As part of the rapidly-changing financial services sector, the Royal Bank of Scotland embarked on a transformation journey focused on building a digitally-led culture, reimagining internal structures, and increasing customer convenience and access.

The resulting innovations, achieved in partnership with SapientNitro, optimized RBS’ web properties, customer-facing tools, and mobility to deliver on the brand’s promise of “Helpful Banking.”

Helpful Banking

Laying the FoundationRBS made significant organizational changes to enable business-wide transformation:

Helpful Banking

Helpful Banking: Tools & Services

Agreement in Principle IssueThe UK housing market is notoriously competitive and tighter lending standards have fueled uncertainty in mortgage approvals.

SolutionRBS developed and launched “Agreement in Principle,” a digital tool that gives consumers a personalized mortgage quote within five minutes, allowing the user to show a real estate agent the bank’s “agreement in principle” in real-time.

Results

Web Properties

Auto IDIssue Opening a checking or savings account requires a trip to a bank branch to provide identification documentation.

Solution RBS simplified the process with Auto ID, an innovative digital identification tool that enables customers to scan or photograph necessary documents to open a bank account online.

Results

Web Properties

Overdraft Calculator Issue Making sense of different overdraft charges and coverages is one of the most common consumer banking issues.

Solution RBS introduced an overdraft calculator that helps customers understand usage fees, interest rates, and loan lengths.

Results As a result of the overdraft calculator, RBS’ Net Promoter Score (NPS) – an industry measurement for customer satisfaction and loyalty – for its Personal Banking lines has jumped 50 percent in just one year to a score of nine (out of a maximum possible of ten).

Customer-Facing Tools

Get CashIssue Customers occasionally need quick access to cash when they misplace or forget their bank card.

Solution RBS developed Get Cash, a mobile feature that creates a short-duration, five-digit PIN that users can access via smartphone to withdraw cash at one of the bank’s 8,000 ATMs.

Results

Mobility Tools

Touch IDIssue Mobile banking continues to grow, but the sign-in process remains cumbersome and time-consuming.

Solution Partnering with Apple, RBS leveraged Touch ID to become the first UK-based bank to offer login solely with biometric identification, speeding up customers’ access to their accounts without sacrificing security.

Results

Apple WatchIssue The digital customer expects a seamless experience across devices and channels.

SolutionRBS created the NatWest for Apple Watch app, which allows users to access the popular Get Cash feature to pay for items without a debit/credit card, as well as check balances and review transactions.

Results

With these innovations and the creation of the new journey manager role, RBS has positioned itself as a leader in the UK.

By embracing digital business transformation, RBS has not only set the bar for financial institutions, but has proven to other industries the value of designing with the customer in mind.

To read more about RBS' noteworthy journey and the steps they took along the way, please download the full case study at sapientnitro.com/insights.

Conclusion

Pawan Udernani Director, Client Services, SapientNitro London pudernani@sapient.com

About the Author

Over the last 3 years, Pawan has been leading SapientNitro and RBS’ experience-led digital transformation journey. This successful partnership has resulted in multiple awards, along with increases in RBS’ NPS, digital sales, and employee engagement.