Digital transformation: the key to driving profitability and improving customer experience

In the wake of covid-19, businesses and individuals alike have been further thrust into a digital society. To contend with the new normal, companies worldwide have placed an unprecedented focus on their digital offering to urgently meet the fast rising demand for services accessible anytime, anywhere.

In the corporate banking world alone, clients are increasingly relying on their financial institutions´ digital capabilities to conduct their day-to-day transactions and to service their more complex financial needs. The pandemic has proved that financial services providers, like Santander CIB, with robust technological abilities already in place, are well positioned to face this crisis whilst ensuring minimal disruptions to their clients.

Pre-covid-19

For many institutions in the corporate investment banking sector, the pandemic has accelerated the need to engage more deeply with their digital transformation agenda. However, even prior to covid-19, Santander CIB understood the importance of needing to implement technologically innovative processes to adapt to a changing and increasingly tech-savvy client base. Indeed, the digitally oriented client groups sought faster, streamlined, and more personalized experiences from their providers.

We identified that digital transformation was recognized as the key to driving profitability and simultaneously improving customer experience. In recent years, digital innovations such as machine learning, robotics, blockchain and cloud systems have completely altered the banking experience by providing, quicker, cost-effective and more efficient and secure banking solutions for clients and stakeholders worldwide.

It is now abundantly clear that institutions like Santander CIB - that were on the early wave of change and invested and explored new measures prior to covid-19 - are well positioned to provide their services to in an increasingly digitized corporate landscape.

Santander CIB Digital Transformation

Santander CIB recognizes that technological innovation results in mutually beneficial outcomes for both the business and its clients. Technology is one of the cornerstones on which Santander executes its strategic planning, capabilities for driving profitability, boosting customer experience and increasing customer loyalty.

In recent years, Santander CIB invested in a multi-year digital transformation. We changed our commercial model to offer greater availability and a more direct approach through digital channels, without losing our signature personal approach and services.

We used digital innovation to create an improved functional design that makes our services more comfortable to use. We have also made them more accessible, by stripping away architectural barriers and increasing the technology available, providing a more agile, personalized and customizable experience.

Another key aspect is the implementation of blockchain technology, which allows data and funds to be transferred in a completely secure manner thanks to sophisticated coding and encryption. Santander CIB is a pioneer in the use of this technology having launched the first bond with end-to-end blockchain technology. This is a first step towards a possible secondary market for tokenized securities in the future.

In addition to all of the above, Santander Group recently hired three leading technologists to help boost its strategy and digital transformation. Combined, all of these elements aim to provide our clients with an enhanced experience that caters to their needs, while allowing Santander CIB to become more competitive in the open market, deliver more cost effective services, and increase our returns.

As the digitized society continues to evolve, we are well positioned for what comes next, and we look forward to growing in tandem with our loyal clients.