Banking

Retail banking operations carry decades of layered processes. Mortgage applications pass through several teams, account changes still rely on paper in places, and fraud checks added in a hurry sit awkwardly on top of everything else. Meanwhile regulators expect firms to show, with evidence, that customers receive fair outcomes, and branch networks keep shrinking while the customers who rely on them still need help.

We start by measuring the demand that reaches each part of the operation and how much of it is caused by delays, unclear letters or errors. In a typical retail lender between a quarter and a third of contact is of this kind. We then redesign the processes that generate it, from mortgage offers and account opening to bereavement and complaints, working alongside the teams who run them. Where it helps, we shift routine work to self-service and give specialists more time for vulnerable customers and complex cases.

Our banking clients include mutuals and regional lenders, where membership and local reputation matter as much as cost. Typical results include back-office productivity gains of 20 to 30 per cent, faster decisions for customers, and evidence of good outcomes that stands up to scrutiny from the board and the regulator. We also train internal improvement teams, so the gains continue after we leave.