelor, 74 Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009

4 1. Introduction The product is, undoubtedly, the main component of the marketing mix. However competitive the price shall be, however effective the distribution and inspired the promotion is, if the product does not meet the qualities required by market, the organisation won t register a success on long term. As much as, in case of the financial products, the high degree of intangibility has as consequence the difficulty of isolation of the service by the price and its manner of distribution. The banks must ensure certain aspects related of the tangibility of the services offered, so as they may be effectively sold. The banks shall use the marketing elements which may allow them the promotion of these services. As result, any service or group of services must be attached tangible characteristics which may be used in marketing. Also, a bank shall create products from an entire portfolio of services. For instance, the banks shall spoke about their products: credits, investments, economies. This is a usual element in the industry of financial-banking services. In fact, it was previously stated that what the banks offer to the consumers are services. In this case, the totality of these services represents an offer on the market of the respective institution. For instance, the card VISA GOLD is the tangible product which is accessible to the client, and the service represents the totality of benefices associated to such a card, for instance: higher limits of credit, the statute of preferential client, potential benefits of use, transfers of funds. In the banking institution, the notions of product and service became interdependent and interchangeable, being used to describe what is offered to the consumer. 2. Typology of banking services More of the offered services involve the bank and the client alike, since there are forms to be filled up, cash to be deposited and withdrawn. Some products, due to their nature, shall need the presence of the bank staff. As a result of the necessity of consolidating these relations, the fact that each has a role to play and that the quality of the offered service must be at the highest standard with a view to ensure the continuity of the relations becomes more and more Knowledge horizons Anul I, no. 2/2009 obvious for banks. Subsequently, we shall see the necessities of the clients and the qualities of the services, as well as their importance for the bank. The organisations and their employees must be capable to deal with these changes and to ensure the services and the products that the clients need and want. In general, the banks offer two types of services to their clients: sole transactions and services with a continuity character. The sole transactions form then when the client comes to a bank, buys the service, not having another contact subsequently (for instance, buying currency or cashing a cheque in currency). These sole services must be sold to the client any time he needs them. The services with continuity character appear in the case when the client has a long relationship with the bank (for instance, a client who opens a deposit at term). The marketing department must adopt a strategy which shall encourage the client and, based on the relationship with the bank, to resort, naturally, to sole transactions as well. This shall determine the increase of the transaction volume with expenses as reduced as possible and small effort. Anyway, for a bank, all the clients are important, even though they visit it once or several times. Any client must have a satisfaction feeling which, ultimately, shall determine him use several services and, if he does it, he may become loyal client on long term. At the same time, we shall take into account that the banking services address to: - physical persons, but differentiated to the youth, pupils, students, workers and pensioners; - trading companies, but differentiated to the small and middle enterprises, big plants and factories, transnational societies, societies of commerce; - other banks; there are banks of the banks (en gross), there are banks that offer collaboration services with similar banks, mandate operations, on the behalf of other banks. In Romania for instance, Transylvania Bank issues cheques Tomas Cook; - the financial societies, within theses being the brokering societies (in Romania, approximately banks attend to societies of movable values), the insuring societies (many banks have their own insuring societies and impose the clients to insure their credits and mortgaged goods to these 75

