It could be recalled that the nation’s leading indigenous commercial bank some time back hit stormy financial weather that included a huge stock of unwieldly, unsecured debts that led to the sacking of its former Managing Director.
When George Taylor took over at SLCB, the bank was fighting to keep its head above water. Barely one year on, SLCB not only stands on solid financial ground but is making substantial gains.
As a measure of its success during George Taylor’s tenure as Managing Director, the bank recorded a good operational profit in 2015.
Meanwhile, SLCB’s management has agreed on a massive debt collection drive. The bank is determined to sell collaterals at all cost to recover bad debts.
To motivate staff, the bank upgraded some junior staff members while it at the same time reviewed the salaries of all SLCB staff. Correspondingly, staff morale and discipline have shot up.
Customer service too has improved. Customers who used to grumble about poor quality service now speak admirably of the dramatic changes that they see and experience including the bank’s fully air conditioned working environment and prompt service. They now see the management as a friendly but no-nonsense team.
The Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) now work, to the satisfaction of customers who need money on short demand and at any hour of the day.
Asked what is responsible for this very impressive transformation of the bank’s image, the workers promptly replied that it is due to the personality of the Acting Managing Director and the new spirit of teamwork that pervades the bank’s operations.
The bank’s employees describe George Taylor as a great team player who makes every staff member feel that he belongs to the organization and has a valuable role to play.
George Taylor literally grew up at the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank where he has spent 37 years starting as a bank clerk and rising through the ranks.
Under his dynamic leadership as Acting MD, Idrissa Alooma Kamara as Director of Business, Lansana Kamara as Head of Consumers Credit, Bockarie Kalokoh as Director of Finance and Administration and with the full support and cooperation of other members of staff, SLCB has proved that team work pays.