Mrs. Sarah A. PrudenteEastWest Bank Fairview Store Manager

Project in Principles of Management: Interview a Manager

Concha, Israel, Lacuesta, Nicolas – 1LM2

The Company: EastWest Bank

EastWest Bank is a subsidiary of theFilinvest Development Corporation (FDC),the publicly listed holding company of theFilinvest Group that evolved from aconsumer business founded by Andrew L.Gotianun, Sr. in 1955. FDC is one of thecountry's premier conglomerates, withbusiness interests in real estate development,banking, hospitality & tourism, power-generation and the sugar business. Throughthe years, EastWest Bank has successfullycapitalized on the financial strength andsynergy from the business organizationsunder the Filinvest Group.

Officers and Employees

At present, EastWest Bank has over 200 (around 7-10employees per store) stores. To address the evolvingneeds of its middle market clients, the Bank continues todevelop innovative products and services and alternativedelivery channels.

As of now one of the country's fastest growingbanks, the Bank is poised to sustain its growthmomentum. Over the next five years, EastWest will takeconcrete steps that are geared towards the fulfilment of itsultimate goal of becoming a "world class bank anchoredon service excellence".

Officers: Board of Directors

Officers: Senior Management

Officers: Senior Management

Officers: Senior Management

Officers: Senior Management

Products of the Company

Bills Pay FacilityPay@Store FacilityLoan: Auto Loan, Home Loan, Personal LoanCool Savers Kiddie AccountBasic Checking AccountEastWest Travel MoneyBasic Savings AccountRenminbi Savings AccountRenminbi Time DepositPrepaid CardEastWest Gift Card

Personal Banking

Regular Checking Account

Term Savings Account

Passbook Savings Account

Passbook+Debit Card Savings

ATM Access Savings

Dollar Savings

Peso Time Deposits

ChequeMax

Products of the Company

Infinity Dollar Intermediate Term Bond Fund

❖ Corporate Banking Payroll Payroll Credit System Payroll Assist Bizcheque Plus Cheque Depot Bills Payment BancNet EDI System

SSS contributions Loan Repayments

E-Banking

Internet Banking Facility

ATM Access

Personal Investment

Infinity Peso Money Market Fund

Infinity Peso Long Term Bond Fund

Infinity Dollar Long Term Bond Fund

Infinity Peso Intermediate Term Bond Fund

EastWest Travel Money is thefirst multi-currency prepaid card inSoutheast Asia which can carry up tosix currencies simultaneously, namelydollar, Australian dollar, Hong Kongdollar, Euro, British pound, andJapanese yen.

EastWest Bank Travel Money endorsed by Derek Ramsay

Manager’s Profile

Education:

BS Business Administration

Major in Management Accounting

– St. Paul University Quezon City

Work Experiences:

MetroBank

Teller (2001-2005)

New Accounts Representative (2005-2010)

EastWest Bank

Sales Officer (2010 - 2012)

Manager (2012- Present)

Mrs. Sarah Melissa A. Prudente

The Interview

Question No. 1:

How does the manager implement or execute the different functions of the management - planning, organizing, leading and controlling (cite specific

example of each) ?

The Interview

Planning

In terms of planning, Mrs. Sarah Prudente explained that she execute planning

by making sure that every employee have their own targets. At the start of the year,

by January she make sure that everything is planned and the store will reach its

targets. By using Branch-based Marketing, Mrs. Prudente also make sure that her

employees will be able to reach their quota for Current Account and Savings Account

(the Bread and Butter of a Bank according to Mrs. Prudente) not focusing only in one

product but all the products of the bank.

The Interview

Organizing

Mrs. Prudente said that she execute organizing by making sure that every

employee in her store will perform their job well. Even the security guards and utility

personnel are also included. As what she said “mabusisi ako”. She also takes note that

every employee, most especially the front-liners must be “knowledgeable of their

products and services” of the bank.

The Interview

Leading

While in leading, she implement it by focusing on her employees’ goals in

terms of molding, supporting, and motivating them to do their job. She also conduct

short meetings (for about 10-15 minutes before the bank hours) every morning to

check on her employees and to motivate them to love their job. She emphasized to us

that in Eastwest Bank, they make sure that they keep up their high service quality.

The Interview

Controlling

By making sure that the Assistant for Operations was able monitor to each part

of the bank by the end of the day, Mrs. Prudente executes the function of controlling.

She also said that in controlling the bank store, there must be trust but the employees

must also remember to show integrity in their actions. Aside from that she stresses out

to us that when her employees make mistakes, she talk to them objectively. Making

sure that she set aside her emotions in taking corrective action regarding their

mistakes. Because for Mrs. Prudente, in management you must know how to control

your feelings or emotions.

The Interview

Question No. 2:

What are your challenges as a manager?

When Mrs. Sarah Prudente was promoted as the store manager ofEast West Bank, she was scared that she might make mistakes and alsoshe is hesitant if she can hit the target or quota for the CASA (CurrentAccounts and Saving Accounts) required. This is her first challenge, soshe took all the courage she got and went to houses and schools, sincethere were a lot of college students in Fairview, she took the advantageand focused on making products and services accessible to the studentslike opening an account 100 PHP maintaining balance.

The Interview

But she realized that it is not merely about meeting or exceedingquotas. Her real challenge is the people. In the past, the market of thebank was its products, but since it differs now, what makes a bankcompetent now is its services. As a manager, it is her challenge toexemplify the bank's customer service.

A problem arises in doing so because sometimes, she's having ahard time managing employees with the same age like her for she feltsometimes that they do not follow her because they think that she maynot be that capable and experienced to be a manager because she is wayyoung, she's just 33 years old.

The Interview

Question No. 3:

What do you like most in being a manager?

According to Ms. Prudente there are many things that she likesabout being a manager. First, she said that she liked being “a goodexample to others”. As a manager it is her job in motivating and moldingher employees. By not just being the boss and bossing around butinstead on being a leader.

Secondly, she also discussed about helping others. Mostly heremployees in their job and continually talking to them so that she canmotivate them and share her experiences.

The Interview

Question No. 4:

What do you dislike most in being a manager?

There are always downsides in every job. Our manager, Ms. SarahPrudente, claims that what she dislikes about her job is not the heavyworkload or being the disturbance handler but the feeling of being secludedfrom her employees.

“You have [na] the wall,” she says. Ms. Sarah, who had experiences ofhaving her own manager when she was starting off as a bank teller, says thatshe understands what it’s like to be intimidated by her superiors. “Hangga’t‘di mo sila tinatawag, hindi sila lalapit.” She also shares about stress and howshe couldn’t share this with her co-workers because of this wall. She tells us ofthe difficulty to join in in their circle.

The Interview

Of course, we know that it is part of the manager’s job to keep ahealthy and harmonious relationship with his or her subordinates. Butsometimes, it is the subordinates who possess the misjudgment withregards to their managers.

During the Interview

Mrs. Sarah Prudente at her office

During the Interview…Mrs. Sarah Prudente at her office

END