5 creditarea bugetului sub forma titlurilor de stat, finanþarea proiectelor de infrastructurã etc. Produsele ºi serviciile bancare se modificã ºi se adapteazã permanent, în vederea satisfacerii necesitãþilor de consum ºi a condiþiilor de mediu în continuã schimbare. 3. Factorii care influenþeazã strategiile de produs Indiferent dacã se opteazã pentru extinderea, diversificarea sau înnoirea produselor, decizia este influenþatã de un numãr mare de factori interni ºi externi. Menþionãm, în continuare, patru dintre factorii cu impact mare asupra alternativelor strategice în sectorul bancar, factorii interni urmând a fi detaliaþi într-un capitol ulterior. Consumatorii. O instituþie financiarã poate avea segmente diferite de consumatori (clienþi): persoane fizice, societãþi comerciale, societãþi financiare, statul. Indiferent de criteriul de segmentare utilizat, satisfacerea necesitãþilor, dorinþelor, aspiraþiilor consumatorului rãmâne punctul central al activitãþii de marketing. Una dintre problemele asociate serviciilor financiare este aceea cã consumatorii nu resimt nevoia achiziþionãrii unui serviciu, dar percep obligaþia legalã de a o face (cum se întâmplã în cazul unor servicii de asigurãri). Prin urmare, nu este întotdeauna relevant a identifica necesitãþi pentru un produs, ci a crea cereri pentru diferite servicii. De asemenea, trebuie luate în considerare produsele actuale ale instituþiei bancare care continuã sã satisfacã o necesitate de bazã a consumatorului, dar care au devenit uzate moral, impunându-se modernizarea lor. Dacã însã resursele bãncii nu permit a se realiza satisfacerea unei nevoi nou-identificate pe piaþã, îndeosebi în condiþiile în care acest lucru este urmãrit ºi de concurenþã, este mai bine a se renunþa la idee. Este mai important a se identifica cererile mai presante ale consumatorilor pe care banca are capacitatea de a le satisface, realizându-se astfel un echilibru între satisfacþia clientului ºi profitabilitatea bãncii. Concurenþa reprezintã o importantã sursã de informaþii, ce pot fi utilizate nu numai în deciziile referitoare la politica de produs. De exemplu, acþiunile unor instituþii concurente demonstreazã cum percep ele evoluþia (sau schimbãrile în evoluþia) mediului. Acest lucru poate confirma sau infirma propriile presupuneri referitoare la tendinþele pieþei. Nu în ultimul rând, o parte însemnatã a noilor produse provine prin imitarea concurenþei. Într-adevãr, cel care copiazã beneficiazã de pe urma rezultatelor cercetãrii de marketing fãcute de concurenþã, a aplicãrii lor în practicã. Dacã competiþia a evaluat greºit necesitãþile, eroarea este mai puþin costisitoare pentru cel care a preluat noile servicii. Mediul tehnologic are o influenþã atât asupra dezvoltãrii produselor, cât ºi asupra strategiilor de distribuþie. Dezvoltarea tehnologiei a permis utilizarea cârdurilor ºi automatelor bancare. Pentru a fi implementatã cu succes, orice modificare în sistemul tehnologic trebuie sã ia în considerare schimbãrile care: intervin în obiceiurile de comportament ale consumatorului. Legislaþia ºi cadrul juridic au un impact decisiv, în ultimã instanþã, în dezvoltarea produselor financiare. Multe produse financiare sunt influenþate ºi chiar controlate prin sistemul de taxe impuse de normele juridice în vigoare. De asemenea, bãncile centrale intervin prin mecanisme ºi pârghii care favorizeazã sau restricþioneazã, în anumite perioade, diferite acþiuni ale instituþiilor financiare. 4. Dezvoltarea noilor servicii bancare În general, companiile financiare se pot clasifica, în funcþie de gradul de introducere a noilor servicii, în instituþii proactive sau adaptive 1. Cele proactive iniþiazã schimbãri majore pe piaþa financiarã. Liderii de piaþã au de obicei un comportament de marketing puternic ºi, implicit, o orientare clarã asupra necesitãþilor consumatorului. O strategie adaptivã presupune ca instituþia sã aºtepte reacþia pieþei, în funcþie de care sã introducã acelaºi tip de serviciu, cu aceleaºi caracteristici sau un serviciu identic, dar superior (cu anumite îmbunãtãþiri faþã de serviciul iniþial). Gradul de noutate a produselor financiare poate rezulta din 2 : schimbãri în domeniul tehnologic (bancomate, 1 D. Cowell, New Service Development, Journal of Marketing Management, voi. 3, no. 3, )p S. Edgett, Developing New Financial Services within Building Societies, International Journal of Bank Marketing, voi. 11, no. 3, 1993, pp Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009

6 ASIT, OMNIASIG, AGRAS), the leasing societies, etc.; - the state, such as collecting taxes, crediting the budget under the form of state titles, financing the infrastructure projects etc. The products and the banking services modify and adapt permanently, with a view to satisfy the necessities of consume and the environment conditions in continuous change. No matter of it is selected the extension, the diversification or the renewal of the products, the decision is being influenced by a high number of internal and external factors. We state further on four of the factors with high impact on the strategic alternatives in the banking field, the internal factors following to be detailed in a future chapter. The consumers. A financial institution may have different segments of consumers (clients): physical persons, trading companies, financial companies, the state. No matter the segmentation criterion used, the satisfaction of the necessities, of the