The attitude and competences of ITDS people proved decisive

The challenge facing KAS BANK was to implement a Customer Due Diligence policy and rationalise customer files, and all in a limited timeframe. In collaboration with ITDS, Project manager Marc Brouwer accepted the challenge. “You not only have to have the knowledge, you have to be able to apply it. The people at ITDS aren’t afraid to sink their teeth into something.”

Make sure customer files comply with legislation pertaining to Customer Due Diligence. It’s a clear enough requirement imposed by a management board, but how do you go about tackling such a sizeable project? “You start off with a good plan,” opens Brouwer. “First of all, we evaluated to what extent our Customer Due Diligence policy complies with legislation requirements. Then, on the basis of this, we revised the policy. Which steps do you define? How do you monitor and make adjustments? I can honestly say that making a good start was half the battle.”

Relevant experience

To define the plan, Brouwer enlisted the help of ITDS. “They were already involved in another project and I gathered that they had the necessary experience in preparing for this kind of project. The ITDS consultant made such a good impression that I decided to engage the services of two more ITDS people for the implementation.”

Brouwer had 10 months for the implementation. He put together a team of internal employees and external employees from various suppliers, including ITDS. Then, on 1 September 2015, they started work. “Something like that has to be done properly and efficiently. Quality is paramount but we didn’t have the resources to keep working endlessly. Above all, you have to take the client into account because you don’t want to put him under unnecessary pressure. It was hard work. And it was only when we actually went through the files that we discovered how much was missing. That said, looking back at what we achieved in such a short time, it was extremely satisfying.”

Pulling together for the same goal

The team completed most of the customer files in the first three months of 2016. “Afterwards, we combined the completion of the files with making them and the processes future-proof. This made it possible to hand everything over efficiently to the line. We put together a permanent team to ensure that files are maintained in an orderly manner and to efficiently implement the necessary changes. You must keep asking yourself: what do we have to do and what is no longer necessary?”

One thing that Brouwer would have no hesitation in doing again is working with such a diverse team. “That really went well and it was pleasing too. In an informal setting on just one floor, the team comprised youngsters and experienced people with really varied backgrounds. We were all there to collectively realise the same goal, quickly. Who your employer was didn’t really matter at the time.”

Using ITDS people for the implementation was somewhat of a gamble, confides Brouwer. “Given that they were not compliance specialists, they started with a slight knowledge deficit. Moreover, we didn’t have much time, so they had to master it all quickly and thoroughly because we could only choose people once. But at the end of the day it’s all about your attitude and competences. My previous experience with ITDS gave me confidence. The thing is, a particular type of people work for ITDS: good communication skills, driven and with a good brain that combines strong analytical skills with extraordinary effort. ITDS people aren’t afraid to get stuck in, and it’s thanks to this that in the long run they deliver the most added value.”