Scientific and technological empowerment+optimized layout of securities companies continue to promote online and offline integrated development

As the "first" window to serve investors, branches are important carriers of brokerage business of securities firms. Under the trend of intensified homogeneous competition in the market and continuous decline in commission rates, securities companies are accelerating the upgrading of branch service models, and further promoting wealth management transformation and improving comprehensive service levels by strengthening the development of technology enabled branches.

Branches of securities companies

The abolition, integration and new establishment will not stop

Under the background of rapid development of online business, the pace of merger and optimization of branches of securities companies has not stopped.

According to incomplete statistics by the reporter of Securities Daily, since this year, 16 listed securities companies have abolished 55 branches (including business departments and branches). Among them, China Galaxy Securities completed the cancellation of 8 business departments, Hongta Securities and Shanxi Securities respectively cancelled 6 and 5 business departments; Great Wall Securities, Tianfeng Securities, Everbright Securities, CITIC Securities and Guohai Securities have abolished 4 business departments respectively.

The reasons for the abolition of branches of securities firms can be roughly summarized as further optimizing the layout of business outlets, strengthening resource integration, improving the overall operating efficiency of the company, and promoting the transformation and upgrading of wealth management business.

Some securities companies also choose to strengthen the integration between branches. For example, Guoyuan Securities cancelled its Henan branch, merged its business, personnel and functions with Zhengzhou Jinshui East Road Securities Business Department, and renamed Zhengzhou Jinshui East Road Securities Business Department Henan Branch; Guoyuan Securities also merged two securities business departments, namely Qingdao Chenghai Road and Bengbu Shengli West Road. Qingdao Chenghai Road Securities Business Department was integrated into Shandong Branch as a whole, and Bengbu Shengli West Road Securities Business Department was integrated into Bengbu Branch as a whole.

Yang Delong, chief economist of Qianhai Kaiyuan Fund, told the Securities Daily: "Securities companies frequently cut their business outlets, mainly to reduce costs and increase efficiency and save expenses. At present, the trading mode is transferred from offline to online, and the light business department has become a more common model. In the future, the number of offline business outlets may be further reduced."

With the continuous abolishment, new business departments have also been born. Since this year, 11 listed securities companies have selected new branches, totaling 39. In terms of quantity, Northeast Securities added 1 securities business department and 9 branches in the first half of the year, with the largest number of new branches. Among them, 5 branches are located in Northeast China. In the first half of the year, Guotai Jun'an set up three new branches and four securities business departments, Soochow Securities set up four new business departments and three branches, and CSCI set up four new business departments and one branch.

In a word, whether securities companies choose to abolish, integrate or set up new branches, they are all based on the consideration of their own business development in the competitive environment of the industry.

Online and offline

Helping business integration and development

"In addition to the factor of operating costs, another important factor is the impact of digital technology." Tian Lihui, president of the Institute of Financial Development of Nankai University, said in an interview with the Securities Daily that at present, most securities business can be conducted on the Internet. The development of technology has enabled computers and mobile phones to replace a variety of on-site operations at outlets.

Analysys Qianfan data shows that in August, the number of active securities service applications was 146319700, up 4.9% month on month. Among them, the number of monthly active people of Zengle Fortune (Huatai Securities App name), Guotai Jun'an Junhong and Ping An Securities were 9.4809 million, 8.4016 million and 7.0896 million respectively.

The relevant person in charge of Ping An Securities said to the reporter of Securities Daily: "Ping An Securities regards technology empowerment as a very important link in the company's development strategy. In recent years, it has steadily promoted the business path of" online, digital and intelligent ", promoted platform based operation, improved external customer experience, unblocked internal staff processes, and worked hard to make everything simpler and more efficient."

However, offline branches of securities firms can form a business model of integrated development with online channels due to their irreplaceable advantages such as "face-to-face", which is still an important part of the organizational structure system of securities firms. The above person in charge of Ping An Securities said: "The investment advisory team of Ping An Securities is limited in number and needs to use online tools to increase the coverage, improve the service efficiency and improve the user experience. At the same time, we will build digital management and service tools around different roles of business outlets, support front-line investment advisers to serve customers more simply, conveniently and professionally, and support front-line managers to manage the team and affairs of outlets more efficiently. "

Tian Lihui further said: "In the context of digital transformation, the operation of securities dealers' business outlets in the future needs to be intelligent and digital, so that they can more easily carry out businesses that are difficult to complete outside the outlets; they need to achieve scenarios and ecology, and can provide personalized services through in-depth interaction with customers; Characteristic development is needed to improve customer stickiness by creating characteristic service experience. In the future, business outlets need to be streamlined and efficient, to achieve light weight, to constantly optimize internal management and processes, and to promote the application of scientific and technological innovation in securities business, to improve service quality and efficiency. "

key word: Business Department broker negotiable securities branch