The pandemic accelerated digital transformation efforts by up to seven years, and the challenge for enterprises here is ensuring transformation is a long-lasting success. The ongoing pressure for organizations to build faster, better connected experiences to improve customer relationships is essential to satisfy the modern, all-digital consumer.
Responding to consumers’ desire for a seamless digital experience is easier said than done. The problem is the data organizations need to execute their digital strategy is often siloed across the enterprise or disparate, making it harder for businesses to integrate the data or analyze it to make data driven decisions.
Failing to do so can prevent organizations from building a complete view of the customer, particularly at a time when customer journeys are incredibly complex as they switch between different digital channels. A 360-degree view offers a way to make sense of this complexity.
Achieving a 360-degree customer view with RBC and MuleSoft
Successfully implementing a 360-degree digital framework is no easy feat. But Greg Beltzer, Head of Technology at RBC Wealth Management, has found a way to do so. Beltzer joined us at Dreamforce 2021 to share his experience of how RBC, which has over 2,100 advisors servicing its clients across 44 U.S. states, transformed to cater to this new, all-digital customer.
The challenge of scattered data
The last two years have no doubt been difficult. But it was also transformative from a digital standpoint. Beltzer went on to say: “When I look at our digital adoption today versus where I thought we’d be, we’re way ahead – both with our advisors and their clients.”
For instance, RBC had begun working on its digital onboarding platform in late 2019 with the goal of launching in late 2020. The pandemic accelerated this timeline, and it was instead rolled out in May 2020 as branches were closing and there were fewer advisors available to service clients. This allowed clients to access these crucial digital channels just in time.
Like most companies, customer experience became a pivotal focus point for RBC in early 2020. Delivering seamless, connected customer experiences relies upon obtaining a single source of truth about each of its clients.
Of course integrating all the necessary data and systems to achieve this is no small feat: “RBC’s data is in a multitude of different systems and platforms, and that was a problem for us,” Beltzer said. “At any given time, an advisor could have to reference 26 different systems to be able to get all their data on a client.”
Connecting up the data dots
Beltzer then explained how by using MuleSoft and Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, RBC could connect all their systems to establish a 360-degree view. “This was critical for us. All of that sits together in one platform now.”
He mentioned that this had been a “gamechanger” in terms of empowering the business to work differently than it had before. “All that time that the advisors and their staff used to have to spend collecting information, it’s now at their fingertips. They can now focus on what they like doing best:working with clients, doing financial planning, and finding out how to achieve clients’ goals and objectives.”
Beltzer then explained how since 2021, RBC has been able to step up its efforts to increase its use of automation since working with MuleSoft. By consolidating data in one platform, RBC has been able to streamline and automate inefficient business processes, improving the experience for customers.
Taking an API-led approach
Data is at the center of every digital transformation and organizations must be able to make sense of it, and then act on it. RBC’s success story is a testament to the value that lies in connecting data across the enterprise.
By taking an API-led approach to integration, the company has been able to unlock data from anywhere to drive innovation and growth. Watch our on-demand Dreamforce session to learn more about how an API-led connectivity strategy helped RBC deliver better customer experiences.
