Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The following quotes from a sample of banking and insurance clients put
voice to typical manifestations of the complexity problem (see Exhibit 1):
“We have been through two cost cutting rounds in the last four
years; both generated about 15% savings, but costs bounced back to
prior levels two years later. After all our efforts, we are still 30% less
efficient than competition – they seem to have much leaner and
more automated processes.”
“The new tariff model for our life insurance policies required a 2
month IT project and an investment of half a million Euros; after it
was implemented, there were major disruptions in the sales and
servicing areas because the process changes were unclear for many
staff members.”
Certainly, the current financial crisis has raised the visibility of the
pernicious effects of business complexity. Revenues everywhere are
under pressure. Geographic expansion is being questioned. Product
diversification, especially in the “synthetic” space, has mutated from a
growth engine to a dysfunctional and risky adventure for most players.
But when senior executives take the first steps toward “dialing down”
complexity, they rapidly come up against three immutable features
that overshadow their ability to make change in their environment:
4
2 Diversification increases variety
value (incremental benefits)
3
3 Maximum diversification/
2 variety value
Strategy
1
Business model: Clients, products, channels
2 Process architecture
3 IT architecture
50%
Profit Loss
25%
-25%
10 100 200 10 100 200
Products Products
Contract
management
25%
Sales and
relationship
management
20%
Application
processing 15%
Contract
implemen-
tation
Collections
10%
End of term
Product
development 5%
Marketing
Low 0%
Low High
Improvement potential
Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3
Synergies between similar process steps that are not shared across
business lines, products and units (functional redundancies)
Mixed media (e.g., processes that require going back and forth
between phone, paper/fax and electronic data media)
Situation:
Key characteristics
Operations Increased automation rate
and Increased straight-through-
processes processing rate
End-to-end standardization of
core processes
Lean, simpler processes with
clear ownership
Reduction of error tendencies
Capability 1
Must-have
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Capability 2
Must-have
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Capability 3
Must-have
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Elimination of bottle-necks,
Business media disruption,
process process redundancies
capabilities Increased consistency
… x % % … x % % … x % % across core processes
Increased flexibility to adopt
future product requirements
more easily
Better data quality end-to-end
Re-use of process functionality
across business lines and
Information products
technology Improved control through
proper KPI framework
For more information please contact the marketing department by email at info-FS@oliverwyman.com or by
phone at one of the following locations:
Copyright © 2009 Oliver Wyman. All rights reserved. This report may not be reproduced or redistributed, in whole or in part, without the written
permission of Oliver Wyman and Oliver Wyman accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of third parties in this respect.
The information and opinions in this report were prepared by Oliver Wyman.
This report is not a substitute for tailored professional advice on how a specific financial institution should execute its strategy. This report is not investment
advice and should not be relied on for such advice or as a substitute for consultation with professional accountants, tax, legal or financial advisers.
Oliver Wyman has made every effort to use reliable, up-to-date and comprehensive information and analysis, but all information is provided without
warranty of any kind, express or implied. Oliver Wyman disclaims any responsibility to update the information or conclusions in this report. Oliver Wyman
accepts no liability for any loss arising from any action taken or refrained from as a result of information contained in this report or any reports or sources
of information referred to herein, or for any consequential, special or similar damages even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
This report may not be sold without the written consent of Oliver Wyman.