Leading lenders agree it will take 1-2 years to establish a stable “New Normal” and digital investment will be key to successful relationship banking in the post COVID-19 age
11th May 2020: On 30th April Artesian Solutions, a leading provider of client intelligence and risk solutions, and award winning management consultancy Baringa Partners, brought together 22 senior banking executives from across 12 of the UK’s leading banks to reflect and share their views on Relationship Banking during the coronavirus pandemic. The event uncovered significant consensus on the challenges facing banks, as well as the solutions, as banks adjust to the “new normal” of relationship banking in the COVID-19 era.
COVID poll: 1-2 years to reach “new normal”
Responding to a series of surveys during the event, the key finding was that 70% of banking executives believe it will take 1-2 years before we get to a stable “new normal”, as clients and banks alike are pulled in many different directions, wrestling with competing short and medium term priorities. Respondents agreed that the biggest challenge facing banks right now is how to help customers effectively amidst continued uncertainty – helping them tackle the dual challenges of conserving cash whilst keeping fluid enough to deal with immediate month-to-month survival.
However, despite this sobering agreement on the challenges facing both banks and their clients, the overall feeling of the group was one of optimism. Respondents agreed that the current crisis has provided a jolt into the next phase of banking’s digital future. Speaking at the interactive event, Simon Bumfrey, Head of Relationship Banking (Europe) at Silicon Valley Bank, explained why:
“Whilst banks have taken a beating in the court of public opinion, in reality when any business faces financial challenges or opportunities, their first port of call for support, advice and guidance is usually their bank. Relationship banking will remain important, as relationships forged over time are strengthened in times of crisis. A key differentiator for banks in the post COVID-19 era will be how they harness technological innovation to enhance their services, capabilities and productivity to drive value for customers and increase capacity for true relationship banking.”
Echoing Simon’s views, Andrew Yates, CEO at Artesian, summarised the event, saying: “Banking leaders are once again facing the prospect of a very different business landscape. It may take many months or even years to establish the “new normal”. As a “wartime CEO” in a technology company serving most of the banking frontline, our job is to assist them in embracing digital advantage in the post COVID-19 world, with the thoughtful use of applied innovation. Our mission is to help them improve productivity whilst at the same time get closer to customers, build a deeper understanding of customer ecosystems and ensure that, thanks to advanced intelligence and insight, every customer engagement or communication counts. In the words of Andressen Horowitz, I urge banks to focus on what they can do today to be better off tomorrow.”
In conclusion, Simon Wagnitz, Senior Manager at Baringa Partners, commented: “The COVID-19 crisis is demonstrating that Relationship Bankers can provide a personal service to clients remotely. The current challenge will further enhance digital change and increase the pressure on banks to adapt their operating models. With the thoughtful application of lessons learnt, banks will not only weather the current crisis and respond to the needs of vulnerable customers today, but will realise radical new capabilities and opportunities to enhance relationship banking for the future.”
For more information and deeper insight into the findings from this event please visit: https://artesian.co/resources/a-leaders-perspective-from-the-front-line-of-relationship-banking/
NOTES TO THE EDITORS
For more information about Artesian Solutions please contact:
Kelly Prior, PR Consultant
Tel: 07730 572878
Email: Kelly@kellyprior.co.uk
About Artesian
Artesian is a powerful technology for client facing commercial teams, designed to accelerate revenue growth by helping create deeper and more meaningful B2B relationships.
Artesian has invested over a decade creating leading technology which can read and interpret millions of sources of unstructured content published online which it can combine with factual data about companies. The resulting powerful insights and triggers are used to create meaningful conversations to drive engagement and better long-term customer relationships. Artesian’s usage and adoption rates are some of the highest in the software industry with a browser, mobile device and integrated CRM user-experience.
Artesian ENGAGE helps sales and customer facing teams create genuine relationship-based customer experiences by providing them with a suite of tools to find, get to know, engage, sell and retain.
For companies in regulated industries, Artesian’s Risk and Compliance Hub (ARCH) uses a sophisticated fully programable and configurable decision engine to continuously monitor real-time credit risk and KYC data sources, applying a company’s own internal policies to immediately flag potential issues so they can be resolved by the front-line teams who are best placed to engage with the client.
For more information about Baringa Partners contact:
Karin Duke-Roedler, Sr. Marketing Manger
Tel: 07967168457
Email: Karin.Duke-Roedler@baringa.com
About Baringa Partners
Baringa Partners is an independent business and technology consultancy. We help businesses run more effectively, navigate industry shifts and reach new markets. We use our industry insights, ideas and pragmatism to help each client improve their business. Collaboration is central to our strategy and culture ensuring we attract the brightest and the best. And it’s why clients love working with us.
Baringa launched in 2000 and now has over 700 members of staff and more than 65 partners across our five practice areas of Energy and Resources, Financial Services, Products and Services, and Government and Public Sector. These practices are supported by cross-sector teams focused on Customer & Digital; Finance, Risk and Compliance; People Excellence; Supply Chain and Procurement; Data, Analytics and AI; Intelligent Automation and Operations Excellence; and Technology Transformation. We operate globally and have offices in the UK, Europe, Australia, US, Middle East and Asia.
Baringa Partners have been voted as the leading management consulting firm in the Financial Times’ UK Leading Management Consultants 2020 in the categories energy, utilities & the environment, and oil & gas. We have been in the Top 10 for the last 13 years in the small, medium, as well as large category in the UK Best Workplaces™ list by Great Place to Work®. We are a Top 50 for Women employer, and are recognised by Best Employers for Race.
Baringa. Brighter Together.
