In keeping with MSD’s Core Values of “Quality Service, Efficiency and Effectiveness” and “Service Excellence and High Standards” MSD calendar of training events was held in September, 2019. The training was attended by local and regional customers. MSD wishes to thank all our customers who participated in the training on various modules including:
IFRS9 Management (repeat sessions based on demand)
Emortelle Training for System Administrators (repeat sessions based on demand)
MSD is committed to providing training programs to ensure your staff understands and utilise Emortelle fully and effectively. We believe that training of your staff will positively impact the quality of service delivered to your members thereby improving members’ satisfaction, loyalty and retention.
General comments from the Training Evaluation was very insightful, well received and should definitely be held throughout the year. Evaluation forms feedback revealed some helpful critique on what the customer wants and would be considered and incorporated into future training.
See the following comments included:
Module: Loans, Securities + Co-maker Mgmt: “very in-depth, step by step exercises. Good Practical exercises instructor”
Dividend + Rebate Processing:“Excellent delivery of content by the instructor”
Loan Interest Accrual:“very interactive facilitator. When beyond to make sure the module was understood”
IFRS Management:“suggest that the course be done over a 2 days. A lot to absorb”
“The content of this programme was very detailed and helpful in the understanding of Credit Risk and the requirements”
“All-in-all it was a very good programme. Must have follow-up sessions quarterly”
David Charles Accomplishment
MSD’s success over the past 35 years is highly attributable to the support of our key stakeholders' including our employees. All MSD employees are extensively trained to guarantee a high standard of quality service to you, our clients.
David Charles BSc. Comp. Science (Special); MSc. Comp. Science &Tech.
As such, we are especially proud to inform you that David Charles, one of MSD’s Programmer Analyst who joined MSD in 2017 recently graduate from the University of the West Indies with a Master's Degree in Computer Science and Technology - Specialization in Cloud Technologies. As if this was not enough, he was awarded the Teleios Systems Ltd. prize for the best MSc. Research Project in Computer Science!
His research involved the development of a new classification algorithm to address some of the challenges of current state of the art classification algorithms. This system was made to automate the classification of online news articles in Trinidad and Tobago and allowed users to add online news articles and quickly get information about the categories associated with an article such as: crime, education, labour etc. or even a combination of the topics.
MSD takes pride of having a dedicated, hard working and loyal team of highly trained professionals and David has certainly done us proud.
Join us in congratulating him on this major accomplishment!
All Financial institutions including Credit Unions must adhere to legislative requirements as stipulated under the anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism laws. Institutions must seek to support the initiatives of individual Governments throughout the Caribbean region in combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism. It is, therefore, imperative that appropriate systems are implemented to ensure compliance.
A major part of this responsibility is to implement Customer Due Diligence procedures – that is, to request and retain specified customer identification information and monitor and maintain clients records, which will aid in the reporting of suspicious transactions and activities.
MSD is pleased to announce that it has commenced development of the Emortelle Due Diligence interface using SafetyNet.ai. The Emortelle Due Diligence feature seeks to ensure that all reasonable research and interrogation are performed on the customer information in order to ascertain whether persons are listed on the compulsory international watch lists. This is done from the point of account creation right through to daily business transactions.
The service is on a subscription basis and look-ups can be initiated easily from within Emortelle at key points including entering of new applicants, accepting deposit transactions or executing financing procedure in the System. Also, periodically either monthly or quarterly as indicated in the institution's AML/CFT policy document, a bulk lookup of all active CU members can be executed from within Emortelle. This feature is carded to be launched in January 2020!
Micro Software Designs Ltd extend congratulations to Agricola Credit Union Society Ltd on the launch of their Online Banking and VISA Debit Card facilitated through their Emortelle V9.1 system. With these services, Agricola CU members can now access funds internationally as well as check their account balances, execute transfers or apply for loans – anytime and anywhere in the world.
The launch of these online services at their buoyant event "Embracing the Future Together - Connect, Convey, Convince" was complemented with the opening of Agricola’s new branch office at #14, Premier Street, Pamela's Mall, Marabella on Sunday 20th October 2019.
On hand to cut the ribbon was His Worship San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello and Agricola CU President and Chairman Mr Joshua Spencer. Join with us as we wish Agricola Credit Union every success with their new online services and many fruitful years ahead!!