desires, of the aspirations of the consumer remains the main point of the marketing activity. One of the issues associated to the financial services is that the consumers do not experience the necessity of acquisition of a service, but they perceive the legal obligation to do it (such as in the case of some insurance services). Consequently, it is not always relevant to identify the necessities for a product, but to create demands for different services. Also, there must be taken into account the current products of the banking institution which continue to satisfy the basic necessity of the consumer, but which became used morally, being necessary their modernization. But, if the resources of the bank do not allow realising the satisfaction of a need new-identified on the market, especially in the conditions when this thing is also followed by the competition, it is better to give up the idea. It is more important to identify the more critical demands of the consumers that the bank may satisfy, realising therefore a balance between the client s satisfaction and the profitability of the bank. The competition represents an important source of information that may be used not only in the decisions referring to the product policy. For instance, the actions of some concurrent institutions prove how they perceive the evolution (or the changes in the evolution) of the environment. This may confirm or refute the individual assumptions referring to the market tendencies. Last but not least, a significant part of the new products comes from the imitation of the competition. Indeed, the one who imitates benefits from the results of the marketing research made by the competition, of their putting into practice. If the competition evaluated erroneously the necessities, the mistake is less costly for the one who took over the new services. The technological environment has an influence both on the development of the products and on the strategies of distribution. The development of the technology allowed the use of the banking card and automatic teller machines. In order to be implemented with success, any modification in the technological system must take into account the changes that occur in the conduit of the consumer. The legislation and the judicial frame have a decisive impact, ultimately, in the development of the financial products. Many financial products are influenced and even controlled through the system of taxes imposed by the enforced judicial norms. Also, the central banks interfere through mechanisms and levers which favour or redirection, during certain intervals, different actions of the financial institutions. 3. Launching and developing the banking services Generally, the financial companies may be classified according to the degree of introduction of the new services in proactive and adaptive 1 institutions. The proactive ones initiate major changes on the financial market. The market leaders have usually a strong conduit of marketing and, implicitly, a clear orientation towards the necessities of the consumer. An adaptive strategy implies that the institution shall wait the market reaction, according to which it shall introduce the same type of service, with the same characteristics or an identical, but superior service (with certain improvements in comparison with the initial service). The degree of novelty of the financial products may result from 2 : 1 D. Cowell, New Services Development, Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 3, no. 3, pp S. Edgett, Developing New Financial Services within Building Societies, International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 11, no. 3, 1993, pp Knowledge horizons Anul I, no. 2/

7 carduri); schimbãri în cerinþele consumatorilor (diferite tipuri de asigurãri, noi credite etc); schimbari în strategiile concurentei (introducerea de noi servicii financiare, adoptate rapid de consumatori). La randul lor, schimbarile în domeniul tehnologic ºi în necesitatile consumatorilor pot fi proactive sau adaptive. De regula, societatile financiare de dimensiuni reduse opteaza pentru oferirea de noi servicii pe piata în urma concurentei, pe cand cele care dispun de resurse mari isi asuma riscul de a introduce ºi a adapta serviciile la nivelul dezvoltarii tehnologiei ºi informatiei în sectorul financiar. Majoritatea noilor servicii financiare aparute în ultimii ani demonstreaza ca institutiile financiare au tendinta sa reactioneze mai degraba la concurenta decat la piata. Concluzia ar fi ca, în cazul companiilor financiare, avantajul primului venit nu se aplica. Mãsura în care un nou serviciu financiar va fi acceptat ºi adaptat de piata depinde de o serie de factori, parte dintre ei atribuiti consumatorului, parte atribuiti produsului sau serviciului. Institutiile financiare trebuie sa cunoasca motivele pentru care un segment de consumatori doreste sa testeze noul serviciu, pe cand altul prefera sa astepte o perioada si, totodata, sa inteleaga motivele neacceptarii lui. În timp ce comportamentul