BRD Groupe Société Générale Partners With Backbase To Build Its Omni-Channel Platform

Together with Backbase, BRD aims to digitally transform the way in which customers access financial services.

As part of a deep digital transformation, BRD Groupe Société Général (BRD) is reinventing how it serves all of its retail customers. This key project needs the support of a leading digital platform, so the bank has entered into a partnership with Backbase. The Backbase digital banking platform will connect and streamline all touchpoints with the bank, from customers, to employees.

The plan is to bring excellent omni-channel experiences to every internal or external customer, whatever way they contact the bank. Staff working in the branch, customers visiting online, the call center- everyone will be connected and empowered to work better together.

Joint delivery and a shared digital space

Aside from selecting a best-in-class digital platform, BRD will get strong support to make it operational. In line with the Backbase direct engagement model, Backbase is jointly realizing the project with BRD, directly delivering on it in conjunction with the bank. A Romanian IT systems integrator – IT Smart Systems (ISS) – will be part of the implementation team as well. All elements of the bank will be able to connect to a shared digital space, while a common front end streamlines interactions across the board. Retail customers and internal users will enjoy new interfaces and services, which can be leveraged as a distribution tool for branch and call center employees.

This platform is a digital shop window for our brand and the quality of our services. An improved infrastructure will give staff more streamlined experiences, helping them to assist customers. A smart front end will offer a new user experience and we can easily add new features and products. At the same time, we are creating a 360-degree view of the customer to improve service quality and marketing activities and this will certainly help us be prepared for the impact of PSD2 regulation. For all of the ambitions of this project, we chose Backbase as a partner

Florin Boldescu, BRD Chief Digital Officer

A cohesive digital team

A key enabler for this project has been the creation of a strong digital team. The bank established a digital hub in Bucharest where people from IT and the business area, working together on one floor as a highly effective, cross-functional team.

BRD made the smart move of creating a cohesive digital team of both BRD and Backbase people. This team works together on the project outside of the normal organizational structure. In our experience at Backbase, this is the best way to deliver a digital transformation. It builds a strong foundation for optimal results and a successful implementation

Matthijs Eijpe, Regional Sales Director at Backbase

The bank also maintains a keen focus on end user needs, throughout the project. It constantly monitors progress to ensure the final product pushed to market incorporates the customer’s input.

Success today and in the future

As the Backbase digital banking platform connects and empowers every aspect of the bank, it will drive the success of its internet and mobile banking. Eventually BRD can even connect to external third parties and tag new products onto its own offerings, including non-financial ones.

By working smarter and finding the right technology partner, BRD has built a powerful framework that will take it into the future. The bank can reinvent itself today and be ready to exploit the exciting new opportunities in tomorrow’s banking industry.

About BRD Groupe Société Générale

BRD Groupe Société Générale (BRD) is Romania’s third largest bank in terms of assets and the fifth largest company by market capitalization at the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The bank is part of Société Générale, one of the largest financial services groups in the Euro zone.

Société Générale is a leading provider of financial services in France, Europe and worldwide. It is present in 67 countries, with 147,000 employees and 31 million clients. It has three complementary core businesses: French Retail Banking, International Retail Banking, Insurance and Financial Services to Corporates, Global Banking and Investor Solutions (GBIS).