Tired of the frustration of dealing with reams of paper Absa`s public relations (PR) department has converted to an electronic system which encourages employees to share knowledge, eliminates mistakes and boosts administrative efficiencies.
Designed by Complete Software Solutions (Pty) Ltd (CSS) and based on Lotus Notes, the system comprises several databases which store information essential to effective operation of Absa`s communications function. "This is needed to stay on top of what is predominantly a people business about relationships between Absa and the press," says outgoing media relations head, Carina Potgieter.
"Before Notes much of our information was kept on paper in files scattered around the office or in the heads of individuals within the department. Now, because we are able to share that which we learn more easily, we are less affected by absenteeism."
Incoming media relations head, Nick Cairns, agrees. "A relationship typically exists between two individuals. It can therefore create a hiccup when one person is unavailable and the association is not shared with someone else in the department."
In effect, the Notes system provides a third, all-seeing, all-hearing person to whom anyone can turn for assistance picking up a relationship. "It also allows us to improve individual efficiencies and enables media officers to devote more time to activities which add value to the business," says Cairns.
Another more immediate benefit of Potgieter`s efforts is that the information gathered over her two years of tenure will not be lost on her departure - as may well have happened with the previous manual system.
"This is important in a group as large as Absa because we deal with literally hundreds of journalists on a weekly basis. Keeping track of their individual preferences vis-a-vis communication with us can be difficult - not to mention staying on top of staff movements within Absa itself," explains Cairns.
The system consists of a media relations database - containing press contact details, preferences and general information; one holding spokesperson details and listing various contact numbers for people within Absa; and another storing all press releases issued by the banking group.
"The databases are also useful when fielding queries from journalists or Absa staff - especially when it comes to providing background material for interviews or corporate surveys," says Cairns.
CSS MD, George Thomson, describes this sharing of relevant information as typical of a Notes solution. "It also supports the Absa Group`s strategic decision to consolidate operations thereby increasing efficiency by eliminating bottlenecks and isolated pockets of information," he says.
Steve Dunbar, regional marketing manager at Lotus Development SA, confirms this. "As a knowledge management and groupware platform Notes enables functions to be centralised without moving people around. It allows virtual consolidation in a distributed computing environment - controlling processes through workflow," he says.
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