The setting up of four more ATMs, along with the proposed seven-day banking and extended business hours, will help the bank realise the objective of offering better customer service on the retail banking side.

Syndicate Bank has already introduced the teller system for savings banks, overdrafts and current account holders where payment is proposed to be raised to the extent of Rs 8,000 of all cheques and withdrawal slips. The payment will be made by the teller without reference to the supervisor.

It has also been proposed to authorise the teller to accept cash towards these accounts up to Rs 10,000 with acknowledgement by the teller itself. Plans are also afoot to accept cash towardsthese accounts to introduce the issue and payment of demand drafts, pay orders, gift cheques and rupee traveller cheques at these teller counters.

Emphasis is being laid on the information technology side. The bank has computerised 17 of its branches. 33 other branches in Mumbai are partially computerised. E-mail facilities has been activated to speed up communication between operational and controlling offices. The Mumbai zonal office has been linked to the VSAT network of the Reserve Bank of India. The divisional offices of Pune and Nagpur will be on VSAT network soon, which is proposed to be used to electronic fund transfer. A new system for quick collection of out-station cheques called "Rapid Col" is also envisaged. Cheques of Rs 50,000 will be collected and the funds credited to the customers account within a maximum period of four days. Syndicate Bank intends to reduce this time-period to 48 hours soon.