WITH electronic banking gaining more importance, there are opportunities for job-seekers in global market and transaction services, says Mr Philip Lim, 44, managing director and head of franchise and strategy at DBS Bank.

The demand for seamless transactions across a global market means that professionals are needed for positions that deal with portfolio management and information technology-related transaction issues.

He adds that a lack of financial services experience is not a barrier to entry as broad-based management associate schemes are now commonplace.

Starting out

Mr Lim, who has been with the bank for 18 years, was hired straight from university in 1988. Given a choice between investment and consumer banking, he opted for the latter.

He was groomed to be a branch manager and received intensive training in a wide variety of services such as leasing, financing and credit. Within two years, he became an assistant branch manager.

In 1993, he was appointed as manager of the Bishan branch, which differentiated itself then as one of the earliest to have tie-ups with real estate agents.

"In consumer banking, it is about quality service. One has to constantly think of how to meet the customer's need - to think in his shoes," he says.

"Starting out as a manager and in a new branch, I could not offer real estate companies commission, but what I could offer them was quality service."

Quality service included advice on valuation and educating the agents on housing loans.

Mr Lim explains that buying home insurance and loans need not be a hazardous venture for the consumer.

He says: "It is a gift to be able to structure a loan well.

"Every new home buyer will need a housing loan. But how you structure in a buffer to protect buyers from defaulting in times of crisis and helping people to make wise financial decisions is what makes consumer banking a fulfilling career."

Clear, capable and motivated

Between 2000 and 2003, Mr Lim became district manager for the west region, overseeing 15 to 25 branches.

He also successfully integrated the employees who were involved in DBS' acquisition of POSBank.

Rising to his current position as the managing director and head of franchise and strategy, Mr Lim is pleased that office backstabbing has become a thing of the past under his leadership.

He says: "At the beginning of the restructuring, I made sure the managers were given an equal workload. I let the staff choose the manager they want to work for, and not the conventional way around. In this way, no one can complain and the managers will learn to earn their respect."

He is guided by consultancy Cohen Brown's principle of being 'clear, capable and motivated'.

The Cohen Brown Management Group specialises in sales and service cultural and behavioural change for the financial services industry.

Mr Lim sets a clear standard of good performance for his staff, and he invests heavily in training. To keep the staff motivated, DBS also uses a relative target instead of an absolute one.

He explains: "The old school of thought stops at 100 per cent. In our sales league table, the target is limitless and relative, not absolute. A low-achiever may be hitting 102 per cent in sales target while a high-achiever may be hitting 300 per cent.

"Interest can be created by reward, but it is definitely not created by beating someone up."

To reward his staff, Mr Lim enrols his branch managers in golf lessons and organises a golf tournament for them at the end of the year.

Work and play

A competent golfer and an avid scuba diver, Mr Lim believes that success is ultimately achieved with a balanced worklife.

Through his initiative, DBS staff have become active participants in the company's inter-district sports tournament, where sales targets are put aside in the spirit of sportsmanship and a stronger company spirit is forged.

"After the fifth round, instead of seeing each other as rivals, my sales manager in the east goes up to his counterpart in the west and congratulates him," says Mr Lim.

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