also run traditional cash desk service that reduces the risk of generating losses. Their trump card is that they have already gained customers and now they have to try to do their best to keep them. The banks obviously can charge customers with the part of costs, yet they have to be aware that they can thereby discourage customers and donate them to competitors. As a result of development of information technologies, the role of bank branches will change. They will rather become consulting centres, than places where transaction can be made. J. Wallenberg - the President of the Swedish SEB bank has stated that the role of branches will change. They will be fewer and smaller, employing several persons. However, branches will still be an essential place of customer's contact with bank.
Factors favourable to IT development in retail - banking sector in Poland
As basic factors of retail - banking sector development in Poland the following ones can be included :
lowering the costs of using internet,
accessibility of internet,
improvement of net transactions security,
increased awareness of society,
making bank offer more attractive,
increased number of information - promotion and advertising actions ,
introduction of detailed legal regulations.
One of main factors of more energetic retail -
banking development in Poland is making more general access to global network possible, which can involve both lowering of internet access costs and lowering computer equipment costs as well as greater accessibility in public places like the schools, offices and also places of employment etc.
Conclusion
The use of information technologies in banking alters the character of bank activity. The consequences of suggested changes can cause far- reaching transformations in processes of creating new services and their introduction on the banking market, as well as in practical procedures of providing services. It in last several years that the automation of services providing has been appearing. For the time being it does not seem that all banks will be replaced by virtual branches because the position of bank post is very strong and probably will not be shaken quickly. One can venture to conclude that in the future the internet and virtual banks will be gaining greater and greater popularity, limiting the number of traditional branches at the same time. Banks will still be present physically, as far as it is necessary and present virtually as far as it is possible. As regards internet revolution, which has become the flywheel of transformations in banking, it may be compared with "steam-engine, electricity or internal combustion engine - it needs time to bear fruit"10.
There is no retreat from modern information technologies. Thanks to them the postsocialist countries including Poland have got a great opportunity to eliminate the distance separating them form highly developed countries. Wanting to catch up with progress, one should keep investing and advancing forwards. World goes forward, and we should go with it. The express train with "New Economy "engine is sped up so one cannot get out. One wanting to go in one line with highly developed countries , should avail of their benefits because otherwise one will be pushed aside. IT may become great chance for economic growth acceleration. Poland and other postsocialist countries have now better chances of competing both on local and global market. Banks using advanced information technologies have a great chance to gain the competitive superiority and to build the picture of modern banks meeting their customers' needs. Of course, they have to be aware that introduction of this type of services is a long-term - investment, which can bring measurable effects not at once, but one should treat it as a bridgehead into the future, real development both in technological and service sphere. The IT in banking is one of methods of overcoming foreign competition on uniform financial market. The banks that will not bring electronic platform developed have negligible chances of survival on the market.References
Brown - Humes Ch. (2000) 'The dinosaurus are not going to die', The Banker, №. 3.
Dziuba D. (2001) Ewolucja rynkow w przestrzeni elektronicznej[Evolution of Markets in Electronic Space], Warsaw.
Flejterski S., Wahl P.T. (2003) Ekonomia globalna. Synteza, [Global Economics. Synthesis], Warsaw.
Gospodarowicz A. (2002) Systemy informatyczne w bankowosci, [Computer Systems in Banking], Wroclaw.
Kisielnicki J. (2002) 'Nowa gospodarka i nowa infrastruktura informacyjna funkcjonowania swiatowego rynku, [New Economy and New IT Infrastructure of the Global Market Functioning'] in: Kolodko G.W., Pi^tkowski M. (ed.) Nowa gospodarka" i stare problemy. Perspektywy szybkiego wzrostu w krajach posocjalistycznych, [New Economy and old problems. Perspectives of Quick Growth in Postsocialist Countries], Warsaw.
Kolodko G.W. (2002) ,„Nowa gospodarka", stare problemy" [„New economy, old problems.] in: Kolodko G.W., Pi^tkowski M. (ed.) ,„Nowa gospodarka" i stare problemy. Perspektywy szybkiego wzrostu w krajach posocjalistycznych, [„New economy and old problems. Perspective of quick growth in postsocialist
