Current trading climate
2008 represents a period of major financial uncertainty for many of the world’s leading financial houses. As a result, many are taking a much tougher look at their balance sheets than in previous years.

Banks are looking to manage costs aggressively and to gain better leverage from existing functionality, human capital and infrastructure as they strive to integrate their capabilities and achieve greater economies of scale in support of multiple activities. Pressure to achieve savings during this downturn is particularly challenging for those players who have already been aggressive in reigning in cost.

Achieving the right balance
In pursuing new, conservative models, banks must also be mindful that their businesses need the scope and capacity to pivot, when the market rebounds. Banks must, therefore, continue to protect perceived customer value and quality whilst simultaneously controlling cost. For businesses looking to achieve leaner operations and bolster revenue generating activities, outsourcing banking-wide back office processes offers quick wins as well as a source of longer-term competitive advantage.

How Williams Lea can help
Being culturally attuned, after some 20+ years in this space, we engage at a strategic level to understand each client’s priorities, before embarking on a comprehensive process of re-engineering to take out cost and improve the efficiency and performance of Corporate Information processes. From transformational banking-wide initiatives, that remove the burden of administering back office processes, through to the development of bespoke front-office solutions in support of banker productivity, our solutions deliver the following clear benefits:

• Optimise focus away from administration onto revenue generating activities

• Avoid growing infrastructure and staff costs, with the option of transferring people and assets to Williams Lea as part of the outsourced solution

• Achieve firm-wide process efficiencies and cost reduction via transformational solutions that begin with strategic engagement and involve comprehensive process re-engineering

• Benefit from better global sourcing. Williams Lea has the capability and experience of managing sub-vendors on the behalf of banks, thus reducing the administration and cost yet further

• A best-practice approach brings year-on-year improvements for sustained savings

• Williams Lea is able to leverage offshore talent, with blended delivery models that combine on-site and offsite resources. The facility for near-shoring and offshoring are all united seamlessly by workshare technologies for maximum speed and commercial advantage. This has the added benefit of freeing up premium locations for revenue generating activities

• Innovative commercial models can delivery tangible bottom line benefits via a number of methods with savings guaranteed

- Banking home
- Cost control and reduction
- Improved compliance and reduced risk
- Enhanced customer relationships and differentiation
- Global working practises