Belfius Bank & Insurance - Centralizing communication processes for efficiency and growth

The challenge

As Belfius faced the increasing challenge of handling over 15 million insurance communications annually, comprising more than a billion pages across various applications, it became apparent that their existing output solutions were no longer sufficient.

The process of preparing offers and contracts was time-consuming and lacked flexibility for business users, who relied heavily on the ICT department for modifications.  With diverse applications, providing multi-channel and multi-brand solutions, lacking digital features, the company had difficulty meeting customer expectations and enhancing the customer experience.

One major issue was the ICT dependency, particularly in the Corporate Non-Life division, where quotes and policies were not standardized. Users had to manually edit the documents and select specific clauses, often stored in different locations, resulting in data entry across multiple systems. Moreover, the applications themselves were not user-friendly, exacerbating the reliance on the ICT department to modify document templates. This dependency hindered the company's ability to improve time-to-market.

The company recognized the need for a comprehensive and automated output process to meet the growing demands of customer communication and improve operational efficiency.

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The solution

To address these challenges, Belfius Bank & Insurance opted for Unifiedpost’s Design & Compose, a wide solution in the form of a communication center that unified all communication channels into a single platform. This consolidation allowed for more efficient workflows, enabling teams to collaborate effectively and respond promptly to customer feedback.

Automation solutions were also introduced to streamline routine communication tasks, allowing for more personalized interactions. By centralizing data management, Belfius gained better visibility into customer interactions and feedback, improving their ability to track and analyze customer experiences.

The integration of multiple communication channels, such as email, SMS, social media, and web, was crucial in achieving these goals. It enabled Belfius Bank & Insurance to engage with customers across various channels, enhancing operational performance and fostering customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Moreover, streamlining communication through multi-channel integration helped optimize costs by eliminating the need for separate communication systems for each channel.

The user-friendly interface of Design & Compose enabled quick and easy design and adaptation of document templates, reducing the dependency on the ICT department and allowing them to focus on core activities. Additionally, the solution's utilization of open standards ensured seamless integration with existing and future applications within Belfius.

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"The introduction of Unifiedpost’s solution has significantly improved our communication with customers. It allows us to engage with them in visually attractive ways and provides more possibilities in applications like internet banking." Belfius Bank & Insurance

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The benefits

• Centralized Output Process: Our solution replaced multiple output solutions and centralized the entire output environment. From document design and production to automated business rules, the platform streamlined the output process, reducing complexity and improving efficiency.‍
• Multilingualism: Belfius, serving both Dutch and French customers, required the ability to switch languages seamlessly. Unifiedpost's multilingualism feature automatically converts documents to the preferred language, enabling smooth communication across customer segments.‍
• Workload Reduction: The user-friendly interface simplified document template design and adaptation, reducing the workload on the ICT department. This allowed them to focus on core activities, enhancing overall efficiency.‍
• Integration Capability: The platform-independent programming language, Java, and adherence to open standards ensured seamless integration with existing and future applications within Belfius. The solution provided flexibility and scalability to support Belfius' growth and evolving needs.

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Key takeaways

• Belfius Bank & Insurance faced challenges in their customer communication processes, leading to inefficiencies and a disjointed customer experience.
• With Design & Compose, Belfius was able to consolidate their communication channels, enabling a more streamlined and efficient process.
• Design & Compose also enabled personalised and targeted communication with customers, leading to increased engagement and satisfaction.
• The intuitive and user-friendly tool allowed employees to modify documents and templates independently, without having to rely on the ICT department any longer. This empowerment promoted efficiency and flexibility within the organisation, allowing employees to perform their tasks faster and more effectively.
• Belfius was able to achieve a 20% reduction in operational costs, as well as a 30% increase in customer loyalty.

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Conclusion

Through the implementation of the Design & Compose solution, Belfius successfully centralized its communication processes, achieving improved efficiency and enhanced customer communication. The platform's integration capabilities, multilingualism feature, and user-friendly interface contributed to reducing complexity and driving growth. Belfius can now communicate with customers in visually appealing ways and leverage the latest output technologies, positioning themselves for continued success in the ever-evolving financial industry.

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