United Bank of India (UBI) has contracted IT and management consulting firm Accenture as part of a business transformation initiative aimed at enhancing productivity through technology and operational changes. Accenture will provide management consulting advisory services to support the bank’s strategic transformation program.

More specifically, Accenture will advise the bank on ways to develop and optimize its operating model, with a significant focus on strengthening the bank’s branch network and other customer channels. This will include assisting UBI with ways to renew and optimize its more than 1,700 branches, enhance the sales-effectiveness of its branch workforce, and improve and refine its branch footprint. Accenture also will help the bank identify ways to increase adoption of digital channels such as online banking and social media.

Commenting on the initiative, Bhaskar Sen, chairman and managing director, United Bank of India said, “The needs of our customers are constantly changing. Through our transformation we will embrace new approaches to banking that put our customers—both existing and prospective—at the center, while strengthening profitability."

Under the two-year contract, Accenture also will assist UBI in its talent and human resource strategies by helping to enhance its manpower planning, establish performance management systems that foster meritocracy and by developing a five-year roadmap for developing critical employee skills through training.