Focusing RMs on ‘World class relationship management’ at the time of merger led to improved client confidence and improved business performance - BNY Mellon

The Opportunity

Following the merger of two large banks, the immediate priority was to focus on clients and build confidence in the power of the new, combined business. The rallying cry was world class relationship management. The goal: no loss of clients and to increase referral and cross sell rates by leveraging the scale and wider offering of the newly merged business. Because the two banks had different ways of operating, the merger provided the opportunity to create a consistent, world class, approach

The Solution

Working with a cross-business working group we:

• Identified very specifically what high value clients – from both banks – expect from exceptional relationship management. This was done through a review of existing customer data, industry studies and face to face meetings with a small number of important clients
• Established the bank’s current performance against ‘world class’ and surfaced the (behavioural and non behavioural) priorities for improvement
• Developed a client promise, defining what the bank will deliver to customers. The promise was based around three themes:
  - Taking personal ownership for the client experience
  - Creating customised solutions that meet client needs
  - Developing personal relationships that inspire trust and sustain confidence
• Designed and delivered bespoke training to build RM commitment, enthusiasm and skill to deliver the new client promise

The Results

• Training has been delivered for all RMs in EMEA and was followed up with additional modules on strategic prospecting, key account management and sales negotiation skills
• WCRM was also adapted for client services, operations and other key functions within the bank in order to drive a consistent sales and service approach
• Client survey data shows improvements in all RM KPIs including client satisfaction which increased by 12%
• The Chairman and CEO commented: “In an extraordinarily challenging year we generated profits in every quarter, achieved revenue growth of 9%, gained share in our businesses, outperformed on the merger and integration goals and had top ranked client service globally.”