consumatorului poate fi mai putin influentat, companiile detin controlul asupra propriilor produse ºi servicii. Procesul de adoptare a noilor servicii depinde de mai multi factori, printre care 3 : - avantajul relativ. Produsul sau serviciul trebuie, în primul rand, sa ofere consumatorlui un pachet de beneficii care sa-i evidentieze superioritatea comparativ cu produsele similare. Variabilitatea serviciilor în general, ºi a celor financiare în special, implica diferente în procesul de prestare, în timp ce eterogenitatea poate avea un impact pozitiv în termenii personalizarii ºi crearii unui avantaj concurential. Institutiile finaciare trebuie sa identifice nivelul de toleranta a variabilitatii noului serviciu si, totodata, sa evalueze noul serviciu dupa lansare, pentru a asigura satisfactia consumatorlui; - compatibilitatea cu necesitatile ºi cu sistemul de valori al segmentului de consumatori vizat. în cazul serviciilor nou aparute ca urmare a dezvoltarii unei necesitati, acest factor se subintelege. în cazul serviciilor rezultate ca urmare a perfectionarii sistemului tehnologic ºi informatic sau ca urmare a imitarii concurentei, este riscant sa nu se verifice o necesitate actuala a consumatorilor; - testabilitatea de marketing este mai dificil (daca nu imposibil ) de aplicat în cazul serviciilor financiare. Dificultatea este amplificata ºi de inseparabilitatea prestatorlui de consumator. Ca urmare, institutiile financiare, cand lanseaza un nou serviciu, trebuie sa se orienteze atat asupra proceslui de prestare, cat ºi asupra experientei pe care o va avea consumatorul ( gradul de implicare a consumatorului, nivelul de intelegere a complexitatii serviciului, schimbari în comportamentul de consum etc.); - comunicarea se refera la masura mai mare sau mai mica în care noul serviciu poate fi efectiv ºi eficient promovat ( metode, tehnici, programe ). De mentionat ca unele aspecte ale comunicarii serviciilor financiare sunt reglementate juridic, fapt care sporeste atentia acordata acestui factor important în lansarea unui nou serviciu. Dezvoltarea sistematica a noilor servicii presupune parcurgerea urmãtoarelor etape: 1. Analiza serviciilor existente ºi definirea rolurilor strategice. 2. Explorarea unor variante de noi servicii. 3. Evaluarea perspectivelor acestor variante. 4. Analiza exhaustiva. 5. Crearea propriu-zisa ºi testarea de acceptabilitate. 6. Evaluarea post lansare. 1. Analiza serviciilor existente ºi definirea rolurilor strategice. Un prim-pas, crucial în procesul de dezvoltare a noilor servicii este definirea rolurilor strategice pe care aceste servicii le-ar putea avea ºi a segmentelor de piata prioritare pe care le-ar atrage. Totodata aceasta delimitare trebuie realizata paralel cu analiza situatiei serviciilor existente, a ponderii fiecaruia la profitabilitatea bancii, a conditiilor de mediu existente. 2. Prospectarea unor variante de noi servicii. Urmatoarea etapa o constituie explorarea, în ideea gasirii unor variante de noi servicii, explorare care ar trebui sa fie formalizata ºi proactiva, caci 3 E.M. Rogers, Diffusion of Involusions, Third Edition, Free Press, New York, 1983, p Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009

8 - changes in the technological domain (bancomats, cards); - changes in the demands of the consumers (different types of insurances, new credits etc.); - changes in the strategies of the competition (introduction of new financial services, adopted fast by the consumers). At their turn, the changes in the technological field and in the necessities of the consumers may be proactive and adaptive. Usually, the financial societies of reduced dimensions choose to offer new services on the market after the competition, whereas those which dispose of high resources assume the risk to introduce and adapt the services at the level of the technological and informational development in the financial field. The majority of the new financial services occurred in the last years proves that the financial institution have the tendency to react rather to the concurrence than to the market. The conclusion would be that, in case of the financial companies, the advantage of the first came is not applied. The measure in which a new financial service shall be accepted and adapted by the market depends on a series of factors, a part of them being attributed to the consumer, another part to the product or service. The financial institution must know the reasons for which a segment of consumers is willing to try a new service, whereas another prefers to wait a period and, at the same time, to understand (the causes) of his rejection. While the conduit of the consumer may be less influenced, the companies possess the control over their own products and services. The process of adapting the new services depends on several factors among which 3 : - the relative advantage. The product or the service must, first of all, offer to the consumer a package of benefits which may emphasize its superiority in comparison with similar