Case study: Facilitated process design offsite helps to simplify and streamline the merger of processes, people and technology when two banks merge
Problem: Bank merger required blending of very different cultures, systems and processes with little time for merger implementation team to work together, face-to-face
Two very different banks, one on the West Coast and one in the Midwest, merged. As is the case with all mergers, this required that they very effectively combine two different organizations, each with its own culture, systems, and business processes. With little time to complete the merger, and even less time for staff from each bank to work, face to face, the challenges were inevitable. In addition, some employees who were not moving to the new bank were unhappy and resistant to the changes that the changes that were underway.
Solution: Design and facilitate a process improvement offsite to create a process for the merged bank that was better than the process used by either bank before their merger
Design and facilitate an offsite meeting to streamline the conversion of customers’ credit card accounts from each of the old banks to the new, merged one. I was hired to lead a team of people from both banks through preliminary work to create an effective, unified credit card conversion process. I designed the process to work from each unique perspective in the group, using positive energy, enthusiasm and excitement. We collaborated to create ideas that were “new and improved,” as well as to address the uncertainty of impending changes. These included uncertainties about which employees would stay and which would leave the combined bank.
The client asked me to use a structured problem-solving process at the offsite meeting. We used many wall-sized graphic templates to capture and make the best use of our team’s creative and analytical abilities, producing the most effective final process possible. We prioritized key issues with the two banks’ existing credit card conversion processes. We identified root causes of the problems. Finally, we created an action plan for the next steps, including specific actions to be taken, in what order, by whom, and by what deadline.
As we worked on the streamlined process, we carefully considered what the banks’ customers needed in a well-designed, well-managed credit card conversion process. Members of both banks held a great deal of pride in providing a solid customer experience. Ultimately, whether they chose to work in the merged bank or not, both groups acknowledged that the processes they were trying to combine were far from perfect. Because of that, we captured specific improvement opportunities for the merger team to use and implement, rather than merely suggesting ways to “glue” the two processes together in a rough approximation of merged process success.
Results: Improved credit card conversion process and implementation plan eases merger team’s work and ensures excellent customer experience with transition to merged bank
We created an effective action plan for the merger implementation team to create an improved final process they would use at the merged bank. By reaching common ground and making important agreements between the members of the two merging banks, the process design work became very valuable for successful implementation of the merger. We captured employees’ knowledge about the ideal process, and improvements that had easily slipped by in past years. Things they wanted to make sure were finally corrected were done in the design of the merged and improved process.
Finally, we incorporated ideas from team members of both banks, ensuring those who stayed behind benefited from the experience of those who moved on. Those who chose to leave had a sense of completion about their contributions, and confidence in the work that the new team would do.
The work the group did, and the plan they created culminated in a well-managed credit card conversion process when the two banks finally merged. The planning and structured analysis process we used was applied to other merging processes, as well.