OSS New Features
The Online Support System (OSS) is the facility that allows clients to post a ticket to request for Modifications, Training or post a query on a Problem that they may be encountering. It is a vital communication mechanism between you, our clients and MSD, to ensure that you are getting the support you require for Emortelle.
As such, MSD launched our enhanced OSS(see it here https://support.msd-tt.com) on 16th September 2019, which offers a fresh appeal, a more intuitive user interface, additional functionality and enhanced security.
Some of the new features include:
Weekly Tips & Newsletters - Customers can click on the icons below for easy access to these archives
Notification of the Newest Weekly Tip Available upon Login as shown below.
Progress Bar now seen when Uploading Database files.
Option to Export Tickets to Excel
Reminder Email Alerts- for Ticket status"Awaiting information from Customer" and Type “Modification, Problem, Technical Request” , once feedback is not received within 7 working days from the date of last request.
Email Alerts and Automatic Closure - for Ticket status "Awaiting information from Customer" and Type “Problem, Technical Request”, once feedback is not received within 14 working days from the date of last request, the ticket will be closed.
Contract Alerts- Alert Notification is displayed for the client when their contract is due for renewal in 30 days or less.
We look forward to you utilising the OSS as your first point of contact as the benefits are tremendous:
Ability to obtain a record of items reported
Track timelines on any ticket
Receive Alerts when attention is needed or when an update is placed by MSD
Please feel free to recommend any feature you will like to see on this platform.
Every year we at MSD celebrate our customers by offering special discounts during Credit Union Month. For 2019, these included discounts on additional Emortelle user licenses, Online Banking & the Mobile App Module. Our rationale for choosing the features to be discounted were as follows:
✔ Our customers' business grow each year. MSD wants to assist you with this and there is no better way than to discount the user licence which is a must; have in your growth path.
✔ Members needs are changing; they want immediacy of service 24/7. Additionally, to attract new members (the millennials); the attributes of secure, ease and convenience must be enshrined in your offerings. Emortelle's Online Banking and Mobile App bring these to your customers' computers and smartphones.
Whilst the offer for the user licenses has expired, customers can still take advantage of the offers on Online Banking & the Mobile App. Please contact us for further details.
CCULTT FAMILY DAY
Micro Software Designs Limited strongly believes that what matters to our customers matters to us. So when we were invited by The Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad & Tobago’s (CCULTT) to participate in their Opening Ceremony & Family Day for Credit Union Week held on Sunday 13th October, 2019 at the UWI SPEC, we welcomed the opportunity to share in this day with you.
The event was well attended and we were overjoyed to see a lot of familiar faces. Over the past thirty-four (34) years, MSD have been aligned with the Credit Union movement; we strongly believe in the philosophy of people helping people so at this event, we wanted to give back to the people who make the movement what it is- the Members. We invited all to participate in a hamper draw. When the lucky number was drawn by the CCULTT official- the hamper was won by a member, Leela Hanraj Ali, of Palo Seco Credit Union.
MSD looks forward to joining you again next year!!!
Mrs. Brenda Hunte of MSD presenting Leela Hanraj Ali with the winning hamper
MSD’s Booth at CCULTT’s Opening Ceremony & Family Day
CCULTT AWARD CEREMONY
The Co-operative Credit Union League of Trinidad & Tobago (CCULTT) held its Annual Credit Union Award Ceremony on Thursday 17th October, 2019 in San Fernando, Trinidad. MSD’s General Manager, Mr. Collinsworth Howard attended and delivered greetings to attendees on behalf of our Management & Staff. A portion of his speech can be found below.
Of the twenty Credit Unions that were honoured and presented with awards, eleven (11) of those utilize the Emortelle Software Solution (listed below)!! Top honours were awarded to Palo Seco Credit Unionfor Most Outstanding Credit Union, which has been using Emortelle for over twenty-one (21) years!
