摘要：Technology gives retail banks an advantage over their competitors and enables them to exploit new opportunities. Current branch-based distribution models are no longer sustainable in most banks,and are unable to meet rapidly evolving customer needs and provide easy access to simplified banking services. This study examines the impact of the streamlining of internal lean practices on service operations processes at South African banks. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 15 selected South African bank branches in Gauteng province (with an average of 10 partici?pants per branch) that have instituted new lean oriented systems. A sampling technique was used to collect data from employees in order to determine their perceptions of internal processes and the effects of technological self-service systems aimed at improving customer service. The study used factor analysis on 150 responses to develop the internal processes models. The findings illustrate that self-service systems at retail bank branches do not simplify banking services. They reveal the relationship between self-service systems,such as cash accepting ATMs,and the speed of ser?vice provision,the simplicity of using banking services,and consistency in customer service. The findings suggest that, in order to streamline processes,retail banks need to invest time in educating customers on technological self-service systems. Furthermore,customers should initiate the value chain process;banks need to adopt a pull-approach by offer?ing catalogues of services for customers to choose from.
