Standard Bank London has installed FaceTime's IM Auditor system to track and manage instant messaging (IM) communication across its energy division.
The bank is using IM Auditor to control, log and audit all IM communications made by its energy group, which uses the Yahoo! Instant Messaging network.
Phillip Scott, new technology strategist, Standard Bank, says energy team members were very keen to have this communications channel open, but the bank required each IM session to be recorded: "We can now confidently open the IM channel, providing our energy division with an important business tool, while significantly reducing the business and IT security risks inherent in public IM use."
FaceTime says a survey of the UK's top investment banks highlighted a need for specific IM management and control. The research suggests that while IM is widely used as a communications tool, most organisations have limited policies for controlling its usage.
Glyn Baker, UK business development director, FaceTime, says: "We are increasingly seeing the adoption of IM by brokers who find the ability to communicate in real time as hugely compelling.
"However, the 'bottom up' method of adoption - by individual traders or across business units - is causing an increasing number of management challenges for today's information security and compliance officers"