Client Transitions: Navigating Tricky Waters

New Link Editor Data Management

Overview

Migrating clients and their business from one platform to another is a difficult yet surprisingly frequent undertaking faced by Financial Services firms. Key drivers may include:

  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Divestitures
  • Regulatory Drivers
  • Decommissioning Legacy Technology
  • Leveraging New Technologies

New Link Consulting (NLC) has worked on a number of large and complex client transition engagements. Each of NLC’s clients faced potentially significant adverse impacts to their business operations and public reputation if the transition of their own end clients was not delivered successfully – often within strict time limits. Our experience across these initiatives has enabled us to develop and refine a robust methodology to ensure the successful, smooth and controlled transition of clients across platforms. The below illustrates a summary of challenges which are likely to be encountered during the course of a client transition programme.

Typical Challenges Which May Arise in a Client Transitions Programme

Strategy, management and control imperatives

Business objectives & scope, programme management, migration strategy

Target System Assessment

Design, manage and execute the RFP process to establish an appropriate target system

Client Engagement

Communications strategy, working with your clients to help them prepare for the transition

Data Transfer Mechanism

Automation of data transfer utilizing off-the-shelf technology or tailored bespoke build

Operating Models & Business Readiness

Business process modelling, operating model definition including testing and training

Testing

Comprehensive testing throughout all phases of the programme and transition rehearsals

Controls

Robust reconciliation and controls package to prove successful transition

Transition Execution

Transition management to coordinate runbook design, transition events & post-migration activity

Programme Legacy

Assessing deliverables to implement maintainable portfolio of resources for ongoing benefit.

Services

The scope of NLC services can be adapted to the bespoke needs of each client. We often assume the programme leadership role, encompassing clarifying business objectives, clearly defining scope and driving the programme planning, control and reporting. On other occasions we have performed a more specialist role conducted in close partnership with the client. Examples include, client outreach and management; data management and remediation; business and operating model changes; and testing, dress rehearsals and live migration.

Our advantage stems from our experience and client-centric approach. We instil confidence in stakeholders at all levels of the client organisation by knowing where key challenges are likely to be encountered and finding solutions that work. By understanding the client’s business objectives and imperatives, we take the business through the process of selecting the appropriate target platform, preparation activities to ensure readiness for the transition, managing the execution and post migration activities.

Further Information

For further information on our approach to transitioning clients, please read our more detailed insight paper through the following link: Client Transitions. Alternatively, if you have a requirement to transition your clients between platforms and would like to understand more about our experience and capabilities, please contact us [DSkelton@new-linkconsulting.com] or explore https://new-linkconsulting.com/.