products. The variability of services, in general, and of the financial ones, in particular, implies differences in the process of carrying out, whereas the heterogeneity may have a positive impact in terms of personalisation and creation of a concurrent advantage. The financial institution must identify the level of tolerance of the new service variability and, at the same time, to evaluate the new service after launching it in order to ensure the satisfaction of the consumer; - the compatibility with the necessities and with the system of values of the aimed segment of consumers. Within the new services occurred as a consequence of developing a new necessity, this factor is understood. In case of the services developed as a consequence of perfecting the technological and informational system or following the imitation of the competition, it is risky not to check up a current necessity of the consumers; - the marketing testability is more difficult to apply (if not impossible) in case of the financial services. The difficulty is accrued as well by the inseparability of the consumer carrier out. Consequently, the financial institutions which launch a new service must orientate both on the process of carrying out and on the existence that the consumer shall have (the degree of implication of the consumer, the level of understanding of the service complexity, changes in the consume conduit etc.); - the communication refers to a higher or lower measure in which the new service may be effectively and efficiently promoted (methods, techniques, programs). It shall be stated the fact that some aspects of the financial services communication are judicially regulated fact which increases the attention offered to this important factor in the launching of a new service. The systematic development of the new services involves the pass of some stages: 1. The analyse of the existing services and the definition of the strategic roles 2. The exploitation of some varieties of new services 3. The evaluation of the perspectives of these varieties 4. The exhaustive analyse 5. The proper creation and the acceptability testing 6. Post-launch evaluation 1. The analyse of the existing services and the definition of the strategic roles A first crucial step in the development of the new services is the definition of the strategic roles that the new services could play and of the priority market segments that these may attract. This shall be performed in parallel with the analyse of the 3 E.M. Rogers, Diffusion of Involutions, Third Edition, Free Press, New York, 1982, p Knowledge horizons Anul I, no. 2/

9 pentru asigurarea succesului ei este necesara asumarea responsabilitatilor. Variantele de servicii cu cel mai mare potential sunt acelea care determina o cerere importanta sau neiintalnita în pietele-tinta. Deci o sursa-cheie a ideilor este piata-tinta, iar o modalitate-cheie de a utiliza aceasta sursa este cercetarea de marketing. Conturarea unor piete-tinta specifice ºi cunoasterea dorintelor acestor clienti actuali sau potentiali poate fi o importanta sursa de idei, atat pentru serviciile noi cat ºi pentru imbunatatirea serviciilor actuale. De asemenea, sursele interne, prin solicitarea contributiei directe a angajatilor bancii pot constitui un potential bogat de idei, în special în conditiile în care acestia realizeaza ca merita sa faca sugestii, iar acestea sunt apreciate. Relatiile personale cu clientii, completarea periodica a chestionarelor, interviurile în profunzime sunt printre tehnicile care pot fi folosite în realizarea feed-back-ului în legatura cu serviciile existente ºi nevoile necunoscute ale consumatorilor. 3.Evaluarea perspectivelor acestor variante. Aceasta etapa consta în determinarea variantei ( variantelor ) care garanteaza indeplinirea unor conditii. Fiecare varianta este evaluata pe baza unor criterii predeterminate. 4. Analiza exhaustiva. Pasul urmator se refera la analiza intrinseca conceptului de serviciu. Aceasta etapa implica o examinare detaliata a fezabilitatii financiare, de marketing ºi operationala a bancii. 5. Crearea propriu-zisa ºi testarea de acceptabilitate. Aceasta etapa implica producerea efectiva a serviciului, testarea pe un cerc restrans de utilizatori ºi obtinerea unui raspuns de la consumatori. în realizarea testarii, trebuie selectate segmente de consumatori care nu sunt avertizati asupra cercetarii, pentru a simula conditiile unei concurente reale. Testarea de piata furnizeaza posibilitatile de a experimenta tacticile de marketing ºi de a evalua intreaga strategie de marketing, în timp ce serviciul este în faza de distributie limitata. 6. Lansarea pe piata. Etapele precedente parcurse de banca înainte de lansare condiþioneaza aceastã etapa: în cazul în care testarea de acceptabilitate are succes, produsul va fi lansat. Concomitent, se va asigura instruirea personalului bancii, în special a celui din front-line, în legatura cu particularitatile noului produs. Lansarea presupune rezolvarea urmatoarelor probleme: 1. Stabilirea perioadei de lansare. 