Hearty Congratulations to the Recipients of Awards utilizing Emortelle
1) Trintoc (Penal) Credit Union
HR Development (Medium)
2) Bethel Credit Union
HR Development (Large) & Most Improved Financial Performance (Large)
3) Mt. Pleasant Credit Union
Most Improved Financial Performance (Very Large)
4) Usine Ste Madeline Credit Union
Best Financial Performance (Very Small)
5) Guaymay Energy Alliance Credit Union
Best Financial Performance (Large)
6) Palo Seco Credit Union
Best Financial Performance (Very Large) & Most Outstanding Credit Union
7) AMGECU Credit Union
Most Promising
8) Agricola Credit Union
Outstanding Service to CCULTT
9) Lambeau Credit Union
Other
10) Thawe Credit Union
Other
11) Whim Credit Union
Other
MSD congratulates ALL winners, especially those who continue to keep "flying the Emortelle flag"
MSD’s General Manager, Mr. Collinsworth Howard, with Palo Seco Credit Union, winner of the Most Outstanding Credit Union
To keep up with the rapidly evolving technology of today, many businesses are implementing a multitude of online services to offer to their customers. Today’s customers expect a certain level of convenience including anytime/any place, instantaneous access to business services. Here we take a look at the pros and cons of financial institutions ‘going completely online’.
Geographic convenience – Online services can replace, reduce or supplement the need for multiple offices – and their significant costs - located in every city and town to service customers.
Immediate service – Customers can perform business transactions without delay or a waiting period.
Less human resources –Businesses may require fewer employees conduct business and serve members.
Younger demographic appeal – Millennial and Generation Z individuals are considered the digital generation and they rely heavily on technology. Online services are a “must-have” to service these groups, who live on their mobile smart devices!
There are some cons of going completely online though.
If all services are made available online the customer and business may never (or very rarely) have any face-to face-encounters. The relationship may lose the social/personal interaction that can be important. However, there are measures that can be implemented to compensate for this and strengthen the relationship such as customer loyalty programs, personalised birthday greetings and member achievement acknowledgements.
There will also be a complete reliance of your business on working telecommunication with the outside world - if this communication were to fail, it could result in loss of business. With proper infrastructure redundancy e.g.Internet access from multiple providers, this potential issue can be mitigated.
And finally, let’s not forget cyber-attacks. There are always malicious individuals looking for ways to gain unauthorized access to confidential information and data. The more services that are made available online, the larger a target a business becomes to these hackers. Mechanisms such as very strong data and network security, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), complex login codes and email activity alerts as offered by Emortelle greatly reduce these risks.
At MSD’s “Financial Applications for Leaders Forum” held on the 24thJuly 2019 at The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce, the President of the Board of Directors of Guaymay Energy Alliance Credit Union had this to say "Guaymay Energy Alliance Credit Union had its genesis back in 1975...today Guaymay is a Credit Union with over $220 million in assets and a membership of over 7,700… we have touched the lives of our members, their families and the community in which we operate in some significant way…. I am proud to say that MSD has partnered with us on this journey and has contributed significantly to our success."
MSD seeks to have all our clients be our advocates by providing them with a high level of service and technologically-sound and relevant products. Building brand advocacy is a continuous process and our clients can be assured that we are always striving to meet their changing needs – and the changing needs of their customers – so as tostimulate and perpetuate growth and to improve and enable our client to provide seamless positive experiences to their customers.
As shared by Ms. Susan Nurse - General Manager, PSCU Credit Union - in her message at the Forum, when they switched from our CUMIS system to another application, things did not go as expected - "[The new] acquisition caused major delays in providing services to our members and was challenging operationally for staff because the application was unable to output the necessary information in an efficient and effective manner." MSD is indeed pleased that, after conducting comprehensive research for the right software solution, PSCU "discovered that Emortelle provided most of the key features, and so we acquired Emortelle v9.1"
As Mr Colin Bartholomew, Senior Lecturer and Head of Co-operatives Studies at the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operatives - a keynote speaker at the forum said "by 2020 a customer will manage 85% of the relationship with an enterprise without interacting with a human, making it imperative that the right tools and direction be provided to customers". MSD is well positioned to enable you, our clients, to fully meet your customer’s changing needs through a Emortelle’s suite of online services including Internet Banking and smartphone apps.
We appreciate the impact the technology is having on your businesses and your wish to build and create your own brand advocates so, as we move together into 2020, we at MSD will continue to listen to you, anticipate your needs and respond with innovative relevant offerings.
