On July 8th, just one month away from the opening of the Beijing Olympics, a video conference was convened at CCB for the comprehensive planning of financial services and the guarantee of safe operations during the Games.  In the conference, CCB Chairman Guo Shuqing emphasised that providing superb financial services during the Olympics would be a valuable chance for CCB to carry out its social responsibilities and present an international image.  As a major commercial bank which is becoming more and more internationalised, CCB must seize on this historical opportunity with a keen sense of responsibility and mission.  In addition, pilot activities for the in-depth study of the scientific view point of development would be launched to result in a strong integration of business management with the concepts of a green, scientific and humanistic Olympics.  The ultimate aim is to promote the spirits of Olympics, to showcase CCB’s competitiveness and to enhance its brand influence.

Since the beginning of this year, CCB has started implementing a series of new measures in standardised civil practices, service innovations, environment construction, system security and professional training by running a campaign on “Olympic Service Year Quality Standardised Services”.  To enhance its financial services during the Olympics, CCB has redoubled efforts in branch transformation, so much so that, by the end of June, transformation of all branches in the six Olympic hosting cities has been completed and pilot projects for the promotion of the second generation of branch transformation have been initiated.  Subsequently, there has been a substantial increase in the rate of setting up foreign currency savings business in branches of the Game hosting cities, while travelling cheques can now be cashed in all the main branches. There are even dedicated foreign currency exchange counters and channels in certain branches.  As well, the pace of installing ATM machines have been stepped up; the acceptance environment for external credit cards has been improved; and priority is given to meeting the demands of key Olympic cities and major tourist attractions.  During the Olympics, English-speaking service will be offered at the CCB 95533 customer service hotline from 08.30h to 21.00h, while translation services in Japanese, French, German, Russian and Korean will be offered in all branches.  To help meet service demands arising in the course of ATM cash withdrawals and other processes, information has been revised and reposted at CCB branches and ATMs around Olympic venues, including those in stations, subways, shopping malls, guest houses, hotels, hospitals, etc.  Meanwhile, work on emergency response planning, preliminary dry run and revisions for CCB’s IT system has been completed in accordance with the overall security planning for the Olympics and all pre-set targets have essentially been met.  Presently, the whole bank is in Olympic mode and an “Olympic Service and Safety Operation Steering Committee" has been set up.  This committee is headed by CCB President Zhang Jianguo and assisted by Vice-presidents Luo Zhefu, Xin Shusen, Chen Zuofu, Fan Yifei and Zhu Xiaohuang as deputies, while the persons-in-charge of all headquarter departments and branches are directly responsible for execution, assignment of personnel and division of labour.  Right now, the whole staff is earnestly implementing measures related to financial services and safety operations during the Olympics and is taking concrete steps in the prevention of potential hazards in a bid to ensure steady operations before and during the Olympics.

In his talk, Mr. Guo stressed that the safe operation of commercial banks is a basic condition for guaranteeing public services during the Olympics and is relevant to the financial security and social stability of the country.  All employees therefore should have an accurate understanding of this situation and that they should join efforts to meet the intensive, high-frequency, large-scale and multi-facet financial demands during the Olympic period.  He said that, by quickly launching a number of specific emergency response measures in financial services to provide convenience to the disaster areas during the recent Sichuan earthquake, CCB had gained much valuable experience in raising service quality through the provision of enhanced humanistic care.  During the Olympics, this advantage should be pressed on.  Thus, by gaining a full understanding of different consumption patterns of domestic and foreign customers by making serious studies of the need characteristics of different customers in different areas and during different time periods, an express channel in communicating with customers and solving their problems can be established.  On the foundation of the previous work on launching standardised civil practices, service innovations, environment construction and professional training, service responsiveness should be further raised.  The pace of branch transformation should be accelerated and results of transformation should be consolidated and expanded in order to create a uniform and harmonious customer experience environment.  All branches in the six Olympic hosting cities as well as in all key tourist and port cities should make good use of this valuable marketing opportunity.  They should, under prerequisites of law-abiding and regulation-complying, painstakingly plan for a full exhibition of CCB's outstanding achievements since the reform and opening-up of the country.  And, by marketing CCB’s products and services and enthusiastically inviting customers to experience for themselves, CCB’s brand influence would be vigorously disseminated and enhanced.  The motto “Faster, Higher and Stronger” represents the Olympic spirit of surpassing oneself.  CCB would also have to promote this concept: it will contribute toward the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing by offering better operations and services.

During the video conference, CCB President Mr. Zhang pointed out that there is much significance and responsibility in providing superb financial services and ensuring safe operations during the Olympics.  He advised that all CCB employees should have a clear understanding of the situation, give the task a top priority and be combat-ready with immediate effect.  He also stressed that, as a practical way to boost risk management and crisis response efforts during the Olympics, preparation for emergency handling of the information system should be carried out meticulously.  He said that efforts in ensuring safe and steady operations during the Olympics should be regarded as the key appraisal item in the “Safe CCB” campaign.  He also instructed that staff training should be intensified to raise bank-wide awareness on safe and steady operations during the Games and full supports to the successful hosting of the Games should be given with a heightened morale and by providing quality and efficient services.

Specific plan on the work for the provision of financial services and safe operation during the Olympics has been laid down by Mr. Zhu, vice-president of CCB and executive deputy leader of the Olympic Service and Safety Operation Steering Committee.  He has asked for a further strengthening of leadership, conscientious carrying out of duties and the implementation of “First Contact Accountability System” in dealing with customer queries.  In addition, he demanded that initiative and effective measures be taken to ensure that problems are solved while still at the budding stage so that customers would be satisfied.