2. Fixarea zonei teritoriale de lansare, în functie de strategia de distributie. 3. Pregatirea retelei de distributie. 4. Pregatirea pietei. 5. Stabilirea volumului de servicii noi care sunt aduse spre vanzare, organizarea actiunilor promotionale. Lansarea este o activitate care trebuie atent pregatita, de a depinzand, în mare masura, succesul sau insuccesul produsului respectiv, precum ºi cheltuielile aferente. 5. Oportunitãþi pentru noi pieþe Este foarte probabil cã bãncile vor cãuta sã exploateze pieþe care sunt noi pentru ele, sau noi pentru oricine în urmãtorii zeci de ani. Cei care îºi vor face lecþiile mai repede ºi vor acþiona mai rapid vor avea de câºtigat de pe urma acestei tendinþe. Dar nu este totul de a specula pe aceastã temã, ci sunt de discutat criteriile pe baza cãrora se va decide a intra sau a nu intra în noile pieþe. Este probabil cã un criteriu va fi acela, dacã piaþa vizatã trebuie sã fie naþionalã, sau chiar internaþionalã într-o proporþie mai mare decât cea localã. Aceasta este, spre exemplu, dilema bãncilor elveþiene, care se numãrã între primele bãnci din lume ca dimensiune în condiþiile în care Elveþia este departe de a fi o piaþã mare. Este, de asemenea, probabil cã managerii vor dori sã aibã ca personal calificat mai mult bãrbaþi decât femei, bazându-se pe faptul cã în anii 90 fluctuaþia personalului feminin a fost mult mai mare. Alte criterii sunt probabil acelea de a prefera serviciile bancare generatoare de venituri din comisioane, conform prezentului stil de management ºi know-how, ºi nu realizarea de profituri generate din dobânzi la credite, datoritã adversitãþii faþã de riscuri, dar ºi elementelor de dotare existente în totalul resurselor. Noi oportunitãþi, noi de altfel pentru oricine, pot apãrea din schimbãrile legale (juridice) sau ca urmare a altor stimuli. Când ne referim la noi pieþe, nu ne gândim neapãrat la þãri noi sau noi localitãþi. 80 Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009

10 situation of the existing services, of each contribution to the profitability of the bank, of the existing environment conditions. 2. The exploitation of some varieties of new services The following stage is the exploitation, with a view to find some varieties of new services, the exploitation which shall be formalised and proactive, since for the insurance of its success is necessary to assume responsibilities. The varieties of new services with the highest potential are those which determine an important or unique demand on the markets-target. Therefore, a key source of the ideas is the target -market, and a key method to use this source is the marketing research. The outline of specific target -markets and the knowing the desires of these current and potential clients may represent an important source of ideas concerning the new service which may be developed, and the old services, which may be improved. Also, the internal sources, requiring the direct contribution of the bank s employees, may represent a rich potential of ideas, especially in the conditions in which these realise that it worth making suggestions, and the suggestions are appreciated. The personal contact with the clients, the periodical completion of the questionnaires, the profound interviews number among the techniques which may be used in the realisation of the feedback related with the existing services and the unknown needs of the consumers. It shall not be ignored the solution to take a look in the neighbour s garden, to be practically inspired by what the competition does or to document oneself abroad. The warm water shall not be invented. 3. The evaluation of the perspectives of these varieties This stage consists in determining which of these guarantees the accomplishment of some complex conditions. Each variety is evaluated in terms of some predominant criteria. 4. The exhaustive analyse The next step refers to an intrinsic analyse of the idea of service. This stage involves a detailed examination of the financial, marketing and operational feasibility of the bank. Knowledge horizons Anul I, no. 2/ The proper creation and the acceptability testing This stage involves the effective production of the service, the test on a restricted circle of users and the acquirement of the market feedback. In the process of realising the testing, there must be selected areas of the market where the consumers are not warned that they are submitted to a test and they response to the services simulates the conditions of the real world. The market testing delivers possibilities to experiment the marketing tactics and to evaluate the entire marketing strategy whereas the service is still in the phase of limited distribution. 