Bridging the Gap: Integrating Data Silos to Enhance Financial Institution Efficiency and Performance
by Russell Rollow
The ability to access relevant, high-quality data in a timely manner has become a key differentiator for today’s leading banks. Yet as the volume and variety of data collected by financial institutions continue to grow, so do the challenges associated with managing all that information. Data often resides in different systems and repositories, creating silos that make it difficult to formulate a comprehensive view of customers, operations, and risk. Extracting value from siloed data requires integrating and analyzing information from various sources, which can be complex and time consuming.
It can also be extremely costly. A recent study by IDC Market Research found that companies lose 20-30% of potential revenue each year due to inefficiencies created by siloed data. Integrating data silos within a department or across the enterprise can provide institutions with a more cohesive and agile data infrastructure, driving streamlined operations, enhanced customer experiences, and a competitive edge in the industry.
Barriers to success
Financial institutions face several obstacles when it comes to breaking down data silos. These challenges, often interconnected, underscore the uphill battle that institutions face as they seek to harness the full potential of their data assets:
- High Complexity and Cost: Orchestrating data silos can be a complex effort requiring substantial time, expertise, and technology. Many financial institutions lack the personnel and resources to bring together isolated data sources, or they rely on expedient solutions that do not take a top-down approach to data.
- Legacy Systems: Outdated systems often lack modern capabilities – such as real-time data syncing, API support, and cloud and microservices architecture – that can streamline data sharing and access. According to a Capgemini survey of banking executives, 95% of banks struggle to optimize growth strategies because of inaccessible data in legacy systems and core banking modules.
- Data Incompatibility: Data stored in different silos may have varying formats, structures, and definitions that make integration challenging. Harnessing the value of this data requires data mapping, transformation, and reconciliation, which can demand substantial time and resources.
- Manual Data and Business Process Steps: Manual processes can be time consuming and result in inconsistency due to human error. As institutions grow, manual processing limits scalability, hindering the ability to efficiently and effectively integrate data from multiple sources.
- Lack of Data Governance and Standards: Some financial institutions fail to see data as a strategic asset that demands proper care and maintenance. Without standardized data definitions and data quality policies and procedures, it is difficult to ensure consistent and reliable data.
FI’s integration blueprint
Overcoming these challenges requires a multi-pronged effort. At FI Consulting, we take a cohesive approach that involves the orchestration of disparate data sources, implementation of modern tools and technologies, and robust data governance. Whether the goal is to integrate data from across an institution or within a specific business unit, our approach to breaking down data silos typically includes the following key elements:
Get the most out of your data
FI has over two decades of experience working with financial institutions of all sizes to unlock the full potential of their data with streamlined management strategies, powerful technological solutions, and robust data governance. Read on to learn more about how we strengthened data management for three clients by breaking down data silos and deploying modernized architectures:
If you’re ready to extract more value from your data by breaking down silos, email us at contact@ficonsulting.com or call 571.255.6900.