6. Post-launch evaluation The previous stages passed by the bank before launching condition this stage, in the sense that the acceptability testing has success when the product shall be launched. This process includes the employees from the Department of Marketing and Strategies, and the staff of public contact, of relations with the client shall be trained how to sell the product. The launching implies solving the following issues: 1. Establishment of the launching period 2. Selecting the territorial area for launching depending on the strategy of distribution 3. Preparation of the distribution network 4. Preparation of the market 5. Settling forth the volume of new services which are brought for sale, the organisation of the promotional actions The launch is an operation which must be well prepared, on it depending to a great extent the success or the failure of the respective product, as well as the expenses performed for its creation. 4. Opportunities on new markets It is very probable that the banks shall search to exploit markets which are new for them, or new for anyone in the next dozens of years. Those who shall make their homework faster and shall act quicker, will gain from this tendency. But not everything resumes to speculating on this theme, there must be discussed the criteria according to which it shall be decided the entrance or not on the new markets. 81

11 Bineînþeles, Europa Centralã ºi de Est, Rusia,Asia de Sud-Est sunt yone de interes investiþional ºi de un potenþial imens pentru desfãºurarea ºi dezvoltarea serviciilor bancare, pentru cã nivelul acestora în zonele respectiveeste încã foarte scãzut. Noi pieþe sunt însã ºi noi produse sau chiar noi concepte de a construi servicii financiare: IN- TERNET Banking este un caz evident de piaþã care abia îºi aratã potenþialul, moneda unicã a creat configuraþia unei pieþe bancare cu totul nouã pentru toate bãncile din þãrile Comunitãþii Europene, ca, de altfel, ºi extinderea acesteia. Marketing-ul este de naturã sã descopere aceste noi oportunitãþi prin studiul atent al pieþelor, produselor, obiceiurilor de consum ºi al concurenþei, astfel încât deciziile strategice de dezvoltare ºi poziþionare sã fie luate la timp. BIBLIOGRAFIE Basno C.,Dardac N., Produse, costuri ºi performanþe bancare, Editura Economica, Bucureºti 2000 Cetinã I., Odobescu E., Strategii de marketing bancar, Editura Economicã, Bucureºti 2007 Harrison Tina, Financial Services Marketing, Prentice Hall 2000 Mihail N., Stancu S., Decizii economice în condiþii de incertitudine, Editura Economicã, Bucureºti 2005 Mihail N., Stancu S., Metode ºi tehnici de conducere, Editura Economicã, Bucureºti 2006 Sinkey F.Joseph, Commercial Bank Financial Management, Prentice Hall International, London, Orizonturi ale cunoaºterii Anul I, nr. 2/2009

12 It is probably that a criterion shall be that, if the aimed market is national or even international in a higher proportion than the local one. This is for instance the dilemma of the Swiss banks which number among the first banks in the world as dimension in the conditions that Switzerland is far to be a great market. It is also probable that the managers shall want to have as qualified staff more men than women, relying on the fact that in the 90 the fluctuation of the feminine staff was much higher. Other criteria are probably those of preferring the banking services generators of incomes from commissions, according to the present style of management and know-how and not the realisation of incomes resulted from credit interests, due to the adversity with respect to the risks, as well as to the existing elements of endowment in the totality of the resources. New opportunities, new in fact for anyone, may occur be determined by the legal (judicial) changes or following other incentives. When we refer to new markets, we do not necessarily think of new countries or new locations. Certainly, Central and East Europe, Russia, Asia of South-East are areas of investment interest and with a huge potential for the development and evolution of the banking services, since the level of these in the respective areas is still very low. But, new markets mean as well new products and even new concepts to build financial services: INTERNET Banking is an obvious case of market which barely shows its potential, the sole currency created the configuration of a banking market completely new for all the banks from the countries of the European Community as well as in its extension. The marketing intends to discover these new opportunities through the thorough study of the markets, of the products, of the consume customs, and of the competition so as the strategic decisions of development and positioning to be taken in time. BIBLIOGRAPHY Basno C., Dardac N. (2000), Products, Costs and Banking Performances, Economic Publishing House, Bucharest Cetina I., Odobescu E. (2007), Strategies of Banking Marketing, Economic Publishing House, Bucharest Harrison T. (2000), Financial Services Marketing, Prentice Hall Mihail N., Stancu S. (2005), Economic Decisions in Conditions of incertitude, Economic Publishing House, Bucharest Mihail N., Stancu S. (2006), Methods and Techniques of Management, Economic Publishing House, Bucharest Sinkey F.J. (1998), Commercial Bank Financial Management, Prentice Hall, London Knowledge horizons Anul I, no. 2/